🇯🇲 Jamaican Gungo Peas Soup

The Island’s Heartwarming Comfort in a Bowl

Rich, Hearty, and Nourishing the Jamaican Way

Few dishes capture the soul of Jamaican home cooking quite like Gungo Peas Soup.

Made with pigeon peas (gungo peas), tender pieces of beef or salted pigtails, hearty ground provisions, and fluffy dumplings, this soup is the very definition of island comfort food.

From Kingston to the countryside, every Jamaican knows the feeling of gathering around a steaming bowl of Gungo Peas Soup on a Saturday afternoon — the aroma of thyme, pimento, and simmering coconut milk filling the air. It’s not just a meal; it’s a tradition — one that warms the belly and the heart.

🥣 A Soup Full of History and Heritage

The story of Gungo Peas Soup begins with the humble pigeon pea, a drought-resistant legume brought to the Caribbean from Africa centuries ago. Jamaicans quickly embraced it, using it as a staple in both Rice & Peas and hearty soups.

In rural communities, the soup pot often included whatever was on hand — beef bones, salted meats, or pigtails — cooked slowly with ground provisions like yam, sweet potato, and green bananas. Over generations, this combination evolved into one of Jamaica’s most beloved “one-pot” meals.

Whether served on a rainy evening, after church, or as a Saturday family lunch, Gungo Peas Soup represents nourishment, togetherness, and island pride.

🌿 Ingredients You’ll Need

Serves 6–8 people

Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried gungo (pigeon) peas (or 1 can gungo peas)

• ½ lb beef shank or salted pigtails (cut into small pieces)

• 8 cups water

• 1 medium yam, peeled and diced

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

• 1 green banana, sliced

• 1 small piece of pumpkin, diced

• 1 carrot, sliced

• 1 Irish potato, diced

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 2 stalks scallion (green onion)

• 2 sprigs thyme

• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole)

• 5 pimento seeds (allspice berries)

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 packet Grace Cock Soup Mix (optional)

• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup flour

• ¼ cup water

• Pinch of salt

(Mix to form a firm dough, pinch off small pieces, and roll into spinners.)

👨🏽‍🍳 How to Prepare Jamaican Gungo Peas Soup — The Traditional Way

1. Prepare the Peas and Meat

If using dried gungo peas, soak them overnight to reduce cooking time.

Wash the beef or pigtails in lime and water, rinse thoroughly, and place them in a large pot.

Add the soaked peas and 8 cups of water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 1½–2 hours, or until the peas and meat are tender.

(If using canned peas, cook the meat first, then add the peas later.)

2. Add the Provisions

Add yam, green banana, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin, and Irish potato.

Simmer for another 20 minutes, allowing the soup to thicken naturally.

3. Add Seasonings and Flavor

Stir in coconut milk, scallion, thyme, onion, garlic, and pimento.

Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Drop in the Scotch bonnet pepper (keep it whole for flavor without too much heat).

4. Add Dumplings

Add the spinners (dumplings) and cook for another 10–15 minutes until they float and the soup reaches a rich, creamy consistency.

If you want extra flavor and thickness, stir in 1 packet of Grace Cock Soup Mix during the last 5 minutes.

5. Taste and Serve

Remove the Scotch bonnet and thyme stems before serving.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme.

 🍽️ Serving Suggestions

Enjoy your Gungo Peas Soup with:

• Hard dough bread or crackers — perfect for dipping.

• A slice of ripe avocado on the side for a creamy contrast.

• A cold glass of lime juice or ginger beer to complement the flavors.

🌿 Chef’s Tips

• For a richer broth, cook with beef bones or oxtail instead of salted pigtails.

• Use fresh coconut milk for a creamier, more authentic flavor.

• If you love heat, gently burst the Scotch bonnet near the end — but be careful!

• Let the soup rest 10 minutes before serving; the flavors deepen beautifully as it cools slightly.

📜 Cultural Note

In Jamaica, Saturday is soup day.

From the city to the countryside, you’ll find pots of Gungo Peas Soup, Red Peas Soup, or Mannish Water simmering away — a tradition passed down through generations.

This isn’t just food; it’s family. It’s togetherness. It’s love in liquid form.

Every spoonful tells a story of resilience, heritage, and the Jamaican way of making something extraordinary out of the simplest ingredients.

💛 Final Word

Jamaican Gungo Peas Soup is more than a meal — it’s a warm embrace from the island itself.

Rich, savory, and deeply satisfying, it nourishes the body and the spirit, reminding us that the best meals are those shared with love.

So, gather your ingredients, light your stove, and let the scent of coconut, thyme, and gungo peas fill your kitchen.

You’re not just cooking — you’re carrying on a piece of Jamaica’s timeless culinary heritage.

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