African cuisine

Jollof rice recipe

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On June 22, 2017
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Jollof Rice

Jollof Rice – A delicious African classic dish that can be easily prepared either on the stovetop or in the oven. Packed with well-seasoned goodness such as onion, garlic, tomatoes, and nutritious veggies, this dish is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a regular night or a special celebration. The flavors of thyme, paprika, and Scotch bonnet come together to create a soul-satisfying meal.

Jollof rice is a renowned one-pot meal that is widely enjoyed in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Sierra Leone. It is considered the most favored party dish in West Africa and is increasingly becoming popular in East Africa.

Due to its widespread popularity, there have been numerous discussions regarding its origins. What is certain is that it is a delightful one-pot meal, and there is no doubt about its appeal when everyone is savoring it.

What is Jollof Rice ?

Jollof Rice, also known as jellof rice, is a traditional rice dish prepared in a rich tomato-based broth. Due to its numerous regional adaptations in terms of name and components, there is no definitive correct or incorrect method for preparing this beloved African rice dish.

Cooking Easily Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is traditionally prepared on the stovetop, which can be quite labor-intensive and sometimes results in the rice sticking to the pot.

In this recipe, I have found a solution to this problem by preparing it in the oven with just five minutes of prep time and no need for constant stirring.

However, if you prefer the traditional stovetop method, I have also included those instructions. Here are the simple steps to make this delicious dish:

First, rinse the rice thoroughly with water,
then add all the ingredients to a baking dish or pan.
Finally, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it in the oven. It’s that easy!

If you’re not vegan and want to add some meat or protein, feel free to stir-fry shrimp, beef, or chicken with a variety of vegetables, mix it with the rice, and serve.

Tips & Tricks

  1. It is often advised not to wash your rice as it may lead to the loss of enriching vitamins. Nevertheless, the loss is minimal, and rinsing the rice before cooking can result in fluffier grains.
  2. Use a heavy-bottomed pan when cooking on the stovetop to minimize the risk of burning the rice.
  3. Allow the rice to rest covered for approximately ten minutes after cooking to ensure even absorption of the remaining moisture. Then, fluff the rice with a fork for a perfectly fluffy texture.
  • Prep Time5 min
  • Cook Time1 hr 15 min
  • Total Time1 hr 20 min
  • Serving Size5
  • Energy559,000 cal
  • Cuisine
    • African
  • Course
    • Main Course
  • Cooking Method
    • baking
    • stovetop

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoon (42ml-56ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced (red or white onion)
  • 2 teaspoon (1.6g) fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) garlic, or 2½ teaspoon (9.7g) garlic powder
  • 3 cup (591g) rice, long-grain, uncooked rice (I used basmati)
  • 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
  • 2 teaspoon (4g) chicken bouillon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 14-ounce can tomato puree or sauce
  • 4 cup (1,000ml) chicken broth or water, 5¼ cups for stovetop
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, or ¾ teaspoon hot pepper (omit if cooking for kids)
  • 1 pound (453.59g) vegetables, peas, carrots, green beans, or corn (optional)
  • Parsley, for garnishing

Instructions

Baking Method

1

Preheat oven to 350℉/177℃. Rinse the rice with water and drain.

2
In a half-sheet pan (approx. 13″x18″x 2½”), combine all ingredients and stir so that everything is fully incorporated.
3
Cover tightly with aluminum foil paper. Double the foil if you can because it helps cook faster.
4
Gently place in the oven and cook for about 70-80 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and check after 70 minutes. Since posting, I have retried the recipe several times, and it works best for my oven after 75 minutes.
5
When cooked, remove carefully from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the aluminum paper. Fluff rice with a fork, throw in your add-ins, and mix evenly. Serve warm.

Stovetop Method

1

Rinse rice and drain.

2
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
3
Next, add onions, thyme, and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
4
Add rice, season with paprika, bouillon, salt, and pepper.
5
Cook, stirring often until fragrant, for about 30 seconds, and brown occasionally stirring, for about 2-3 minutes.
6
Pour tomatoes sauce, chicken broth, and hot pepper, if any, into the saucepan.
7
Bring to a boil, stirring once or twice. Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, for 15-18 minutes.
8
Remove pan from heat, let it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork or serving spoon. Then throw in sauteed veggies and beef, chicken, and shrimp (if desired) and mix.
9
Garnish with parsley and serve.

Tips & Notes:

Cookware

I have tried several styles of cookware for this rice, and my recommendation is as follows:

  • Any shallow baking dish would work here; a Dutch oven and an aluminum baking dish work, too.
  • Make sure they have a tight-fitting lid or cover it tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Tightly cover the pot or pan with foil paper or its corresponding lid. Double foil paper to retain more heat.

Tomato Sauce Substitute

  • If you don’t have a can of tomato sauce in your pantry, you may replace it with a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (thicker than tomato sauce). HOWEVER, the consistency will not be the same.
  • If you can, I would recommend using the can of tomato sauce if you can get your hands on it because it’s a crucial ingredient to this dish.

Doubling the Recipe

  • To double the recipe, double everything EXCEPT the cooking time. Depending on the baking dish, you might have to add just a few more minutes and start checking after 80 minutes.

Other Add-ins

  • If you want to add other vegetables to this dish like green beans and corn, sauté first the vegetables and throw them in when it’s all done. It is vibrant and colorful this way; also, this would ensure that your vegetables are perfectly cooked.
  • One of our readers threw in shredded cabbage, carrots, yellow pepper, and green onions into the mix.
  • On the other hand, if you want to throw in shrimp, saute them first and add them as you fluff the rice. The residual heat will warm them enough, and they will not go rubbery.
  • Ensure your beef or any other meat is cooked before throwing it in the mix.

Rice

  • The rice was NOT PARBOILED before putting in the oven. All you need to do is RINSE the rice with water.
  • I used Royal basmati rice for this recipe, available at Walmart and Costco. I have tried several varieties, and they work just as well.
  • If you don’t have basmati rice, you may replace it with white long-grain rice with the same ratio of rice and water.
  • As per some of our readers here, you can use brown rice, but that would need a bit more water (I cannot give you the exact measurements because I never tried it), and it will take you two hours since brown rice takes longer to cook.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper Substitute

  • Swap habanero pepper for the Scotch bonnet or replace it with ¾ teaspoon hot pepper. Omit if serving it for the kids.

Using Bouillon Cubes

  • You may swap bouillon cubes with 1-2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning, which should add more flavor to it.
  • When using bouillon cubes instead of the powder, simply dissolve it completely in liquid before adding.

Paprika Substitute

  • You may leave out altogether the paprika or swap it with curry. It will slightly alter the taste, but that’s not a bad thing if you love curry.

Other Notes

  • You can also cook this in a rice cooker.
  • Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used in the recipe.
  • Serving Size5
  • Amount per serving
  • Calories559,000
  • % Daily Value*Standard DV
  • Total Fat22 g72 g30.56%
  • Saturated Fat3 g20 g15%
  • Sodium1443 mg2300 mg62.74%
  • Total Carbohydrate80 g275 g29.09%
  • Dietary Fiber6 g28 g21.43%
  • Total Sugars4 g
  • Protein10 g50 g20%
  • Calcium69 mg1300 mg5.31%
  • Iron3.1 mg18 mg17.22%
  • Potassium642 mg4700 mg13.66%
  • Vitamin A5685 mcg900 mcg631.67%
  • Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)19.9 mg90 mg22.11%
  • * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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