Jamaican Rice & Peas are a flavorful, satisfying, and surprisingly healthy one-pot dish traditionally made with rice, kidney beans, coconut milk, scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, thyme, onions, garlic and ginger. I simplified this version using ground allspice and thyme instead of the traditional allspice berries and fresh thyme, and improved the nutrition by replacing the white rice with long grain brown rice, without compromising flavor. You can use the traditional ingredients if you prefer or have them available.
One Pot Instructions
The night before soak the beans in water. Then gather the ingredients. If you don’t have coconut milk, you can make it in a few minutes from coconut flakes (see the recipe).
Cook the beans by simmering everything except the rice.
Add the rice and cook until it’s tender.
Fluff and you’re ready to eat.
Simple Healthy Jamaican RIce & Peas
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried kidney beans about 2 cans (see note)
- 2 cups long-grain brown rice see note for using white rice.
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 13.5-ounce (see note)
- 1 small onion
- 2 scallions
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice 5 berries
- ¾ teaspoon ground thyme 5 sprigs
- 1 tablespoon pepper sauce 1 Scotch bonnet/habanero pepper
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4½ cup water
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup dried kidney beans. Soak them in a bowl, covered an inch of water, overnight.
- Finely chop 1 small onion, and 2 scallions. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Grate ½ teaspoon fresh ginger.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- In a large saucepan or dutch oven, bring 4½ cup water to boil over medium high heat. Add beans. Stir in the onion, scallions, garlic, ginger, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¾ teaspoon ground thyme, 1 tablespoon pepper sauce , 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 can unsweetened coconut milk. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer just until beans are tender about 45 minutes.
- Rinse 2 cups long-grain brown rice in a strainer and add to the pan.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. If the rice isn't tender, and it looks like it's getting dry, add ¼ cup of water, don't over stir as it will make the rice sticky. Continue to cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed
- Let steam for a few minutes, then fluff.
- Serve hot.