Peas n rice

Name: Peas n rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 people
Cuisine: Bahamian
Ingredients: 400 g Rice, long-grain, rinsed until the water runs almost clear; 400 g Pigeon peas, one tin, drained; 150 g Bacon, or salt pork, diced small; 1 medium Onion, diced; 0.5 piece Bell pepper, green bell pepper, diced; 1 stick Celery, diced; 2 tbsp Tomato purée, tomato paste; 4 sprig Thyme, fresh, or 1 tsp dried; 700 ml Water; 1 tsp Salt, less if using salt pork; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 1 tbsp Neutral oil, only if the bacon is lean

Peas n' rice

Bahamian rice cooked with pigeon peas, bacon, tomato paste and thyme in one pot. The side that goes under everything fried.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Peas n' rice.

Start cooking

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Rest: None
Total: 45 min
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: No chilli
Cost: Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

About

Peas n rice is the Bahamian version of the rice-and-legume pot the whole Caribbean shares. Bacon or salt pork is rendered first, onion, pepper and celery soften in the fat, then tomato paste and thyme go in and are fried a minute before the rice, pigeon peas and water. It cooks covered until the water is gone and the rice is dry and separate, tinted brown-red from the tomato and the pork. There is no coconut milk here and no kidney beans; that is Jamaican. The pot should smell of smoke and thyme, and a crust on the bottom is a bonus, not a fault.

What you'll need

12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 12 ready

6 servings

Ingredients

Servings

Rice, long-grain, rinsed until the water runs almost clear400 g
Pigeon peas, one tin, drained400 g
Bacon, or salt pork, diced small150 g
Onion, diced1 medium
Bell pepper, green bell pepper, diced½
Celery, diced1 stick
Tomato purée, tomato paste30 ml
Thyme, fresh, or 1 tsp dried4 sprig
Water700 ml
Salt, less if using salt pork4.9 ml
Black pepper2½ ml
Neutral oil, only if the bacon is lean15 ml

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Fry the bacon in a heavy pot over medium heat until the fat runs and the pieces start to crisp, about 6 minutes. Add a spoon of oil if there is not enough fat to coat the bottom.
6 min
Step 2
Add the onion, pepper and celery with a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and thyme and fry 2 minutes until the paste darkens and smells sweet.
7 min
Tip: Frying the paste is what gives the colour. Raw paste tastes of tin.
Step 3
Add the rinsed rice and the pigeon peas and stir for a minute to coat every grain in the red fat. Pour in the water, add the salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
4 min
Step 4
Boil uncovered until the water has dropped to the level of the rice and holes appear on the surface, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and leave 15 minutes.
23 min
Watch: Do not stir once it is covered. Stirring breaks the grains and makes it gummy.
Step 5
Take off the heat and rest 5 minutes with the lid on. Fluff with a fork from the edges in, pull out the thyme stalks, and serve.
5 min

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 272 kcal
Protein: 14.5 g
Carbs: 38.2 g
Fat: 6.3 g
Saturated fat: 1.6 g
Fibre: 5.6 g
Sugar: 3.4 g
Sodium: 625 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.

Dairy-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.

Substitutions

Pigeon peas → Black-eyed peas or kidney beans
Both are used on the islands when the tin is gone. Kidney beans make it look Jamaican, which someone will point out.
Bacon → A spoon of smoked paprika in oil, for a meat-free pot
You lose the salt-pork depth. Add a little extra salt and more thyme.

Tips

Rinse the rice properly. Separate grains are the whole point and starch is the enemy.
If using dried pigeon peas, soak overnight and simmer 45 minutes before starting; use their cooking liquid as part of the water.
Leftovers reheat well in a covered pan with a splash of water. Bahamians eat it cold too.

History & culture

It is on every plate: under cracked conch, beside fried snapper, next to steamed chicken on a Sunday, in polystyrene boxes from takeaway windows. Bahamians measure a cook by the peas n rice, specifically whether the grains are separate and the colour is right. Every family has a version and most families think the others use too much tomato paste.

Pigeon peas came across the Atlantic with enslaved Africans and were grown on the islands as a dry-season crop. Rice arrived as a trade staple, and salted pork as ship's provision. The one-pot combination is a West African method, cousin to jollof, adapted to what the Bahamas could store without refrigeration.

Traditional — Salt pork is the older fat; smoked bacon is now at least as common in Nassau kitchens and is written here because it is easier to buy. Some cooks add a spoon of browning for colour.

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Peas n rice take?

45 min all in — 10 min prep, 35 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

7 more questions

What equipment do I need?

Dutch oven, Chef's knife.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp (less if using salt pork).

What can I use instead?

Pigeon peas → Black-eyed peas or kidney beans. Both are used on the islands when the tin is gone. Kidney beans make it look Jamaican, which someone will point out. Bacon → A spoon of smoked paprika in oil, for a meat-free pot. You lose the salt-pork depth. Add a little extra salt and more thyme.

What should I watch for?

Do not stir once it is covered. Stirring breaks the grains and makes it gummy.

Any tips from this recipe?

Rinse the rice properly. Separate grains are the whole point and starch is the enemy. If using dried pigeon peas, soak overnight and simmer 45 minutes before starting; use their cooking liquid as part of the water. Leftovers reheat well in a covered pan with a splash of water. Bahamians eat it cold too.

Can I prepare this ahead?

If using dried pigeon peas, soak overnight and simmer 45 minutes before starting; use their cooking liquid as part of the water. Leftovers reheat well in a covered pan with a splash of water. Bahamians eat it cold too.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.