Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
Moi Moi
A savory steamed pudding of blended black-eyed peas, peppers, and onion, a versatile Nigerian staple.
Nigerian · medium · serves 6
prep 30 min · cook 60 min
~387 cal · 20g protein · 45g carbs · 16g fat · 8g fiber · 7g sugars · 3g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Moi moi is a Nigerian steamed bean pudding, a soft, savoury cake made from blended black-eyed peas that appears everywhere from everyday lunches to weddings and holidays. Smooth and satisfying, it is a cornerstone of Nigerian home cooking.
Peeled black-eyed peas are blended with red pepper, onion, and into a smooth batter, seasoned with ground crayfish, chili, and spices, then poured into moulds, leaves, or foil and steamed until set into a soft, sliceable pudding. Often studded with boiled egg, fish, or corned beef, it is served on its own, with pap, or alongside jollof rice, comforting and protein-rich.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally gluten-, dairy-, nut- and pork-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
2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked and peeled
2 red bell peppers
1 pepper
1 onion
1 cup vegetable
1/3 cup palm or vegetable oil
3 tbsp ground crayfish
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered (or flaked smoked fish)
2 bouillon cubes, crushed
1 tbsp ground spices and salt
Instructions
1
Blend the peeled beans with the peppers, onion, and stock into a very smooth, pourable batter.
2
Beat in the oil, the ground crayfish, the crushed bouillon, and the seasoning until light.
✎ Chef’s note
Peel the beans and blend the batter really smooth; any grit or skins left in make a coarse moi moi rather than a silky one.
3
Half-fill greased moulds, ramekins, or leaf-lined containers, set a quarter of hard-boiled egg in the centre of each, then top up with more batter.
✎ Chef’s note
Wrapping in moi moi leaves (uma or ewe eran) is the traditional way and gives a sweet, faintly vegetal aroma the moulds cannot; banana leaves are the usual stand-in.
4
Steam upright until set firm to the touch, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Nigerian home cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Lagos. Lagos is a megacity that takes its jollof rice personally, and its buka canteens serve pounded yam, egusi soup, and pepper-fired suya late into the night. Nigeria's coastal giant eats loud, spicy, and communal.
🗺️
Nigeria. A Nigerian meal is a pairing rather than a plate. On one side sits a swallow, starch pounded or milled smooth and rolled into a ball meant to be swallowed rather than chewed, made from yam, cassava, plantain, cocoyam or corn; on the other a soup, which might be egusi ground from melon seeds, ewedu from jute leaves, or okra.
🌍
Africa. Africa's fifty-four nations hold cuisines as different as Morocco's slow-cooked tagines and South Africa's open-fire braai, yet shared threads run through them: ancient grains like millet, sorghum, and teff; stews thickened with groundnut, okra, or palm; and fiery condiments from Tunisian harissa to Ethiopian berbere. Staple starches, fufu, injera, ugali, couscous, anchor communal meals often eaten by hand from a shared dish, where hospitality is a point of honor.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Nigeria
Nigerian Jollof RiceLong-grain rice simmered in a smoky, slightly spicy pepper-and-tomato base until every grain is stained red.
Egusi SoupGround melon seeds cooked into a rich, nubbly soup with greens and assorted meats, the pride of the Igbo southeast.
SuyaThin beef skewers crusted in spicy, nutty yaji spice and grilled over coals, northern Nigeria’s legendary night-market snack.
Browse all Nigeria recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Steamer, Blender.
Storing it: Keep chilled and covered, and enjoy within 2 to 3 days.
Make it a Nigeria meal
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Chin ChinDessert
Nigerian Jollof RiceDinner
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Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is Moi Moi?
A savory steamed pudding of blended black-eyed peas, peppers, and onion, a versatile Nigerian staple.
Where does Moi Moi come from?
Moi Moi is a Nigerian dish from Lagos, Nigeria.
Can Moi Moi be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Moi Moi 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 Moi Moi 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 Moi Moi take to make?
About 90 minutes total (30 minutes prep, 60 minutes cooking), serving 6.
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