This easy Jamaican rice and peas recipe makes the most creamy and flavourful side dish that you’ve ever had. The combination of spices and coconut flavour will transport you to the Caribbean instantly.
Rice and peas is traditionally a Jamaican dish that is often served on its own. Since it is packed with flavour from the spices and protein from the beans it’s definitely a hearty meal.
With that said it pairs beautifully with almost any other protein. And since the rice and peas recipe is so easy you’ll be making a double batch just to have some on hand.
If you are making our jerk chicken with this dish, start on that first.
Preparing Easy Jamaican Rice and Peas
Ingredients
Long-grain white rice: Basmati and Jasmine rice are both types of long-grain rice as well as American long-grain white and brown rice. Long-grain rice stays fluffy when cooked and separates nicely.
Coconut milk: Coconut milk is a white substance that is milk-like and extracted from the flesh of a fresh coconut.
Garlic powder: Garlic powder is dehydrated garlic ground to a powder. It’s sweeter than raw garlic, so it adds a hint of garlic flavour without sharpness.
Allspice: Allspice is a ground unripe berry that comes from a tropical plant called Pimenta diaoica. It is used in many cuisines including Mexican, Jamaican and middle eastern. It is a very strong, smoky and almost sweet flavour and should be used carefully as it can easily overpower a meal.
Ginger: The ginger spice comes from the root of the ginger plant. It is native to Asia and is packed with antioxidants.
Kidney beans: Kidney beans are a type of legume. They are named kidney beans because their shape looks like a human kidney. There are different kinds of kidney beans, here we use red kidney beans. Kidney beans are a good source of protein and fiber.
How to Make Rice and Peas
This is the easy way to make Jamaican rice and peas. We use a few common spices, canned beans, and cook the rice in the microwave for a mess-free and quick meal.
So let’s get started!
Start by opening a can of kidney beans. Rinse the beans in a strainer under cold water to remove the brine. Set them aside.
If you are using a 16oz can of beans, which is the typical size in grocery stores, you will have some beans left over. See our Instagram feed for some other ways to use up the leftover kidney beans.
Next, open the can of coconut milk and pour it into a microwave-safe dish. Add 1 cup of kidney beans and all the spices to the coconut milk.
Stir everything to combine well. The coconut milk may have solidified in the can so use a whisk to help break it up and ensure all the spices are well distributed.
Now add the rice and cover the dish with a lid.
Set the microwave to cook for 20 minutes on 60% power to ensure that the
rice doesn’t boil over.That’s it! Your easy Jamaican rice and peas is ready to eat!
Substitutions
Kidney beans: You can use black beans instead of kidney beans. Their texture is similar and flavour is mild enough not to change the overall taste of this dish.
Long-grain white rice: Any rice will taste great with this recipe. Since this dish is really all about the flavour the rice will make little difference. Short grain rice tends to be more sticky so it will alter the overall texture.
Coconut milk: If you want to make Jamaican rice and peas without coconut milk you can easily substitute with another milk, water or stock. Note that coconut milk not only makes the dish creamier but it also adds a bit of flavour. As such, replacing it will impact the overall flavour slightly.
What to Serve with Easy Jamaican Rice and Peas
Even though Jamaican rice and peas is a delicious meal all on its own we love the traditional pairings of jerk chicken or fish.
I’ve also paired it with cajun salmon, plain oven-baked white fish and other flavours of chicken so I can attest to the fact that it is a very versatile side dish.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Easy Jamaican Rice and Peas Recipe
Equipment
- Can opener
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 400 ml can coconut milk
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup canned kidney beans
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe dish or pot combine all of the ingredients except for the rice. Stir well to make sure the mixture is smooth and all spices are well distributed.400 ml can coconut milk, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp ground ginger, 1 cup canned kidney beans
- Add the rice and cook for 20 minutes. If cooking in the microwave set the power level to 60% to prevent the rice from boiling over.1 cup long-grain rice
- Serve with your favourite main or on its own.
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