Akara are crispy West African black-eyed pea fritters made by blending soaked black-eyed peas with onion and peppers, then whipping the batter until light and frying it until golden. Popular in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, they're crisp on the outside with a soft, fluffy center. Akara are traditionally enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack, but they're also delicious as an appetizer or alongside other West African dishes.
- 🧆 What is it? Akara are crispy West African fritters made from black-eyed peas, onion, and hot peppers. They're especially popular in Nigeria, where they're commonly enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or as street food.
- ❤️ Why you'll love it? Naturally vegan and made with just a handful of simple ingredients, they're crisp and golden outside with a soft, fluffy center - perfect for breakfast, a snack, or party appetizers.
- 👩🍳 How do you make it? Soak the black-eyed peas and rub off the skins, blend with onion and habanero, whip the batter until light and fluffy, then fry spoonfuls in 350°F oil until golden brown.
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What is Akara?
Akara are West African fritters made primarily from black-eyed peas that are soaked, peeled, blended with onion and peppers, and fried until golden brown. Whipping the batter before frying incorporates air and gives the fritters their characteristic light, fluffy interior and crisp exterior.
Akara are especially associated with Nigerian cuisine, although variations are found throughout West Africa under different names. They're commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack and can be served on their own, with bread, or alongside other dishes.
Why you'll love this akara recipe
- Crispy and golden on the outside with a light, fluffy center
- Made with simple ingredients
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- Habanero gives the fritters just the right amount of heat
- Delicious for breakfast, snacks, or appetizers
- Step-by-step photos make the process easy to follow
- Batter can be seasoned to suit your taste
History of Akara
Akara has deep roots in West African cooking and is particularly associated with Nigeria and Yoruba cuisine. Similar black-eyed pea fritters are prepared in several West African countries, where they may be known by different names.
The dish also has an important connection to Brazil. West Africans carried their food traditions across the Atlantic during the transatlantic slave trade, and a related fritter known as acarajé became an important part of Afro-Brazilian cuisine, particularly in Bahia.
How to make Akara
Start by soaking the dried black-eyed peas for at least 1-2 hours to soften them and loosen the skins. Rub the peas between your hands, then rinse away the skins as they float to the surface.
Drain the peeled peas and blend them with onion, habanero, salt, and just enough water to create a thick, smooth batter. Whip the batter for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air and helps give the akara their soft interior.
Heat the frying oil to 350°F, then carefully drop portions of batter into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning as needed so they cook evenly. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Key ingredients for akara
You probably have the majority of the ingredients in your pantry already. I always have a bag of onions on hand since I use them so often. The two ingredients you may not have on hand are habanero peppers and black eyed peas, the star ingredient of akara.
- Black-eyed peas - the base of the fritters. Dried peas are soaked and peeled before blending.
- Habanero peppers - provide heat. Reduce the amount or substitute cayenne for a milder version.
- Onion - adds savory flavor and moisture.
- Seasonings - salt is essential; white pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika are optional.
- Oil - use a neutral high-heat oil suitable for frying.
How to make akara step by step
- Step 1: Gather all your ingredients and have them ready to go
- Step 2: Soak the peas for at least 2 hours and keep them covered with water. You may need to add more water after they swell up, so check them after a while and add more water if needed.
- Step 3: Rub the peas together in the palms of your hands using a lot of force to break off the skins. Don't worry about breaking the peas into pieces.
- Step 4: The skins will float so pour them off the top. Add more water and keep breaking the skins off. Repeat until all the skins have been removed.
- Step 5: Drain all the water off and place the peas in a food processor. Pulse until the peas are broken down.
- Step 6: Add the onion, habanero, water, pepper, salt to taste and any other flavors you want to add.
- Step 7: Place the batter in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for 3-5 minutes until fluffy. Scooping with a standard ice cream scoop will give you about a ¼ cup portion for each.
- Step 8: Drop into frying oil that has been heated to 350°F. Fry until golden brown on one side and then flip over. Serve hot.
Tips for making the best akara
Make sure the black-eyed peas are well drained before blending so the batter doesn't become too thin. Add water gradually-you want a thick batter that holds its shape when scooped. Whipping the batter for several minutes incorporates air and helps create a lighter, fluffier center. Keep the frying oil close to 350°F; oil that's too cool can make the fritters greasy, while oil that's too hot can brown the outside before the center cooks. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays consistent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once they have completely cooled you can store this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place them in an airtight container or zip top bags.
Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10 minutes until warm in the center. I like to put them in my Cosori Air Fryer
Yes, you can freeze these for up to two months in an airtight container after they are completely cooled. Reheat in the oven at 250°F for 10-12 minutes or 10 minutes in an air fryer at 250°F until warm in the center.
Akara can turn out flat if the batter is too thin or hasn't been whipped enough. Drain the black-eyed peas thoroughly and add water gradually when blending. Whipping the finished batter for 3-5 minutes incorporates air and helps the fritters puff as they fry.
For the best texture, remove the skins from the soaked black-eyed peas before blending. Soaking loosens the skins, and rubbing the peas between your hands helps separate them. The skins float to the surface and can be poured off with the water.
More African recipes to try
If you are interested in exploring more recipes from this region, I can suggest a few. African Pepper Chicken Soup is a spicy hot dish with dumpling-like mashed yucca balls called fufu. Another spicy dish is West African Jollof Rice that brings the heat of habaneros. A milder dish with tons of flavor is West African Peanut Stew, which is a nice vegetarian dish.
📖 Recipe
Akara Recipe - West African Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 cups black eyed peas
- 2 habanero peppers seeded and cored (substitute ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper)
- 1 onion large, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- ¾ cup water
- oil for frying
Instructions
Preparing the black eyed peas:
- Soak the peas for 1-2 hours in a large bowl and cover them with water, longer is better for a softer smoother batter.
- Rub the peas together in the palms of your hands with a good amount of force to break up and remove their skins.
- The skins will float on the water and you can pour them off and add more water as you go. Repeat until all the skins have been removed from the peas.
Prepare the batter:
- Drain and rinse the peas then add to a food processor. Heat up the oil to 350°F while preparing the batter.
- Add the onion, habanero, salt, pepper and any optional flavors like garlic powder, smoked paprika etc to the food processor. Add just enough water to bring the batter together.
- Blend until smooth then add to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk the batter on high until it is fluffy for 3-5 minutes.
Frying the Akara
- Drop ¼ cup scoops of the batter into the oil. A standard half sphere type ice cream scoop works well for this.
- Flip them and fry them to a golden brown exterior.
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