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    Home » Rice Dishes » Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe

    Published: Feb 22, 2021 by Kemi · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe

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    Authentic Jamaican rice and peas recipe? This Caribbean easy one pot rice and kidney beans recipe is packed full of flavor, delicious, and makes a perfect side dish. Learn how to make rice and peas from scratch. 

    rice and peas served in white with red pot behind.plate

    Jamaican rice and peas is a popular rice dish in the Caribbean. It's their most common side dish and usually served with curry goat or oxtail stew. This rice dish derived from Ghanaian Waakye is infused with coconut milk, herbs, and spices. The peas used in this dish are traditionally pigeon peas but commonly substituted with kidney beans.

    Caribbeans refer to beans as peas hence the name rice and peas or peas and rice as it's called in the Bahamas.

    Rice and peas make a perfect side dish for lunch, brunch, or dinners. It is my favorite side to go with goat curry, curry chicken, Jerk chicken, and oxtail stew. It is rich in protein, carbs, and nutrients. 

    I love the coconut flavor and the burst of spices. Every mouthful of this Caribbean peas and rice is a pleasure and my family loves it.

    Cooked Peas and rice served in a white plate.

    Rice and Peas Recipe

    This rice and peas recipe is easy, simple, and straightforward. I used raw Kidney beans for this post but you can use canned beans or use my instant pot kidney beans recipe to make it ahead and cook faster.

    You can cook the beans in large quantities and store make-ahead beans in the freezer so anytime you want to make this dish you save time.  

    Making rice and peas from scratch can be time-consuming if you are making the coconut milk from scratch or cooking the beans, to cut down the time I use canned coconut milk and it has never failed me.

    You can make this Jamaican rice and peas without coconut milk. With coconut milk or without, you will love this rice dish.

    To cook this in the instant pot, check my instant pot rice and beans post. 

    Cooked dish in a red pot with some served in a white plate.

    Ingredients for Jamaican Rice and Peas

    Kidney beans - Substitute with Pigeon peas. 

    Rice - I use easy cook long grain rice or Golden sella basmati

    Coconut milk

    Thyme - Fresh is best but you can use dried thyme.

    Spring onions - Also known as scallions

    Jerk Seasoning 

    All spice

    Scotch bonnet 

    Salt

    Ingredients on display.

    How to make Rice and Peas

    This rice and beans recipe is easy to follow. First, get all the ingredients ready.

    Wash the beans in warm water twice. 

    Add beans in a pot, add water to cover the beans by 3 inches, cover the pot, and leave to cook till soft. The beans should be soft but not mushy.

    Add more water during cooking if need be to maintain 1 inch above. 

    kidney beans in a pot.

    When the beans are tender, add in coconut milk, jerk seasoning, spring onions, thyme, washed rice, salt, and scotch bonnet. Stir, cover the pot and leave to cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes. 

    If using canned beans, add everything to the pot at the same time.

    To cook it without coconut milk, substitute for water or broth.

    all ingredients in a pot.

    After 30 minutes, when the rice is soft and liquid dried up, stir the rice and beans together.

    cooked dish in a pot.

    Remove the spring onions and thyme.

    Take off heat and serve.

    Cooked dish served in a plate.

    What to serve with Rice and Peas

    Curry Goat

    Fried plantain 

    Jerk chicken

    Air fryer Steak

    Curry chicken

    How to Store

    When the rice and beans is completely cooled, pour in an airtight container or Ziploc, and store

    In the fridge for up to 5 days.

    In the freezer – It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    To reheat- You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If reheating in the microwave, reheat on high heat from frozen. If on the stove, leave to defrost/thaw then add in a pot with a bit of water and steam on low heat for about 4 minutes or till it's heated.

    Cooked Peas and rice served in a white plate.

    Tips for making the best Rice and Peas

    • If you suffer bloating from eating beans you can benefit from soaking the beans first or you can parboil the beans before adding fresh water to finish cooking. 
    • Precook the kidney beans or use canned beans to cut down the cooking time. 
    • You can use canned beans rather than cooking the beans from scratch. If you drain the canned beans the color of the rice and peas will be subtle.
    • Cook the peas in a pressure cooker to cut down the cooking time. 
    • To cook without coconut milk, substitute with broth or water for the same quantity.
    Jamaican rice and peas in a white plate.

    More Jamaican Recipes

    Rasta Pasta

    Jerk Seasoning

    Instant pot rice and beans

    More Rice Recipes

    Spicy rice

    Curry rice

    Long grain rice

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    If you found this recipe helpful, don’t forget to rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. Share this post with family and friends and tag me on Instagram.

    Jamaican rice and peas in a white plate.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe

    Authentic Jamaican rice and peas recipe! This Caribbean easy one pot rice and kidney beans recipe is packed full of flavor, delicious, and makes a perfect side dish. Learn how to make rice and peas from scratch.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Caribbean
    Keyword: Caribbean rice and peas, how to make rice and peas, Jamaican rice and beans, Jamaican rice and peas, rice and peas recipe
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 268kcal
    Author: Kemi

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Kidney beans or Pigeon peas
    • 2 cups Rice easy cook long grain rice or sella basmati
    • 1 400g Coconut milk canned
    • 2 sprig Spring onions
    • 1 sprig Thyme
    • 1 tablespoon Jerk seasoning
    • 1 whole Scotch bonnet
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions

    • First, wash the beans in warm water twice. 
      Add beans in a pot, add water to cover the beans by 3 inches, cover the pot, and leave to cook till soft. The beans should be soft but not mushy.
      Add more water during cooking if need be to maintain 1 inch above. 
      kidney beans in a pot.
    • When the beans are tender, add in coconut milk, jerk seasoning, spring onions, thyme, washed rice, salt, and scotch bonnet. Stir, cover the pot and leave to cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes. 
      If using canned beans, add everything to the pot at the same time.
      To cook it without coconut milk, substitute for water or broth.
      all ingredients in a pot.
    • After 30 minutes, when the rice is soft and liquid dried up, stir the rice and beans together.
      cooked dish in a pot.
    • Remove the spring onions and thyme.
      Take off heat and serve.
      Jamaican rice and peas in a white plate.

    Video

    Notes

    TIPS
    • If you suffer bloating from eating beans you can benefit from soaking the beans first or you can parboil the beans before adding fresh water to finish cooking. 
    • Precook the kidney beans or use canned beans to cut down the cooking time. 
    • You can use canned beans rather than cooking the beans from scratch. If you drain the canned beans the colour of the rice and peas will be subtle.
    • Cook the peas in a pressure cooker to cut down the cooking time. 
    • To cook without coconut milk, substitute with broth or water for the same quantity.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg

    Related posts:

    Air Fryer Cake
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    Boiled Chicken Breasts Recipe
    Curried Black Eyed Peas Recipe
    « Air Fryer Whole Chicken
    Jamaican Curry Goat Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Polly says

      February 18, 2022 at 6:16 pm

      I made both the oxtails and peas and rice they both were delicious

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        February 22, 2022 at 5:36 am

        Thank you for letting us know 🙂

        Reply

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    239 shares
    239 shares