How to Make Ewa Agoyin: A Step-by-Step Guide

This meal is arguably one of the most delicious meals in West Africa. The argument of where it originated from doesn't even matter because once you taste this delicacy, you might bite your tongue off. It goes with bread, plantain, boiled yam, garri, stewed beef, etc. A delicacy for real.

Ewa Agoyin is a popular dish in Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, and some other West African countries. The meal is made with ingredients such as beans, pepper, and red oil. There is a lot of variation and different ways to spice up your dish, but in this post, we will do a simple step-by-step guide on how to make simple Ewa Agoyin.

Ewa Agoyin is a West African dish made up of two key components:

- Ewa (Yoruba for “beans”): mashed, cooked beans, usually honey or brown beans, boiled until tender and lightly mashed to create a smooth, fluffy texture.

- Agoyin Sauce: a spicy, smoky sauce made by slowly frying blended dried peppers and caramelized onions in palm oil until deep red or almost black. This sauce is what transforms the plain beans into magic.

Though originally popularized by the Agoyin people from Togo and Benin Republic, the dish became a staple in Nigeria, especially in Lagos, and is now a favorite in Nigerian homes and food trucks alike.

Also read: How to Make the Classic Nigerian Tomato Stew: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ingredients: What You Need

For the Beans (Ewa):
- 2 cups honey beans or brown beans 

- Water (enough to cover the beans and cook them till soft)

- Salt, to taste

For the Agoyin Sauce:
- 6–8 dried red chili peppers (tatase & shombo combo preferred)

- 3 large onions (yes, it’s onion-heavy, and it should be!)

- ½ – ¾ cup palm oil (unbleached for that authentic flavor)

- 1 tablespoon ground crayfish (optional, but it adds depth)

- 1 seasoning cube (Maggi Star, Naija Pot, or similar)

- Salt, to taste

How to Cook Ewa Agoyin: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Prep and Cook the Beans

• Wash your beans thoroughly and place them in a large pot. Add enough water to fully cover the beans.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 1–1.5 hours, checking occasionally. Add more water if needed.
• Once very soft, mash the beans using a spoon or potato masher until you get a thick, smooth consistency, not watery, not dry. Add salt to taste.

Image from Simply Recipes

Step 2: Make the Agoyin Sauce
This is the heart of the dish — the sauce that people remember most.

• Soak your dried peppers in hot water for 15–20 minutes until soft.
• Blend the peppers roughly. Do not add too much water; this sauce is all about texture.
• Thinly slice the onions and set aside.
• Heat palm oil in a deep saucepan until bleached.
• Add sliced onions and fry on medium-low heat until very brown, almost black. This takes time, around 10–15 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning.
• Add the blended peppers to the oil. Fry slowly until the oil separates and the pepper mixture becomes dark. This can take another 20 minutes.
• Add crayfish (if using), seasoning cube, and salt. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Image from All Nigerian Foods

Ewa Agoyin is best enjoyed hot and fresh. Scoop the mashed beans into a bowl or plate and layer on that rich sauce like a crown. You can pair it with:

• Soft Agege bread 
• Boiled or fried plantain
• Fried yam
• White rice (for a twist)
• Or just as-is

  Image from Sisi Jemmimah 

 

Where to Find Your Ingredients

You can find everything you need to make authentic Ewa Agoyin at L’Afrique Market, your one-stop online African grocery store situated in Chicago, and it can deliver anywhere in the US. Once you make this dish a few times, it’ll become a favorite. You can make a large batch and store it:

- Beans: Store in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

- Agoyin Sauce: Stores well for up to a week refrigerated, or frozen for a month.

This makes Ewa Agoyin not just tasty, but also a perfect meal prep option.

With just beans, peppers, onions, and palm oil, you can create a dish that’s as memorable as anything five times the price. And thanks to L’Afrique Market, you can get all the ingredients delivered straight to your door in the U.S.