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    Home / Lunch / Waakye

    Waakye

    A hearty Ghanaian breakfast of rice and black-eyed peas simmered with sorghum leaves, served with all the classic sides.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 15 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 LunchCategory
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    Waakye is Ghana’s beloved morning bowl, sold by the roadside from giant steaming pots from sunrise until the pots run dry. The rice and beans get their signature reddish-brown color from dried waakye leaves, and they are served with a spread of accompaniments: fried plantain, boiled egg, gari, and a spoonful of fiery shito. It is breakfast that actually keeps you going until dinner, and the shito alone is worth the bowl — a dark, fishy, fiery condiment that Ghanaians drizzle with abandon.

    A breakfast bowl that stays with you

    The rice is fluffy and lightly earthy from the leaves, and the beans are creamy and soft, each spoonful improving on the last as you mix in plantain, egg, and pepper sauce. The sweet fried plantain cuts through the heat of the shito, and a sprinkle of gari adds gentle crunch. It is a whole meal in one bowl, and once you’ve had it, no ordinary breakfast quite measures up.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the waakye leaves and 4 cups of the water. Boil until the beans are tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
    2. Add the rice, the remaining 2 cups of water, and the salt. Stir once and cover.
    3. Cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the leaves before serving.
    4. While the waakye cooks, fry the plantain slices in the oil until golden on both sides.
    5. Spoon the rice and beans into bowls.
    6. Top each bowl with fried plantain, a halved egg, a spoonful of shito, and a sprinkle of gari.
    7. Serve hot, mixing everything together as you eat.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Soak the beans overnight so they cook in time. Waakye leaves give the signature color; in a pinch, a pinch of baking soda softens the beans faster, though the color will be lighter.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook1 hr 15 min
    Servings4
    CategoryLunch
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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