Nigerian beans and plantain bowl

Name: Nigerian beans and plantain bowl
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 portions

Stewed beans with plantain and greens — a familiar, budget-friendly meal providing plant protein, iron and fibre.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 75 min
Portions: 4

Easy
Trying to conceive
Preparing for pregnancy
Vegetarian
Fibre-rich
Budget-friendly
Iron-containing
Folate-containing

Make this recipe

Portions

Ingredient quantities update automatically. Cooking times may need a little adjustment when you change the batch size.

Swap an ingredient

Only swaps that keep this recipe pregnancy-safe are offered. Allergen information below updates when you choose one.

Ingredient unavailable: use boiled yam or sweet potato instead of ripe plantain

Ingredients

For 4 portions. Tick items as you go — nothing is changed for anyone else.

400 g brown beans (oloyin) or black-eyed beans, soaked
2 plantains ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, washed and chopped
2 tbsp palm or groundnut oil
100 g ugu or spinach, washed and shredded
1 l water

This recipe contains foods that can contribute to a varied and balanced diet during pregnancy.

Method

Step 1. Boil the soaked beans in the water for 45–55 minutes until soft, topping up as needed.
Step 2. In a separate pan, fry the onion in the oil, add the tomatoes and cook for 6 minutes.
Step 3. Stir the sauce into the cooked beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 4. Grill or lightly pan-fry the plantain slices using a moderate amount of oil.
Step 5. Stir the greens into the beans, then serve with the plantain.

Allergens for your selection

No declarable allergens in the ingredients as currently selected.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Food safety

Wash fruit, vegetables and leafy greens in clean water before cooking or eating raw.
Cook eggs, chicken, meat and fish thoroughly, and keep raw and cooked foods on separate boards and plates.
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate where you have reliable power, and reheat once until piping hot throughout.
Anyone planning a pregnancy is generally advised to take a daily folic acid supplement before conception — ask your doctor, pharmacist or fertility clinic what is right for you.

Allergens

No common declarable allergens are listed in this recipe's ingredients.

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Supplements and drinks

The Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization advise a daily folic acid supplement (usually 400 micrograms) before conception and through early pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects. Folate-rich foods such as ugu, soko and beans do not replace the supplement. Buy supplements that carry a valid NAFDAC registration number from a registered pharmacy, and ask your doctor whether you need a higher dose.
Iron and folic acid supplementation is routinely recommended in pregnancy in Nigeria, and anaemia is common. Ask your doctor or antenatal clinic which supplements you need rather than buying combinations yourself, and check that any product is NAFDAC-registered.
There is no known safe level of alcohol in pregnancy, and locally brewed drinks vary widely in strength, so the safest course when trying to conceive is none. Keep caffeine moderate — around 200 mg a day, roughly two mugs of instant coffee. Recipes here contain no alcohol.

Sources

Food-based dietary guidelines for Nigeria — Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria and FAO, reviewed 4 September 2026
Healthy diet — World Health Organization, reviewed 4 September 2026

Important information

Antega's Trying to Conceive Recipes are for general information and meal inspiration for anyone hoping to conceive, including partners. They are not a personalised diet plan, they are not fertility treatment, and no food or recipe can be said to improve fertility or guarantee conception. They do not replace advice from your doctor, gynaecologist, fertility clinic or a registered dietitian. Speak to a healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes, particularly if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, sickle cell disease, PCOS, food allergies or any other condition.

If you have PCOS, endometriosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, sickle cell disease, a thyroid condition or any other condition, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how these meal ideas fit your own care plan.