When I need an authentic Caribbean side, this one always comes through. I make fluffy rice and pair it with tender beans, plus I add some bomb coconut flavor and spices in the mix. This dish isn’t just good, it’s straight up fire! Make sure you pair it with some curry chicken and fried plantains for some good eatin!
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How to Make Jamaican Rice and Peas
Step 1: Put the beans and 4 cups of the stock in a medium dutch oven or saucepan and soak, covered, overnight. Bring the beans and stock to a full boil and boil for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans until tender, about 1 hr.
Step 2: Add the remaining 2 ½ cups sock and bring to a boil. Using a fork, stir in the rice, grated creamed coconut, thyme, habanero, salt and allspice and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the thyme and habanero. Fluff the rice, separate the grains with a fork and serve.
PRO TIP: Do not open the lid! Doing so will allow your steam to escape and your rice won’t cook perfectly without it. Not worth it.
Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 6 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups uncooked parboiled rice, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup grated Grace Pure Creamed Coconut
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 habanero pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
Instructions
- Put the beans and 4 cups of the stock in a medium dutch oven or saucepan and soak, covered, overnight.
- Bring the beans and stock to a full boil and boil for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the beans until tender, about 1 hr.
- Add the remaining 2 ½ cups sock and bring to a boil. Using a fork, stir in the rice, grated creamed coconut, thyme, habanero, salt and allspice and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the thyme and habanero. Fluff the rice, separate the grains with a fork and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Soak the beans. They cook more quickly and better when soaked prior to cooking. If you forget, you can use the quick soak method. Bring the water and beans to a full boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and let the beans stand for 1 hour. Then continue cooking as directed.
- Make sure to discard the habanero and thyme after cooking.
- You must used parboiled rice for this recipe. Other rice grains just won’t work.
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Serving Suggestions
- I love to serve this dish with my recipe for ackee and saltfish and brown chicken stew.
- It’s also great with your favorite curry goat or jerk chicken recipe!
Recipe Help
If you want to try this recipe with pigeon peas instead of red beans, you can simply replace them. You can also add scotch bonnet peppers for another authentic touch.
Yep. However, the coconut adds a very authentic Caribbean flavor to the recipe, if you aren’t fan, you can simply omit. No need to replace with anything. Simply continue cooking the recipe as you would before and enjoy!
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Dirty Rice
- Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Southern Collard Greens
- Callaloo
- Saltfish Fritters
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
This recipe was originally published July 2019. It has been updated with new images and content.
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The stores dont have the pure cream coconut. How much coconut milk should I use? Does it matter if its unsweet?
Slightly adjusted with what I had on hand, and used
jasmine rice. Came out perfect and the kids loved it ! Thanks !!
Made this for my mom and my family this for mother’s and can I say I was so excited to make this, and this definitely came out exactly how my Grandma and Mom makes it. Thank you so much, felt like I was eating my Grandma’s rice in Antigua.
Hello I’m looking to make this recipe however I didn’t have time for a overnight soak. I’m doing the quick soak but I have a few questions. Do I boil the beans in the stock after I do the quick soak?
I have the same question! After doing quick soak, do I start at step 2 or step 3?? Since the author never responded, can I ask what you did??
After you soak you begin the cooking of the recipe at step 2.
I made this last night and they came out perfect. I hadn’t done my brown stew chicken yet but the chicken marinated over night. I made one change I used coconut milk in the rice because I hadn’t found the cream yet. My son kept tasting them. He was like these are so good!
I’m so so glad you enjoyed these.
This was very good recipe and easy to make–would definitely recommend.
I cant wait to try it! I have tried other recipes for rice and beans and they never turn out good. Just a couple questions, What is parboiled rice? And can I use canned beans instead?
For this recipe don’t use canned beans. T
Also parboiled rice means that it has been partially cooked.
I am hosting a large group. The Jamaican rice and peas recipe calls for 2 cups of rice. I want to double it to 4 cups. Do I double the other ingredients as well? What do you advise?
Hi Rena, I would double all ingredients.
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
We just loved these beans and rice! Thanks for the recipe!