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Vegetarian, Africa and overseas

Ndambé black eyed peas with bread

Ndambé is a Senegalese vegetarian dish of black eyed peas simmered with tomato, onion, and chili, served scooped up with crusty bread. It serves 4, takes 45 minutes, stays easy to make, and costs about €1.80 per serving. The trick is mashing a few beans at the end to thicken the sauce naturally.

Tonight, ndambé like an early morning in Dakar, black eyed peas simmered with tomato and onions, scooped up with crusty bread.

Ndambé black eyed peas with bread
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Ndambé starts with a tomato sauce that's had time to reduce, sweetened by soft onions and sharpened with a touch of chili. The black eyed peas, similar to white beans, soak up that sauce and turn tender without falling apart completely. In Senegal it's often eaten early in the morning, but at home it makes a complete, comforting weeknight dinner, especially once the weather turns cold.

This is food you eat with your hands, bread for scooping, no fussy cutlery required, which makes it an easy win with kids. Plan it for a night when you want to skip meat without anyone noticing, or for a relaxed meal with friends where everyone digs in from the pot at the center of the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Black eyed peas or white beans, cannedoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Peanut oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Chili pepper 1

Bakery

  • Baguettes 2

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the onions and garlic and sauté them gently in the oil. 8 min

    Let them turn translucent without browning, they sweeten the sauce.

  2. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and chili, then let it reduce. 10 min

    Stir now and then, the paste tends to stick to the bottom.

  3. Pour in the rinsed beans with a glass of water and let simmer gently. 15 min

    If using dried black eyed peas, soak them overnight and cook separately first.

  4. Mash a few beans, adjust the salt and pepper. 3 min

    A touch of mustard at the end adds a Senegalese style kick.

  5. Cut the baguettes, warm them, and fill them with hot ndambé. 5 min

    Pop the bread in the oven for three minutes for an even crustier bite.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick good quality crushed tomatoes, they matter a lot since the whole sauce rests on them.
  • Simmer partially covered rather than fully sealed, so the sauce reduces without the beans sticking to the bottom.
  • Always taste before adding more salt, canned beans are sometimes already salted.

The variations

  • Swap the black eyed peas for cannellini or flageolet beans if you can't find them, the result stays close.
  • For more heat, add a second chili or a touch of harissa at the end of cooking.
  • For kids, remove the whole chili before serving and offer a small bowl of hot sauce on the side for adults.

What to serve it with

  • A squeeze of lime at the table
  • A fresh tomato salad
  • Mint tea

Storage

Ndambé keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the bread. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make ndambé ahead of time?

Yes, it's even better reheated the next day, once the beans have soaked up more sauce. Cook it through the simmering step, then reheat right before serving.

Can you use dried black eyed peas instead of canned?

Yes, but soak them overnight and cook them separately before adding to the sauce. Plan for about 45 extra minutes of cooking for dried beans.

What bread works best with ndambé?

A crusty baguette works great, just like in the recipe. A lightly toasted country loaf also works if you prefer a denser crumb.

How do you thicken the sauce without flour or cream?

Simply mash a few beans with a fork at the end of cooking. The starch they release is enough to make the sauce creamy.

How long does it take to make a ndambé of black eyed peas with bread?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a ndambé of black eyed peas with bread?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a ndambé of black eyed peas with bread cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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