Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice
Pigeon peas and rice browned in a tomato and thyme base with bacon, the signature side that anchors nearly every Bahamian plate.
Bahamian · easy · serves 6
prep 15 min · cook 45 min
~369 cal · 10g protein · 71g carbs · 5g fat · 5g fiber · 4g sugars · 1g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Bahamian peas 'n' rice is the signature starch of the islands, and rice cooked down together in a savoury tomato base until the grains turn a deep, glossy brown. Unlike the Jamaican coconut-milk rice and peas, the Bahamian version is built on tomato, thyme, and browning, and it is a heartier, meatier dish, usually cooked with a little bacon or salt pork.
Its roots run to the Family Islands of the nineteenth century, where subsistence farmers grew hardy alongside corn and harvested them together. Long before rice arrived, the peas were eaten with cornmeal grits and whatever meat or fish was on hand; rice later became the grain of choice, and peas 'n' rice took its place at the centre of the Bahamian table.
Today it turns up next to almost everything: fried or steamed fish, cracked conch, baked chicken, macaroni and cheese. A whole dropped in for aroma and a spoon of browning for colour are the finishing touches every Bahamian cook knows.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, nut- and egg-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups (soaked dried, or canned and drained)
2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp browning (or 1 tbsp sugar caramelised in the pot)
1 pepper, left whole
1 tbsp vegetable oil
to taste salt
Instructions
1
In a heavy pot, cook the bacon in the oil over medium heat until the fat renders and it begins to crisp.
✎ Chef’s note
For the classic dark colour, let a tablespoon of sugar caramelise to a deep amber in the pot before the vegetables go in, or add a teaspoon of browning; this is what makes it peas 'n' rice rather than plain rice.
2
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
3
Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, and browning and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until darkened and fragrant.
4
Add the pigeon peas and about 4 cups water, drop in the whole scotch bonnet, and bring to a boil. Season with salt.
5
Stir in the rice, return to a boil, then cover tightly and simmer on low for about 20 to 25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Lift out the pepper, rest 10 minutes, and fluff before serving.
Nassau home tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Nassau. Guava duff takes about three hours. A sheet of dough is spread with guava, rolled and steamed in a cloth until it sets, then sliced and served under a butter and egg sauce usually spiked with rum. Peas and rice, made with pigeon peas, is the standard side and is a different dish from peas and grits.
🗺️
Bahamas. Peas and rice uses pigeon peas and is a different dish from peas and grits, and the two are not swapped. Souse is a clear lime-and-onion broth, usually chicken, sheep tongue or pig's feet, and it is eaten at breakfast with johnnycake. Guava duff is the dessert, a steamed roll of dough and guava served under a butter and egg sauce.
🌍
North America. North America's table began with Indigenous foodways, the "three sisters" of corn, beans, and squash, plus chiles, tomatoes, and cacao, then layered on colonial, African, and immigrant influences. From Mexico's UNESCO-recognized cuisine to the Cajun and Creole pots of Louisiana and the fiery jerk of the Caribbean, the region turns ancient staples into something new. Barbecue, tacos, gumbo, and mole all carry stories of migration and adaptation.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Bahamas
Bahamian Stew FishFish simmered in a dark browned-flour gravy with tomato, thyme, and lime, a Bahamian breakfast-to-dinner staple.
Boiled Fish and Johnny CakeA light, limey grouper broth with potatoes and onion, served with a slab of sweet Bahamian johnny cake for dunking, a true island breakfast.
Bahamian Conch SaladFresh conch diced and cured at the table in lime and sour orange with sweet peppers, tomato, cucumber, and fiery goat pepper.
Browse all Bahamas recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Pot or saucepan.
Storing it: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within an hour. Keep up to 2 days and reheat until piping hot all the way through.
Make it a Bahamas meal
Sky JuiceDrink
Guava DuffDessert
Cracked ConchDinner
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Frequently asked questions
What is Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice?
Pigeon peas and rice browned in a tomato and thyme base with bacon, the signature side that anchors nearly every Bahamian plate.
Where does Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice come from?
Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice is a Bahamian dish from Nassau, Bahamas.
Can Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Bahamian Peas 'n' Rice take to make?
About 60 minutes total (15 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking), serving 6.
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