a descriptive essay on how to cook jollof rice

Nigerian jollof rice

Jollof rice is one of the most simple and easy to make Nigerian food, you’d want to start from here if you are new to Nigerian cooking.

Are you married to a Nigerian person and probably looking for an easy recipe to try out first?

Jollof rice is the most popular food in Africa and, the required ingredients are abundant in most countries of the world.

This is how we serve it in Nigeria. You can add fried meat, fried plantain or even vegetable salad.

In the last 5 years, I have tried my hands on over 14 different rice recipes and even made an ebook about them.

What you find above is a delicious plate of jollof rice plus fried beef.

I made this some weeks back and will be giving you a step by step recipe.

Ingredients for Jollof Rice

4 cups of rice 1kg Chicken/beef 1000ml of Ground Fresh tomatoes. 50ml Ground Fresh peppers 1 Teaspoon Curry powder 1 teaspoon Thyme 1 teaspoon Nutmeg powder 2 seasoning cubes 1 cup of sliced onions 300ml vegetable salt to taste. 2 cloves of garlic 2 fingers of ginger

Just wash, squeeze out water inside the tomatoes, blend as is, and set aside.

You need around, 1000ml of ground tomatoes for 4 cups of rice.

Step by Step Preparation

Step 1 Season the chicken/beef with a teaspoon of salt, one seasoning cubes, half a teaspoon each of curry and thyme, half a cup of sliced onions then let it sit for some minutes.

Set on heat and let it boil for 10-15 minutes, would take more time to cook the beef.

Step 2 Set aside the meat and the stock in fresh bowls.

Peel off the outer back of the ginger/garlic, pound, or grind.

Step 3 Parboil rice the normal way, boil about 7 cups of water in a pot, add the four cups of rice and allow boiling for 3 minutes. Then pour out and wash thoroughly with clean water, then set aside in a bowl or plastic sieve.

Step 4 Pick out the parboiled tasty meat and deep-fry, set aside. Step 5 Once you are done with frying the chicken, reduce the oil to 250ml (1 cup) just add the remaining one cup of sliced onions, stir for 1-2 minutes, add the ground tomatoes. I like to cook jollof rice with the same oil I used while frying the meat.

Using a fresh oil is just the same as cooking without the beef stock (meat water) which actually holds over 70 percent of the ingredient that is used in making most Nigerian foods.

The end result is not the same.

How to Make Nigerian Jollof Rice.

Step 6 Frying the tomatoes would take about 20 minutes.

Fry until when you lift a portion with your frying spoon, you will notice the oil continues to boil in the spoon.

You also notice the tomatoes turning dark.

Step 7 Once the tomato is well fried, add the meat water (chicken/beef stock) to the fried tomato in the pot, the ground ginger/garlic, half a teaspoon each of curry and thyme, salt to taste, add 4 cups of water.

Add another seasoning cube. Stir and taste, it should taste overly spiced. Don’t worry, once the rice is added the taste would balance.

Add the rice.

Then cover and allow the rice to cook on low heat for 30-45 minutes. Remember that you can add water occasionally.

Turn and serve with the fried meat.

This is just how to make jollof rice, you can serve with the fried meat, salad and maybe a bottle of your favorite drink

Wondering why my meat is red? I dipped them in tomato sauce

Add 4 tbsp. of tomato sauce in a pot, while still on heat add the fried meat, allow it to heat for few minutes while you continue to turn. Serve chicken and jollof rice as you can see above.

Jollof Rice Recipe

Ingredients .

4 cups of rice
1 kg meat
1000 ml of Ground Fresh tomatoes your blender is calibrated, 1000ml = 1 liter
50 ml Ground Fresh peppers
Spices Curry, Thyme, Delice, Nutmeg, Chicken spice
3 Seasoning cubes
2 cups of sliced onions
300 ml Vegetable oil
Salt to taste.
2 Cloves of garlic and
2 Fingers of ginger

Instructions

Start by precooking your meat with the listed spices (a teaspoon each of thyme, curry, and salt; two seasoning cubes and sliced onion) Allow the meat to cook till tender.
Peel of the outer back of the ginger/garlic, pound or grind.
Parboil 4 cups of rice, wash and set aside in a plastic bowl.
Once the meat is tender, seperate from the stock and deep fry.
Fry the ground tomatoes until it is turning day (about 20-25 minutes) stir continously to avoid burning it.
When the tomato is well fried, add the chicken stock (meat water).
Add the blended ginger/garlic, a teaspoon each of curry and thyme, two teaspoons of salt
Add 4 cups of water also, taste, add salt to taste.
Add one seasoning cube. Stir and taste, you want it overly spiced. The rice will take some of it away.
Allow to boil before adding the parboiled rice, stir.
Then just cook with the pot covered till the rice is soft.
Turn evenly and serve with the fried chicken.
NOTE: If you don't want your jollof rice to start burning before it is well cooked, you need to remove some of the fried tomatoes before adding the rice. Then add it later.

Video For Nigerian Jollof Rice

The jollof rice video above was made just some days back. The method is straight and easy to follow, You will also get a visual of all the ingredients that I used.

While jollof rice is the most popular food in Nigeria and also considered the national food of Nigeria, fried rice is number two on the list.

Other Nigerian Rice Recipes

I have written a detailed recipe for fried rice and also made a video for it – Fried Rice Recipe

I love Ofada rice and sauce, you can try it this weekend. Ofada Sauce and Rice

Tomato stew is a winner any day, you can serve it with white boiled rice. How to make Tomato Stew

87 Comments

God bless u for all these recipes

intresting………..thanks so much

Also what peppers do you use to grind? Does using a blender give you the same texture as grinding?

Sure, you could blend or grind, as long you get a smooth paste at the end of the day, you will be ok. I used scotch bonnet peppers. I have edited the jollof rice recipe to include an image. Thanks for your feedback

You are just a blessing to me,keep it up,God will continues to strengthen you with wisdom,much love

Wow!!! This is nice. Pls l want to know what gives party rice its unique aroma?

I love ❤ Jollof rice alot I prefer it than fried rice. It is nicely prepared

Thank you so much ma

You gave confident of cooking my jollof rice Thank u for helping me out and I also thank u for being there for me Thank u

Thanks a lot for this

Nice one. I’m definitely going to try this method. Keep up the good work Ma.

Please use measurements are user friendly to most Americans .

Thank you very much atalest l have lean how to cook jelof rice now. This is wonderful Thank you ma.

Pls can we use purple onions to cook fried rice???i couldnt find white onions

So you just made me a big boy… Followed your instructions n my wife thinks I’ve been cooking for years…kudos

Lol, thanks man.

Hi pls ow many derica is that four cup

Thanks, keep up the good work. God bless you.

Wow! That was great. Keep it up

Wooow you are doing a lovely job not being selfish with what you know but rather helping homes that would have been broken because the ability of not knowing how to cook, you will always have your reward… And your recipes are lovely thanks so much for them.

Thanks so much for this. God will continue to bless those hands of yours and it will never go sour. i thought the tin tomato brings out the reddish colour. Pls, is it bad to use tin tomato together with fresh one. and do we fry the paste along side the fresh tomoto. i await ur response. Thanks.

You can use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes and yes, you can fry both together when making jollof rice.

Nice one. Admin can u please give the quantity of ingredients for one to cook jellof rice for 50 people? From ( rice, meat/chicken, Maggi g/oil, tomato, etc) have leant a whole lot here I must say. Thanks

The ingredients above can cook jollof rice for about 6 persons. You just need to do the math to know how much of it would make rice for 50

I love the way you cook, I always swallow saliva when looking at your stuff, please me some

Pls can I use green bean when preparing jollof rice?

Chidi! You are a friend indeed! You are such a nice woman. I thought i can cook jellof rice before without knowing that i am missing alot till i discover Chidi. Bravo!

Thank thank you so much for this jollof rice I cooked mine this morning and it was excellent. Everyone in the house ate a second round. I was so happy God bless you real good

I love Nigerian jollof rice, thanks for showing me how to make jollof rice.

Wow… never knew cooking could be this interesting ( cause as a 16 year old I hate it ) lol. I will try each and every recipe on this site. Thank you so much may you go from glory to glory.

Wow…it looks great thank you very much. Pls i wnt 2 try it with tin tomatoes, how do i go abuh it?

Hello, but in party jollof u don’t need to parboil the rice, I mean yoruba method

This is informative, never thought something like this could be online. most helpful to me in terms of knowing the names of spices used frequently.

It looks good in my eyes. I will try it thank u so much I love what u are doing. God bless u

I am mrs babatunde. Should I use tomato paste in my jollof rice pls help me

sure you can, but it is better to use the fresh one if you can find them.

Hi am Mrs franca I blend tomatoes + pepper + onion and I fry it after 15min I add tin tomatoes and I still have tasteless jollofrice wat can I do pls tell me or I should cook without tin tomatoes

Hello Chidi. I looked at the recipe now and I want to try it but if I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones,how do I go about it? Will it be possible to fry the canned tomato like the fresh one? Thank you

yea!!! dis method is great. i tried it and it worked perfectly well

Jollof rice is my best, I luv it. I luv the great work you are doing. Thumbs’ up.

Pls do i need to fried carrot, green peas when prepared jollof rice

Nope, just add them to the cooking rice – 4-5 minutes before you turn off the heat.

can I get the recipe for jollof rice for a wedding or other big occasion

Ma Mr muyideen yes you can get en big event.

This looks beautiful in the eyes and sweet in the mouth.

Thanks for the guidelines God bless

one word for the recipe.. And stand d chance of winning my love

Am in love with jollof rice thanx so much am defenetly you going to try it for my family thank u

My son is Nigerian and African American. I want to make this for a heritage event where I live. I’m trying to make different foods for him. He will be one on the day of the event. I will have to add some spices to my grocery list. I’m happy that I found your site. 🙂

thanks alot, what if i want to add carrot to my jollof rice, please how do igo about it

just add it three minutes before you turn off the heat, Thanks for commenting.

Awesome…….keep up d gud work.

Its gud! I’m nt a woman… I’m a man but I still lv it! Gud Work Chidi! Keep it up!

chy, can one use can tomato in place of fresh ones and get the same good and tasty jollof rice?

Sure, you can. Most restaurants use canned tomatoes, it largely depend on other ingredients and how you fried the tomato.

You are saving women and aspiring cooks’ lives!! Thank you 🙂 :*

Interesting…………………………….. tanks so much

Well cooked jellof rice is always wonderful, I love this

Infact I cooked the fried rice it was very delicious unbelivable ,my husband enjoyed it nd I enjoyed It tooo ,sweet sensation can not withstand me again , u are great thnks joooooooo

hello, i need ur assistance. Please tell me how can i prepare jollof rice for 20 people? what are the quantites involved in the ingredients? Thank you

woooow….m xo impressed,i hope it turns owt well for mhe cuz im to present et n an examination practical…ma….f i am to produce dis to an hypertensive patient,wat re d thingz i ought to add,or reduce…plz enlighten mhe

Chidi,your recipes are very nice. You r really good at what you do. However,I do normally boil my fresh tomatoes after grinding or slicing till it dries,that way I wont hv to deep fry. I really avoid too much fries dats why.

That is cool, I mean the part where you boil your tomato after grinding. There are just so many ways of doing everything, keep making tasty foods.

i tried out the procedure for the jollof, and i must tell u, i had a great meal. it is the best i have cooked forfour years since i entered university of ibadan. thumbs up to chy anegbu

Pls i would like to learn more about ofada stew. i want to prepare it this weekend. Thanks

loving your cooking am not a nigerian though i just love your jollof rice.

Cee, You don’t ever need to boil the tomatoes, just grind and fry, you can also slice and fry. Whatever you do, even if you boiled it, you will still need to fry the tomato before commencing with the rest of the cooking. It would be nice if you look up the embeded video

If you boil the tomato till it becomes dry, do you still fry it with the onions for a while or do you just add your stock to it and continue from there?. I tried it and the rice came out funny. Please give a detailed step by step method

you must select your tomatoes right.look for the hard red colored type.it dries well without soury taste.

I like a nice prepared jollof rice n fried rice. but I don’t know how to prepare one, I’m glad I will learn 4rm ur site. U are doing a good work here keep it up God will Blss u abundantly

hi, I really don’t understand that part of seiving ur fresh tomatoes and pepper, i thought the normal thing to be done is to boil the grinded tomatoes until it becomes dry thereby also reducing the sour taste? besides, from ur illustrations, I dint see where u boiled it. Are u saying we can still achieve the same result with just filtering and frying? enlighten me pls. thanks

Christie, yes, you can just filter and fry, it is faster and better that way. However, you can also boil instead of filtering.

I am an African- American woman married to a Nigerian man and I love jollof rice when he prepared it for me I fell in love I like the spices and put goat meat in the rice it is so delicious. I am a big fan of Nigerian cuisine . P.S. Iy is othing better than pounded yam!!

U LIKE FOOD

it look sweet i will try it

Thanks so much….I love ur work!

Pamela WHY???

THIS LOOK DELICIOUS.

You are doing well Peace the rice seems a lot delicious! *thumbs up*

Yes! I have tried this rice recipe and it turned out perfectly well but there seemed to be a little difference with the one I ate at a friends birthday party, there was a slight difference in taste and color, maybe I probably didn’t get it right. I will have to try again and keep trying till I get that particular taste

Party jollof rice is on another level. Usually cooked with lots of chicken stock and seasonings.

Jollof rice is my favorite Nigerian food, I like when it is spiced up with green pees and then fried plantain. I like a whole lot of other Nigerian foods but this happens to be my best, thanks for helping out

The Best Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

Last Updated: October 2, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Hema Agwu and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween . Hema Agwu, known as “The Suya Guy,” is a Nigerian Chef and the Co-Founder of Brooklyn Suya. A self-taught chef, he specializes in creating the perfect suya, a traditional Nigerian spice blend. Chef Agwu expanded his palette with flavors from Morocco, Eritrea, and the U.S. Over his career, he’s been featured in several publications and on The Cooking Channel’s The Spice of Life. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 258,931 times.

Jollof rice is a spicy and savory West African dish that’s made differently from country to country. Nigerian jollof rice is prized for its delicious, smoky flavor and simplicity—to make it, you only need one pot! Follow along with us as we reveal how to whip up the best Nigerian jollof rice.

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
3 plum tomatoes
2 white or red onions
1 scotch bonnet pepper
½ cup (118 ml) of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of tomato paste
1 teaspoon (2.4 g) of curry powder
½ teaspoon (0.5 g) of thyme
1 teaspoon (2.4 g) of white pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup (237 ml) of chicken stock
2 cups (400 g) of long-grain, parboiled rice (like Golden Sella basmati )
Salt to taste

Servings: 4

Wash the peppers, onion, and tomatoes.

Rinse and cut the peppers, tomatoes, and 1 onion in quarters.

Using a white or red onion is up to your preference. White onions tend to taste milder, while red onions add a stronger flavor.
Substitute fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes if you prefer.

Blend the chopped ingredients together.

For a smokier taste, roast the red peppers before you blend them. Halve the red peppers and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Then, roast them in the oven at 400° F (200° C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
If you prefer more heat, add another scotch bonnet pepper to the blender.

Rinse the rice in water until it runs clear.

One of the differences between Nigerian jollof rice and other varieties is that it is traditionally made with long-grain rice, like Golden Sella basmati rice or white rice, that is parboiled. This is rice that is partially pre-cooked; it’s sometimes referred to as easy cook rice.
Feel free to use raw Golden Sella basmati or long-grain white rice instead of parboiled rice.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.

Use a pot that you don’t mind burning a bit on the bottom. Slightly burning the rice and ingredients is what gives Nigerian jollof rice its tasty, smoky flavor.
As an alternative, use sunflower oil or palm oil in place of vegetable oil.

Chop 1 onion and saute it in the oil for 4 minutes.

Cook the tomato paste for 5 minutes..

It’s okay if some of the tomato paste sticks to the bottom of your pot. This just adds to the authentic, smoky flavor of Nigerian jollof rice.

Add in the pepper puree and spices.

Use beef or vegetable bouillon cubes instead of chicken if you prefer.

Add the rice, chicken stock, water, and salt.

Feel free to use beef or vegetable stock in place of chicken stock if you prefer.

Cover and cook the rice for 20 min.

If you don’t have a well-fitting lid, cover the pot with tin foil. Trapping the steam and cooking the rice over low ensures it has a soft, tender texture.
Some of the rice burning is okay, as you want to infuse Nigerian jollof with a smoky flavor.

Simmer the rice for an additional 10-20 min.

For extra flavor, add 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter (or margarine) and slices of ½ an onion and 1 tomato into the pot when the rice starts to get tender.
If you’re using raw rice that isn’t parboiled, it might take an extra 20 minutes until the rice is soft and done.

Fluff and serve the jollof rice.

Store the rice in the fridge for 5 days..

Place leftover rice in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge.

Or, freeze your leftover jollof and heat it up on a day you don’t want to cook. Just place it in a freezer bag or airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, reheat it in the microwave for about 4 minutes.

Expert Q&A

Other popular varieties of jollof follow a similar process as Nigerian jollof rice but use different kinds of rice and spices. For instance, Ghanaian jollof rice is typically made with jasmine rice and includes ginger, nutmeg, and garlic. [13] X Research source Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
If your rice tastes undercooked, add a bit more stock or water and steam the rice over low until it’s tender. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
Make Nigerian jollof as spicy or flavorful as you want it. Feel free to add more scotch bonnet peppers, curry powder, bay leaves, or any of the other spices to get the rice to your liking. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 4

Things You'll Need

Cutting board
Mixing bowl
A large pot or saucepan with a lid
A blender or food processor
Measuring cups and spoons
A large wooden spoon

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about making jollof rice, check out our in-depth interview with Hema Agwu .

↑ https://eatwellabi.com/jollof-rice-2-ways-nigerian-ghanaian/
↑ https://www.ivonneajayi.com/post/nigerian-jollof-rice
↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/jollof-rice-recipe-23214234

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Nigerian Lazy Chef

A nigerian food blog, my classic stove top jollof rice.

As we welcome Spring, I don’t think Spring would be Spring without jollof rice. The brightness, richness and fullness of this dish makes it a perfect spring meal. In fact Jollof rice is a perfect meal for all weathers :)). I remember growing up as a child and running into the house from school. I would rummage through the kitchen for jollof rice and mommy always had some made. We used to have jollof rice every Wednesdays and my mother (GOD Bless her) never failed to give us our jollof rice. My mother is a retired chef as well as a caterer and on top of that she always had to make dozens of pastries, snacks, and food to fill orders from various clients, and no matter how tired she was, not a week passed without Jollof Wednesdays. My Ajebutters love jollof rice and they call it “orange rice.” My Ajebutter2 calls it “orange fried rice.” :)… I got tired of correcting him so any time he asks “Mommy what is for dinner?” and I know I am making jollof rice, I just reply “orange fried rice)

There are various variations to this recipe and I do have a couple, but I like this one because it is easy and straight to the point.

3cups of rice
1 tbsp of thyme
1tsp black pepper
1tsp white pepper
¼ tsp of freshly grated nut meg
3-4 cloves( kanafuru )(if using the powder, eye ball the amount used)
2-3 bay leaves
3tbsps of tomato paste
a knob of butter
½ and ¼ cup of cooking oil( please eye ball less or more)
1 large plum tomato
1 large red bell peppers(deseeded)
1 finger of cayenne or chili pepper
2 habanero peppers or ata-rodo
1 large onion(halved)
1 large garlic clove(grated)
¼tsp freshly grated ginger
4 cups of hot meat stock or hot water
bouillon(optional)
salt to taste
1 sliced plum tomatoes(you may use about 6 roughly sliced cherry tomatoes)
1really small onion(sliced)
1 finger of roughly chopped cayenne or chili pepper
wash rice under running water until clear and drain.
in a blender chop and smoothly blend the tomatoes, peppers and half of the onion. Pour it into a sauce pan and boil to remove excess water. I get too tired sometimes, so I blend the tomato mix with less water or none; that way there is no need to boil it out and I just go straight to frying...Not a Lazychef for nothing teeheehee)
Put a knob of butter into a cooking pot to melt; then pour in the oil and the other half of the onion(slice first). Sauté the onion until translucent; then add the curry, thyme, cloves, black pepper, white pepper and bay leaf. Stir fry for a few minutes; then add the tomato paste and fry until the paste looks a little dry. Add in the blended tomatoes along with the garlic, season with some bouillon(if using)and thoroughly fry until the mixture looks dark and the oil floats to the top (Drain off any excess oil). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the raw rice; making sure the tomato mixture coats each grain. Pour in the meat stock, check for seasonings and return the pot to the heat. Bring the pot to a boil, cover with a foil wrapper to trap the steam; then reduce the heat. Cook the rice for about 10-15 minutes or until aldente; do not stir. If the rice is not soft enough after 15minutes, just put the foil wrapper and pot cover back on the pot and let it steam in it's own heat for another 10minutes(you may turn off the heat at this point or set your stove on the lowest heat). When the rice soft enough for your liking, grate in some nut meg and ginger and slice in the garnishes; then stir. Let the rice rest once more; then serve.

13 comments

U r not a lazy chef for nothing indeed!! u just gave me a huge tip – blending tomatoes without water.

Cant believe I am actually going through all your posts – maybe cos there isn’t a lot so far? Having fun so far…. Enlightening though….

Awww thank you darling. Not lazy for nothing lol

m trying ur recipe today I pray it work for me wit no water for blending d tomatoes I love everytin on ur page

hi Modupe. Thank you. I hope it works well for you. Please leave us a feed back 🙂

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I am about to make this and I pray the ingredients obey my command as I put them together. If I am successful, I shall post it right on your page. Thank you. #heartbeatingsofast

hahahaha oya cook and write me a song. You will be fine, I promise 🙂

Thanks for the ideas, u are really good. You are not lazy chef joor. Lol.

hahahaha Ngozi daalu soor

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My sister! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I just made this rice and it’s an absolute hit. Jollof was so challenging to me and it came out perfect!! I followed this recipe to a T and I will now only use this one lol!! Please tell me how to modify the ingredients for 4-5 cups of rice instead of 3?! This pot will finish today lol.

Hahaha thank you for your feedback. I cannot think of the measurements for more servings, I’ld say add a little more ingredients and just eye ball as you use it 🙂

Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is bold, deeply red, and explodes with flavor. My version is cooked in the oven, which means you don’t have to keep an eye on it.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

I still remember the first time I had jollof rice. I was meeting my ex-boyfriend's family for the first time during Thanksgiving. I was expecting to see the usual stuffing and gravy. Instead, I saw a big pot of red rice on the table. It came as a surprise (what is that?!), but I didn't want to say anything, especially since I was trying to impress the family. His sister introduced it as jollof rice, and I didn't dare repeat the name for fear of saying it wrong. I just smiled and shook my head yes.

The rice was a vibrant orange-red, and the aroma was incredibly inviting. I was met with a burst of flavors when I took my first spoonful. It was bold and fragrant, with a slight sweetness. It had crunchy onions and large pieces of lamb speckled throughout. The jollof was new to me, but it felt familiar, like something I'd grown up eating. It reminded me of home.

What Is Jollof Rice?

Jollof rice is a beloved West African dish with many regional variations. It's made with a unique blend of spices, long-grain rice, and a tomato and red pepper base. It is often served as a hearty entrée by adding beef, chicken, goat, or fish, or as is as a side. Jollof rice can be made for any occasion from birthdays and holiday celebrations to a casual weeknight dinner.

Reflecting on my first experience eating jollof rice, I now see that the familiarity I felt was the thread between ancestral and descendant recipes. Jollof rice didn't just evolve throughout Africa but also in the Americas. I grew up enjoying foods like jambalaya and red rice, which mirror jollof in their preparation and community—offsprings rooted in the transatlantic migration and the ingenuity of my ancestors.

I am comforted by these connective tissues. And I now make jollof rice often—this recipe represents my journey to a one-pot jollof rice that will leave flavor memories that live rent-free in your head.

Regional Variations of Jollof Rice

I've been glued to the social banter questioning who has the best jollof rice, a harmonious blend of rice, tomatoes, and spices beloved in West Africa and beyond. Jollof rice is believed to have originated from the Wolof people in Senegal and Gambia. It has since evolved into variations found across the African continent, but at its core it’s stewed rice in a concentrated broth of tomatoes, onions, curry powder, and peppers.

Nigerian jollof is prepared with long-grain parboiled rice. It has less tomatoes and is heavy on hot peppers. It’s simmered over a prolonged time to build a smoky, roasted flavor and aroma—it’s traditionally cooked over an open fire to add a uniquely irresistible smoky flavor.

The Ghanaian version calls for aromatic basmati or jasmine rice to perfume the dish and enhance the tomato flavor. Long-grain white rice is preferred, as the rice kernels stay separate when cooked, providing the perfect canvas for the bold tomato flavor to shine through. And while the spices in the rice are more subdued, it’s often topped with a chili sauce called shito that adds a satisfying kick of heat.

Tips and Tricks for Making Jollof Rice

The art of making jollof rice is like a complex dance of timing—you have to build flavor while preserving texture (no one wants mushy rice). I've learned that achieving both is key to creating the perfect pot of jollof. Here are my tips to help you along:

Thoroughly rinse the rice. Rinse the rice under cool running water until it runs clear to remove all starchy residue.
The deeper the red, the better. I intentionally pick out the deepest red bell peppers and tomatoes at the grocery store to create the reddest pepper stew base for the rice.
Allow the pepper stew base to reduce uncovered. This allows the moisture to escape and concentrate the flavors. It will splatter quite a bit, so use a splatter guard or a lid set ajar.
Add the chicken stock last. Cook the onions and pepper stew base, and then add the rice before you add the chicken stock. Depending on how much liquid the stew base has, you can decide to use more or less chicken stock so that you don’t end up with rice that’s too wet. Add enough stock so that it is level with the rice,
Cover the pot with foil and a lid. Tightly covering the pot of jollof with foil to trap moisture that’ll steam the rice. I prefer to cook the rice in the oven, not on the stove top, for the even distribution of heat—you don’t need to keep an eye on it as you would on the stove top.

Delicious and Bold Rice Recipes

Dirty Rice with Shrimp
Tomato Rice
Kimchi Fried Rice
Jamaican Rice and Peas

I do not remove the seeds from the scotch bonnet because jollof rice is supposed to be spicy; however, you are welcome to remove them if you’d like to make it less spicy.

Betapac or Blue Mountain Country curry powder are two brands that I would recommend.

Ingredients

For the pepper stew base

2 red bell peppers , stems and seeds removed, and roughly chopped

1 medium plum tomato , roughly chopped

1/2 medium red onion , roughly chopped

1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper , stem trimmed (see recipe note)

1-inch piece fresh ginger , peeled

3 cloves garlic

For the jollof

1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil

1/2 medium red onion , sliced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 cups basmati or jasmine rice , rinsed well and drained

1 1/2 teaspoons Jamaican-style curry powder (see recipe note)

1 chicken or beef bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon bouillon powder

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 dried bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Optional garnish

2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 cubes

1/2 cup frozen green peas

Add the bell peppers, tomato, onion, scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, ginger, and garlic into a blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven (mine holds 3 quarts) or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and the edges get a little brown.

Scoop out about a third of the fried onions on a small plate or bowl, and set it aside. You will use it to top the jollof rice at the end.

Add the tomato paste and cook it for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The oil should turn red and the paste should look grainy. Reduce the heat if the paste starts sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.

Carefully stir in pepper stew base, and cook it uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until reduced by about half. Stir the mixture occasionally with a wooden spoon and scrape up any bits that stick to the bottom of the pot.

The mixture will splatter quite a bit! Keep it covered with a splatter guard or place a lid on top slightly ajar so that moisture can escape. Adjust the heat as needed if you notice it burning or if it’s not simmering.

Stir in the rice, curry powder, bouillon cube, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, bay leaves, and salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the chicken stock, and bring it to a simmer.

Turn the heat off and tightly cover the pot with foil and a lid. Transfer the pot into the preheated oven and bake, undisturbed, for about 40 minutes.

If using the butter and peas (I highly recommend it!), remove the pot from the oven and dollop the pats of butter on top. Sprinkle the peas and the reserved fried onions on top too. Cover the pot again with the foil and lid, and bake for 5 minutes.

Gently stir the rice to incorporate the butter, peas, and onions. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the rice to a platter, if you’d like. Serve warm.

Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until heated through.

Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

Jollof Rice

By yewande komolafe.

A successful batch of jollof rice requires a few key ingredients (tomatoes, peppers, onions, a few herbs, spices and some stock) and a perfect sauce-to-rice ratio, so the cooked grains remain separate. I have found that the best, no-fuss way to do this is in the oven. Jollof is typically made with long-grain rice, though in Nigeria, parboiled rice is the norm. Most jollof is prepared over an open flame or on a stovetop. Missing from this oven version is the slightly smoky flavor you get from the little bits of rice that have browned on the bottom of your pan, but that’s nothing a pinch of smoked paprika can’t fix. Serve with braised goat or other stewed meats, and a side of fried plantains .

Featured in: Yewande Komolafe’s 10 Essential Nigerian Recipes

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Ingredients

For the obe ata.

1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
½ medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 red habanero chile, stemmed
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

For the Jollof Rice

½ cup canola or other neutral oil
2 medium red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
3 cups parboiled long-grain rice (such as Carolina Gold or Uncle Ben’s Original), basmati or jasmine rice (about 1¼ pounds)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
1 fresh bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

357 calories; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 480 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

Prepare the obe ata: Working in batches if needed, combine all the obe ata ingredients except the canola oil in a blender and purée on high until smooth. The liquid from the can of tomatoes should suffice, but you can add up to ¼ cup of water if necessary to get the purée going. (You should have about 3 cups of purée.)

Heat the 2 tablespoons canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced by about a third of its original volume, 18 to 20 minutes. (It should make about 2 cups. Obe ata can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Prepare the rice: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the ½ cup canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove half the onions to a plate and set aside. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, turmeric and smoked paprika, if using, and toast, stirring occasionally, until turmeric is fragrant and tomato paste has deepened to a dark red color, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the obe ata sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. The habanero oils love to disperse in the air, so you may want to turn on your stovetop fan or open a window while simmering the obe ata. Stir in the rice, thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the stock and cover with a lid. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook until rice is just tender, 35 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and let sit, covered (no peeking) for 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the reserved sautéed onions. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve warm.

Private Notes

Cooking notes.

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For those interested in cooking the recipe but who (like me) don't use "converted" (parboiled) rice, I suggest you could substitute 2 cups long-grain rice and 2-1/2 cups of stock.

I’ve made this three times now. My thoughts: 1) solid recipe with superior flavor and great balance. My wife is in love with this. 2) to me, a Nigerian, this doesn’t exactly taste like jollof. In facts it’s probably the least “jollof” tasting jollof I’ve ever had but it’s still delicious 3) recommend cooking on stove as opposed to oven. You will achieve the slight burn to the bottom which provides excellent flavor. I cooked it between 4-5 on electrical stove for 30 min, then left covered 10

Good recipe, but I doubt Ms. Komolafe's claim that smoked paprika substitutes for the caramelized rice that's obtained by stovetop cooking. Iranian cuisine uses caramelization for chelo rice: the delicious browned bottom crust, the "tahdig", is savory-sweet rather than smoky. I'd use a wide non-stick pan instead of the oven in step 4, and after the stock is absorbed, set the heat to low (2/10 on electric heat) and cook lid-on for 30 mins unattended.

I made it with three cups of basmati rice - didn’t change the recipe and came out great!

I've probably made this about a hundred times since this recipe was published. It has become a staple of my cooking, and one of my favorite recipes to make. I love how spicy , I love how tomato-y it is . It's just so delicious, all of it. The sweetness of the onions really work well here, I usually make more than what the recipes call for because everyone end up fishing for more onions. It's honestly a delicious dish. And I love this recipe.

The wording on the rice ingredient isn't precise: parboiled long-grain rice, basmati or jasmine rice. If I use basmati, do I parboil it? If not, reversing the sequence would be clearer: basmati, jasmine or parboiled type long-grain rice.

Raw chicken will give the rice that 'raw chicken' smell. Rice absorbs the flavors around it, so unless you want that, nah. Whenever I add chicken to a rice dish, I make sure to braise it in its own liquids first (pan, no water, medium heat) until browned. Bone-in preferably. Then I add it right after the tomatoes/peppers/spices, and reduce the heat until the chicken is coated. Then I add the liquid (broth or water), and then the rice, and cook as directed here.

I would swap the turmeric with nutmeg, then add some curry powder and thyme. Also cook on the stove! Yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like jollof rice. Whenever I have a party and serve it, some of the non-Nigerians want takeaway, the rest are to shy to ask because when I offer, it’s a resounding yes. For the Nigerians, the takeaway is a given. My point is, if you make this dish for a party, the custom is to make enough that your guests can have takeaways.

Wow. This rice is a total flavor bomb. It's like Mexican rice but full of smoky flavors and warm spices and heat and onion and garlic and ginger! Wow. Wow wow wow

My twelve year old son made this for dinner tonight to celebrate the sale of my first novel on Friday. It was about the best thing I’ve eaten in forever. Perfectly salty and tomatoey and such depth of flavor from the herbs and garlic and chicken broth. Amazing. Tomorrow I want the leftovers with some sliced avocado and a fried egg on top! We served ours with some simple lemony herbed grilled chicken thighs and an all frisée salad. I feel very feted.

Yewande Komolafe has a wonderful video on NYT IG page which demonstrates the cooking process. Regarding the use of smoked paprika, she explains that it is used to mimic the smoked effect obtained when cooking over an open fire. It is not for caramelization.

mince 2 garlic cloves and fry in step 3 in addition to sliced garlic. strip 4 sprigs of thyme of leaves and fry with tomato paste etc in step 3. 1 heaped tsp turmeric 3/4 tsp paprika 2 dry bay leaves 4 cups broth...i cooked on stove top

I've made Jollof rice for years on the stove. I can't imagine using the oven in the heat of summer.

This dish was incredible! I made it to go with the Peruvian Roasted Chicken recipe because my family loves saucy, flavorful rice with roasted chicken - swapped the habanero pepper with 1/4 teaspoon of aji amarillo paste in the obe ata to keep the flavors consistent, and it was amazing! Thanks for a great recipe.

I have cooked jollof both the traditional way and in the oven. This is, by far, my favorite way to prepare jollof. I used jasmine rice. I found the one habanero chile to be insufficient. It didn't bring the heat that traditional jollof does. All in all, this is a very good recipe.

Lovely recipe. Best jollof rice I’ve tasted. Thanks, Yewande

Love this recipe! I've made it several times now, it's always been fantastic. Interested to try more Nigerian recipes (pescatarian/veggie friendly maybe?) The video was super helpful, made the whole process much more accessible, thank you for that NYT and Yewande!

Hands down the my favorite NYT recipe. I make exactly as written using rinsed basmati rice. Always gets rave reviews.

So delicious! Texture and flavor were perfect. This will become a regular dish in our house and I will follow the suggestion to make batches of the obe ata to have in advance to easily make it more often. Instead of parboiled rice - three cups of basmati (rinsed) and one quart of stock worked perfectly. (Two cups seemed far too little.) The oven did create some crust - for extra I put it on the stovetop on low for a few minutes after baking and until ready to eat. Loved the result!

Delicious and easy to follow. My husband doesn't like 'hot' spices, so I roasted a poblano pepper with the onion and soaked some pasilla peppers and added these to the Obe Ata to build a little smokey flavor and to replace the habano pepper. The family liked it a lot. Next time, I'll add chicken and vegetables directly to the rice.

Fantastic! The sauce did not reduce quite to two cups and I'm glad I only used the two cups (saving the rest for another time). Exactly like the photo! (And used 3 C basmati.) Perfect!

I wonder if starting it in the oven works and then finishing it off on the stove could achieve the caramelisation people on here have identified as a key flavour. I do all my one pot rice dishes in a Dutch oven in the oven to avoid the burnt bottom effect. I may have to try it.

in step 3 “prepare the rice,” there is no mention of rice. i guess it gets added in, but that’s quite an omission!

I made this dish while visiting family in southern Chile. Several of the important ingredients, such as ricotta, were unavailable, so I improvised where necessary (I used queso fresco and added some whole milk, delicious). The recipe did take 2 days, so I would only make if enough time. Otherwise, this dish was an absolute hit and so delicious, and I think that’s a big part because the sauce is really rich and flavorful, and you can adapt it to your liking.

Vegetarian Times has a cookbook from a few decades ago that features Jollof Rice. It suggests stove-top cooking and the sauce is simplified and easy. It contains more vegetables because it's for vegetarians. I suggest trying that recipe, which is delicious as well as easy to make.

I am Nigerian and this is not exactly the same as my mum’s jollof BUT it is absolute delicious!!

This is my go to recipe when I want to impress my family. I like to add shrimp pr chicken to it.

This looks really good. But I'm a bit perplexed as to how a sauce will reduce with the lid on? Anyone else wonder about this as I don't see any comments to that effect.

this is SO so good. i can’t speak to its authenticity, nor can i compare it to jollof rice recipes from other regions because i’ve only made it once. i followed this recipe exactly, EXCEPT i used pepper and kosher salt on the red onions while i was sautéing them. otherwise, i made no changes and this came out really yummy. it pairs VERY well with the pernil style chicken recipe you can find on this app as well!

Don't make the mistake I did. "Parboiled" here does not mean cooked somewhat in advance. Also, I took 3 cups of dry, long-grain rice, parboiled it, and ended up with 6-7 cups of rice! Good for leftover (fried rice, etc.), and can be frozen and recooked with more water or broth, but not what the recipe intended. My way came out as mush.

Recipe Tags

Grains And Rice
Basmati Rice
Canned Tomato
Jasmine Rice
Red Bell Pepper
Thanksgiving

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Recipes by World Cuisine
West African

Nigerian Jollof Rice

Jollof rice, a seasoned tomatoey rice dish, is eaten at every party, Sunday lunch, and everything in between.

Ozoz Sokoh is a food explorer focused on celebrating and documenting West African culinary heritage.

Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Why It Works

The tomato mix is cooked twice, first to soften the edge of the raw, tart vegetables, and then again with seasoning to further develop the flavorful stew base that defines jollof.
Using the right kind of rice is important. In this case, parboiled rice is a great choice, as it has the capacity to absorb the flavourful, well-seasoned stew without turning to mush.
Cooking on low heat allows the rice to absorb the sauce properly, cook evenly, and not burn on the bottom; stirring minimally ensures evenly cooked rice while keeping the grains separate.

Cooking jollof rice, a seasoned, tomatoey rice dish, is a rite of passage for many West Africans. For many years, my own jollof game was shaky because I had confused its ubiquity with easiness. I had assumed it was easy to make simply because I had eaten it often, at every party, Sunday lunch, and everything in between, and so didn't appreciate how crucial certain recipe steps were. I'd rush through making the stew base without developing enough flavor, choose the wrong kind of rice, and be undisciplined about my cooking method. Some days I’d end up with a good pot and other days, not. I've learned much since then, and now make consistently delicious pots. My biggest tip: Slow-cooking the rice is one of the main keys to success.

Thinking a good pot of jollof rice required little skill wasn't the only incorrect assumption I made. I also assumed that it was Nigerian in origin, given that I grew up there and it was a mainstay of the table. But in 2009, when my interest in cooking consistently better pots of jollof deepened, I began researching West African foods and how they traveled the world. It was then that I learned about the roots of this dish in the kingdom of Jolof, a historic 15th- to 18th-century state in the Wolof-Senegambian region, on the southern edge of the Sahara far to the west of Nigeria.

So how did jollof find its way across the sub-Saharan coast? According to James McCann in Stirring the Pot: A History of African Cuisine , the Dyula ethnic group, famed merchants who established trade routes throughout the region centuries ago, were responsible for the dispersal of jollof south of the Sahara, taking it with them as they traveled. Today, every country in West Africa has a version of jollof, each reflecting its particular history and influences. Several regions beyond the African continent also have versions that speak to how far it has spread, particularly via the transatlantic slave trade—Lowcountry red rice and New Orleans jambalaya in the American South are both descended from jollof rice.

Jollof can take many different names depending on the region. In its birthplace of Senegal, it retains its Wolof names of thiéboudienne or ceebu jen, and in neighboring Gambia it goes by benachin. The people of Mali call it zaame or nsamé. In the rest of French-speaking West Africa—Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Togo—it's called riz au gras ("riz gras" for short). In English-speaking Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, and Nigeria, it is called jollof.

There are also endless shadings of difference from one version to the next. While Senegalese and Ghanaians go for varieties of fragrant Jasmine rice, Nigerians prefer parboiled or converted varieties, such as Golden Sella basmati rice, which cooks more quickly and is less prone to mushiness and clumping. In Nigeria, Caribbean-style curry powder, dried thyme, bay leaf, ginger, and garlic are common seasoning ingredients. Contrast that with the popular Senegalese seasoning of rof, a fresh parsley paste mixed with other aromatics and used in combination with fermented seafood. A Guinean friend of mine, meanwhile, adds fresh tamarind to her stew base.

Whole vegetables like carrots, eggplant, cabbage, okra, white sweet potatoes, and potatoes feature in thiéboudienne and other versions from French-speaking West Africa, but not in the Nigerian and Ghanaian versions.

There are a number of details that work together to deliver stellar jollof rice, which I would define as rice that's stewed and seasoned to perfection, with an orange-red color and separate grains that are neither hard nor mush; jollof should not be creamy like risotto. To prevent this outcome, I stir only occasionally to facilitate the absorption of the sauce without developing the creamy starchiness that heavy stirring (a la risotto) creates. I also cook it on low heat for the majority of the time. When the heat is too high, the pot of rice will cook unevenly and be at risk of burning at the base.

Some browning on the bottom layer of rice is desirable, however. Jollof rice is traditionally cooked on the stovetop or over firewood. Abroad, in the diaspora, many West Africans have explored and mastered oven-baked methods, while others have made use of rice cookers and InstantPots to come up with even more approaches. While the outcomes are similar, stovetop and firewood versions are the easiest route to "party" jollof, a version that is defined by its smoky flavor and presence of "bottom pot," the crispy, toasty layer of rice that forms on (as the name makes clear) the bottom of the pot, akin to Spanish socarrat. The direct heat from below is just what's needed to create that caramelized, roasty underlayer.

Jollof rice is not considered a side, but the main dish. It is often paired with beef, chicken, goat, and fish (fried, grilled, or stewed), or eggs (boiled, fried, or scrambled). In Nigeria, it is served with a salad that resembles an amped-up version of coleslaw. It may also be accompanied by moinmoin, a steamed dish made with skinned, pureed black-eyed beans wrapped in the moinmoin leaves that give it its name, or dodo —fried, ripe plantains. At least one or more of these accompaniments is considered standard.

Recipe Details

Ingredients

For the Stew Base:

1 pound (475g) plum tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes), cored and roughly chopped

2 medium (7-ounce; 200g) red bell peppers or 2 red shepherd peppers (see note), stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped

1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) red onion , roughly chopped

1/4 of a Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper , stemmed and seeded

1 1/2 cups (355ml) Nigerian stock

For the Jollof Rice:

1/4 cup (60ml) peanut, vegetable, or other neutral oil , divided

1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) red onion , thinly sliced, divided

3 dried bay leaves

2 teaspoons Caribbean/Jamaican-style curry powder (see note), plus more if needed

2 teaspoons dried thyme

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black or white pepper

2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste

3 teaspoons (12g) unsalted butter , divided (see note)

2 cups (400g) converted long-grain rice or Golden Sella basmati , rinsed

1 plum tomato (4-ounces; 120g), halved then sliced thinly crosswise into half-moons

For the Stew Base: In a blender jar, combine tomatoes, red pepper, onion, Scotch bonnet or habanero, and stock. Blend until a smooth puree forms, about 2 minutes. This will yield just shy of 5 cups (1.18L).

Transfer the stew base to a 3-quart saucier or saucepan, cover partially with a lid to contain splatter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until reduced by half (roughly about 2 1/2 cups; 590ml), about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Jollof Rice: In a 4- or 5-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add half the sliced onion along with the bay leaves, curry powder, dried thyme, a large pinch of salt, and a large pinch of black or white pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant and the onions soften slightly, about 3 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and 2 teaspoons (8g) butter. Cook, stirring continuously, until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved stew base, cover partially with the lid to prevent splattering, and cook at a gentle simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.

Stir in stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper; if the curry flavor is lacking, you can add more to taste (the curry powder should come through pleasantly but not be overpowering, though this is a question of personal taste).

Stir in rice until evenly coated in sauce. Cover the pot with a double piece of foil or parchment paper, crimped down around the edges to seal, then top with lid (this will trap steam to lock in the flavor and aid cooking). Reduce the heat to the lowest possible and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover pot and gently stir rice to redistribute. Cover again and continue to cook until rice is just cooked through but still retains a firm bite and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 15 minutes longer. If rice is undercooked and/or still wet, cover and cook 5 minutes longer.

Stir in sliced tomato along with the remaining sliced onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon (4g) butter until butter is fully melted.

Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve.

blender, 3-quart saucier or saucepan, 4- or 5-quart pot or Dutch oven

Red shepherd peppers are sweet, long, thin-skinned Italian peppers, similar to Nigerian tatashe peppers . They have great flavor and bring a deep red color to Jollof rice. If you can't find them, red bell peppers can be used instead.

Lion curry powder is my favorite brand. If you can’t find it, Ducros is an acceptable substitute, as are Jamaican or West Indian curry powders.

3 teaspoons butter is the same as 1 tablespoon, so to evenly divide the butter into 3 teaspoons, first cut off a 1-tablespoon piece using the markings on the wrapper for guidance, then divide into equal thirds.

This recipe works best with converted long-grain rice (also known as parboiled rice), including converted styles of basmati (such as Golden Sella).

Make-Ahead and Storage

The stew base can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for a week in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Jollof rice keeps well—in fact many people love leftover jollof. Thaw leftovers overnight in the fridge, then warm on the stove top over gentle heat, or in the microwave.

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Home » Side Dish » Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

Published: Aug 18, 2020 · Modified: Oct 11, 2020 by Ajoke · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

What is world Jollof rice day without an authentic Nigerian jollof rice recipe? Let me show you how to make the best west African rice recipe you and your whole family would love.

I won’t be surprised if this smoky Nigerian rice becomes a weekly rotation in your home. Fluffy rice cooked in rich tomato sauce until tender and fluffy and separate grains of well-seasoned rice.

World Jollof rice day is celebrated every 22nd of August of every year

Easy Nigerian Jollof rice recipe

No Nigerian party is complete without plates of hot smoky jollof rice and fried rice flying across the tables. In fact, a Nigerian party without this rice dish is nothing but a meeting. Yes, that is how sacrilegious Nigerian Jollof is.

You are probably wondering what is so great about our spicy Nigerian Jollof, apart from the fact that every west African country have their own version that they are proud of, the Nigerian version takes the top mark at all times.

The Nigerian version is originally cooked on an open fire which gives it that distinct smoky flavour. We do not use vegetables as they do in other African countries like Senegal where this dish originated from (Wolof tribe) and Liberia.

We don’t use palm oil to cook jollof rice neither, honestly why would anyone add palm oil or ground crayfish to this one-pot wonder rice dish, well each to it’s own. Ghanaians also cook theirs with cubed beef. Let me show you how to make the best version of this deliciousness.

Tips to making the best Jollof rice

The first thing that comes to mind is the pepper mix, you can make it spicy or mild but however you want it, make sure that the pepper mix is well fried before adding the rice to it. Otherwise, it would taste like rice cooked in raw pepper or rice concoction which is not what you are aiming for.
Your jollof rice would turn out well if you used long grain rice or golden Sella basmati rice.
Cook the rice on low-medium heat. When it is too low the rice might turn out soggy and too high heat would make the rice burn easily and undercooked.
You do not need too much water to cook this delicacy, the rice cooks in the tomato pepper base by steaming for infused flavour. that is why you ensure the pot is tightly covered during the cooking process and use baking paper or foil to trap the heat in the pot while it cooks. If you think the rice needs some water, then add warm or hot water, little quantity at a time
Use Nigerian curry powder or curry powder made for a Nigerian kitchen.
To make vegetarian jollof rice or the vegan version, skip the stock and use just water. Use vegetable bouillon cubes or powder. You can also skip the butter for the vegan version.
Liquid smoke would not make your jollof rice smoky, you need to get the basics right and you would be fine. If you must use liquid smoke, add it at the tail end of the cooking just before you take it off the heat.

Ingredients

Golden sella basmati rice : you can also use long grain rice. The popular brands here in the UK are Tolly boy (Long grain) and tropical golden sella basmati rice, which is what I am using in today’s recipe.

Vegetable oil

Unsalted butter

Tomato puree

Red bell peppers

Scotch bonnet pepper

Canned chopped tomatoes: substitute with 3 tomatoes

Curry powder

Dried thyme

Salt to taste

Sliced fresh tomatoes (optional) to garnish

Stock: you can use chicken, beef or vegetable stock if you are vegan or vegetarian

How to make jollof rice

Prep : Slice 2 tomatoes, half of one onion and reserve to garnish the rice later.

To a blender, add roughly chopped, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet, tomatoes, onions and little water to aid the blending and blend until pureed. Transfer the blended pepper to a saucepan and bring to boil on medium-low heat until slightly reduced in size (about 10 minutes)

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, add sliced onion and stir until soft and fragrant, add the curry powder and thyme and stir for about a minute to release its flavour.

Stir the tomato paste into the fragrant oil and cook for about 3 minutes on low heat so it doesn’t burn. Add 1 ½ cups of the boiled pepper mix, chicken stock cube, bay leaves and stir to combine. Reduce the heat and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the rinsed rice and stir to combine, add water or stock (about 1 ½ cup) and salt to the rice then stir to combine. the amount of the liquid added should be about the same level as the rice or slightly over the rice.

Place a baking paper or foil over the pot and cover tightly with its lid, this is just to allow the rice cooks in its steam and lock in the flavours in. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium-low heat. Keep an eye so that the rice doesn’t start burning too much at this point.

Add sliced onions and tomatoes if using, butter, cover the pot and continue to cook until rice is well done and fluffy. Remove the bay leaves and fluff the rice. Place the lid back on the rice and let it stand for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy!

sliced tomatoes. onions and butter on rice in a pot.

Please note: The bottom part of the Jollof rice pot burns when cooking it. Cook on low-medium heat

Related post: Make instant pot jollof rice following the method used in making my super easy yet delicious pressure cooker rice and chicken .

What to serve it with

Nigerian jollof rice can be served with any protein of choice. We would typically serve it with stewed Nigerian beef , baked chicken , fried plantain and salad such as coleslaw and Nigerian salad .

How to store

You can store this rice in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I am not a fan of freezing cooked rice so I wouldn’t recommend it. I do know some people freeze it, it is just a big No for me.

More rice recipes for you

Instant pot Mexican rice , it is similar to jollof rice but they use different ingredients

Garlic butter rice

Easy spinach rice

Instant pot rice and beans

Instant pot basmati rice

If you made this easy jollof rice recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest . Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox

Jollof Rice Recipe

aluminum pot or a sturdy stainless pot

Ingredients 1x 2x 3x

3½ cups golden Sella basmati rice substitute with long grain rice
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon good quality unsalted butter
4 tablespoons tomato puree
3 large red bell peppers
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 large red onions
400 g canned chopped tomatoe substitute with 3 fresh tomatoes
½ tablespoon curry powder
½ tablespoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 sliced fresh tomatoes optional
1 cup stock you can use chicken beef or vegetable stock if you are vegan or vegetarian

Instructions

Prep: Slice 2 tomatoes, half of one onion and reserve to garnishthe rice later. Please note: The bottom part of the Jollof rice pot burns when cooking it. Cook on low-medium heat

Place a baking paper or foil over the pot and cover tightly with its lid, this is just to allow the rice cook in its steam and to lock in the flavours. Cook for another 15 minutes on medium-low heat. Keep an eye so that the rice doesn’t start burning too much at this point.

Your jollof rice would turn out well if you used long grain rice or golden sella basmati rice.
Liquid smoke would not make your jollof rice smoky, you need to get the basics right and you would be fine. If you must use liquid smoke, add it at the tail end of the cooking just before you take it off the heat

Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.

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Home » Africa » Recipes from Western Africa » Jollof Rice (Ghana Style)

Jollof Rice (Ghana Style)

By: Author Freda

Posted on Last updated: September 26, 2022

This recipe for Ghanaian jollof rice brings you a brightly colored red/orange rice dish, with wonderful spice and rich and saucy beef (or other meat). Jollof rice is a much-loved festive dish that people often serve at weddings, parties, and other large gatherings. The rice cooks in a rich and spicy tomato-based sauce, giving it a bright color .

Jollof rice with beef topped with beef stew Ghanaian version

The origins of jollof rice

As much as we have prominent “jollof wars” between Nigerians and Ghanaians, all centered around who makes the best jollof rice, it actually originates somewhere else.

Jollof comes from the Senegambia region of West Africa, particularly Senegal. There t hey call this rice dish thieboudienne or ceebu jen . To make it they use a mixture of rice, onions, tomatoes, and fish.

How this dish then managed to lend itself to the rest of West Africa as jollof, jellof or jallof still remains a mystery.

Some think that this could be connected to the Senegalese Wolof tribe. Others have also made the connection between jollof rice and jambalaya . H owever, the direct connection has been heavily contested even though the dishes look similar in appearance.

I have had my own theories as to how it happened that the modern-day jollof, a rice dish filled with ingredients that are not indigenous to West Africa, came to be, which you can read about in my Party Jollof recipe .

Which rice is best for jollof?

The first component of jollof is the actual rice. As we are focusing on Ghanaian jollof rice here, it pays to note that the choice of rice will vary greatly across the different West African regions.

Ghanaians are partial to long grain rice such as Thai jasmine or Basmati rice.

Nigerians prefer the plump and separated grain effect of par boiled rice such as Uncle Ben’s style rice, easy cook rice, or what we now know as Golden Sella Basmati rice. This is rice that has been parboiled in the husk before milling. The result is a stiffer grain that does not stick together when cooked.

Ghanaians pride themselves as being purists by staying away from this kind of processed rice, however the benefits of the parboiling process makes the rice easier to digest.

Tomato stew — a jollof essential

The second major component in jollof is the tomato stew base.

Cooks usually m ake the stew by frying onions and adding tomato paste or puree to enrich the sauce. Then they add tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and ginger. Once all ingredients are in the pot, they reduce the sauce to a thick and rich oily mixture.

We love observing an oil film at the top of a stew or sauce. This signals that it is ready to receive the rice and additional water for steaming.

Does jollof rice have meat in it?

Jollof can come with or without meat. But the third component of today’s Ghanaian jollof rice recipe, particular to many Ghanaians, is meat mixed into the rice.

Goat, beef, or lamb (ram meat) are common additions. (I love jollof rice with goat meat or beef.)

Jollof rice can also be made with chicken or fish.

Other modern variations have seen people mix corned beef into their rice to make an entirely delicious meal with a modern industrialized twist.

What is used to season jollof rice?

A variety of spices can be used to make this one-pot dish. I find that the choice of meat will determine the direction of spices used.

Memories of my mother’s jollof rice are filled with the rich aroma of cloves, which she would always add to her goat or beef jollof rice.

Seasonings such as bouillon cubes, chicken spice, or salt may be added, followed by dried aromatic herbs such as bay leaves, thyme, or mixed herbs.

You can now even find “jollof mix” spice blends in some stores depending on your location.

Can I add vegetables to jollof?

The final step in Ghanaian jollof rice is stirring in some mixed vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and peas.

This step may have come out of food and nutrition or catering lessons, as the result is a beautifully bright garnish, however, it is a very common step in Ghana.

Other vegetables that can be used are cabbage, aubergines (eggplant), and tubers such as cassava or potatoes. However, these are more common in thieboudienne and other Sahel regions of West Africa.

Jollof rice with beef topped with beef stew

Variations of jollof in West Africa

As previously mentioned, in Senegal, the dish called thieboudienne is the national dish of the country and is considered the origin of jollof rice.

Not far away in neighboring Gambia, benachin is the thieboudienne equivalent.

When I was growing up, I remember my aunt’s benachin. She would make it with dried salted fish, which had a fermented flavour. Her’s was absolutely delicious.

Nigeria’s most popular jollof rice is known as “party jollof” in Lagos state. Party jollof is one of the most searched African food items on Google. It is often cooked in large quantities, over a wood fire and is described as having a smoky flavour, which comes from the charring at the bottom of the huge three-legged vats that caterers use.

Similar Dishes to jollof rice around the world

When cooked without meat, jollof is very much a savoury rice dish, comparable to the Portuguese arroz de tomate .

I previously mentioned jambalaya as a dish that is similar to jollof rice. It is a dish with West African and French roots.

Not far from jambalaya in America’s south, Gullah red rice is almost identical to jollof, with the addition of smoked sausage.

This recipe for Ghanaian jollof rice brings you a brightly colored red/orange rice dish, with a wonderful spice and rich, spicy, and saucy meat.

Ingredients

For the meat.

750 to 800g (1 1/3 lbs) lamb (or beef)
½ an onion
1 scotch bonnet pepper (habanero is a good substitute)*
1 bouillon cube**
3 whole cloves (roughly 1/4 tsp ground)

For the rice

4 Tablespoon oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 scotch bonnet pepper (habanero pepper)*, chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato puree (tomato paste)
6 large, fresh tomatoes or 1 and ½ cans of tomato, chopped
1 seasoning cube/bouillon cube** (or salt to taste)
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups long grain rice (Thai jasmine)
2 cups hot water or stock/broth**
½ cup mixed carrots and peas (thawed if frozen or fresh)
A round of parchment paper that fits inside your cooking pot (see step 11)

Instructions

Cut the lamb (or beef) into sizeable chunks.
Create a paste by blending the ½ portion of onion and lamb seasoning in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. Then, rub the paste on your meat pieces.
If the meat is tough, simmer the meat and sauce paste until the meat is tender, then remove the pieces of meat and grill or fry them so the lamb pieces crisp up.
If the meat is tender, it can go straight to the grill for cooking through. Set the cooked meat aside.
Rinse your rice and start some water boiling (for soaking the rice in step 7). (The rice is washed to remove excess starchiness, which can make the final dish gloopy or sticky.)
To make the stew base, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan.
Fry the onions until golden brown. Add the garlic and ginger a few seconds before adding your tomato puree (tomato paste). Fry for just under a minute.
Add the thyme and bouillon cube, followed by the tomatoes and scotch bonnet pepper.
Cook the sauce for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir continuously to make sure it is not burning at the bottom.
Next, add all the meat and stir to coat it well in the sauce. Continue cooking the stew.
While the tomato sauce is cooking, soak the rinsed rice in some boiled water until the stew base is ready.
Once the stew is thick, with an oily film forming on the surface, remove half the meat stew from the pot and set it aside for serving. (This is a preference particular to Ghanaians, who will often eat jollof rice with additional stew on the side.)
Strain the soaked rice and add it to the pot. Season to taste carefully.
Top up the pot with enough water or broth. For those with an experienced eye for rice, this would normally be about 500ml (2 cups). (You may need to add more later if the rice is still hard.) Stir to mix, then bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
Once simmering nicely and the moisture has nearly all gone, add the peas and carrots. Then cover with parchment paper right above the rice (to lock in moisture and add natural cooking pressure). Close with an airtight lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Taste the rice. Once the grains are cooked it is ready.
The bottom of the pot will have a layer of caramelized jollof with concentrated flavour. For those who want a smoky flavour, raise the heat back to high for a few minutes, and allow the bottom of the pot to toast. Take off the heat and your rice is smoky and ready to eat! Washing the pot will be interesting afterwards, but nothing a good soaking can’t fix.***

* Scotch bonnet peppers are quite spicy, which will give significant heat to this dish, as is traditional. If you prefer more medium or mild food, adjust the amount of scotch bonnet pepper according to your preferences. While not traditional, a 1/2 teaspoon of paprika could be substituted for each pepper for a (not spicy) version that is more accessible to spice-sensitive palates.

**If bouillon cubes are not available, they can be omitted. If doing so, be sure to use broth instead of water for best flavor and add salt to taste.

***To help clean the pot, boil some water in the empty pot. Then let the hot water stand in the pot for 20 minutes. Scraping the bottom occasionally. This typically works quite well for getting those bits un-stuck.

Nutrition Information:

Serving size:, if you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy.

Freda has been a food writer for 10 years, with a significant focus on the under-explored area of African cuisines. She is now established as an African Cuisine Expert and resides in Lagos, Nigeria with her husband and 4 children. In 2018 she co-authored “The Science of Spice”, exploring the spices of the African continent. You can find Freda on her site MyBurntOrange.com.

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Thursday 1st of September 2022

Hello. I'm fully Ghanaian and I know how I loved jollof, growing up. I agree the major problem is too much water. However, the type of rice used counts a lot. For example, Ofada rice and other types of hard-to-cook local varieties are not suitable for jollof. Also, the only types of rice I soak for jollof are basmati and parboiled rice. All other rice types are washed and drained. Please, in honor of our Ghanaian mamas who pride themselves in "jollofing" skills, can we ask for a repost of this recipe's photo in a more palatable way. Thank you.

Monday 26th of September 2022

Hi Josephine. We have updated our pictures. Can you let us know if you feel that the new ones are a better representation of jollof?

Hi Josephine. Thank you for sharing. We will be doing some testing of Freda's recipe to see what adjustments need to be made and to update to new pictures based on your and other readers' suggestions. Best, Sarah

Sunday 28th of August 2022

I saw the title and end product and decided to let you know this recipe isn't Ghanaian Jollof but I see some good people already pointed it out. Step 1,7,8 and 9 were off and the reason for the end product. We don't wash the rice with hot water or soak it. Rinse with tap water till the water is clear

Also IMO the only sauce allowed on Jollof rice is shito for extra spicy kick. If you're served/eat jollof rice with stew, you can't be trusted lol

Thank you Kweku. We will be reviewing this recipe based on your and our other readers' comments.

HannanBestman

Thursday 25th of August 2022

Freda, Ghana's joffof rice is not typically cooked with the meats in it nor mixed vegetables.

That recipe is uniquely Liberian style which the Liberians got by the way from the Portuguese Paula when Vasco De Gama and crew travelled thru Liberia. Thanks

Thank you for sharing Hannan.

Tuesday 16th of August 2022

Errmmm...I'm Ghanaian and apart from the ingredients being spot on, the final result isn't. It's too moist to be Ghanaian.

Sarah Ozimek

Monday 22nd of August 2022

Hi Mike. Thank you for sharing. Would you suggest less water or broth used in the rice?

Saturday 11th of December 2021

Good recipe but this definitely looks too moist. Jollof rice naturally does not need too much water since it will just retain it and then half cooks and half doesnt yet it starts burning. It is better to use 1:0.5 for rice to water ratio since the stew will also help soften the rice. If you need more water then u add it bit by bit. Also use broad wooden spatulas to prevent the rice from breaking.

Thank you for those tips Nana.

Consultation
Custom Meal Plan

How to Cook Jollof Rice Like a Pro in 5 Easy Steps (+ 8 Yummy Variations to Try)

1 Comments

by Pharm Adenike

Last Updated 02/08/2023

Interested in how to cook Jollof rice? Well, you're in for a show because in this post, I will show you how to prepare Jollof rice the easy tasty way.

Plus you will also discover how to make 8 different flavourful variations of Nigerian Jollof rice recipe. Yes Eight! ( From classic Jollof rice, to the party Jollof rice all the way down to my favourite healthier lower-calorie Jollof rice).

Alright, let's get started right away, we have a lot of cooking to do...

How to Cook Jollof rice (Nigerian Classic)

Here's how to make the Classic Nigerian jollof rice (Also known as spicy jollof rice or West African jollof rice, Nigeria style).

How to make Smoky/Party Jollof Rice

The idea behind this jollof recipe is to achieve that "smokey" flavour and taste that comes with party jollof rice cooked with firewood.

Although, it can be difficult to achieve at home. However, I’m hopeful that with this few tricks, you would be able get that “Party jollof rice” taste without having to cook with firewood.

How to make Ofada Jollof Rice

Here's how to make the Ofada Jollof Rice:

How to make Local jollof rice

While it is called “Iresi eyin” in Yoruba land; it is also called “Iwuk Edesi” from the Ibibio and Efik speaking parts of Nigeria, “Banga rice” from the Urhobo parts of Nigeria and “Palm oil rice”. Here's how to make it...

How to make Oven baked Jollof rice

Here's how to make the Oven Baked Jollof Rice recipe:

How to make Coconut Jollof rice

Here's how to make the Coconut Jollof rice recipe;

How to make Seafood Jollof rice

Here's how to make seafood jollof rice recipe

How to make Basmati Jollof rice

This recipe shows you how to cook Basmati Jollof Rice either with an oven or in a regular pot with heat.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cooking Jollof rice:

Here are the frequently asked questions about cooking jollof rice and their answers:

Do I still need to use tomato paste?

Using either a tomato paste or tomato purée is important to get that rich colour that Jollof rice has. However, it's not not necessary.

Do I have to boil my tomato purée before frying

You can skip the process of boiling and go straight to frying till the tomato purée loses all that acidity/ sour taste and then you also notice the oil bubbling through.

Is it compulsory to use a beef/chicken stock to cook my Jollof rice?

Using Beef/Chicken Stock is not compulsory. For vegans, using water in place of Beef/Chicken Stock is fine.

Should my rice burn a little to get that smokey flavour?

Burning your jollof rice a little is one of the methods of having adding the smokey flavour into your Jollof rice. In fact, that method is as old as day and remains effective.

Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe (Tasty & 5 Easy Steps)

How to Cook Jollof Rice Like a Pro in 5 Easy Steps (+ 8 Yummy Variations to Try) 1

Plus you will also discover how to make 8 different flavourful variations of Nigerian Jollof rice recipe.Yes Eight! ( From classic Jollof rice, to the party Jollof rice all the way down to my favourite healthier lower-calorie Jollof rice).

Type: Main course

Cuisine: Nigerian

Keywords: Jollof rice, party jollof rice, smoky jollof rice, spicy jollof rice

Recipe Yield: 8 servings

Preparation Time: PT15M

Cooking Time: PT45M

Total Time: PT1H

Recipe Ingredients:

Tomato paste
Bell peppers
Scotch Bonnet Pepper
Seasoning cube
White Pepper

Let me know in the comments below which of these Nigerian jollof rice recipe you'll be trying first.

Nigerian Scotch Egg Recipe (2 Easy Methods)

Nigerian Appetisers (The complete list)

Ewa Agoyin & Pepper Sauce Recipe (#1 Authentic)

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Rice Side Dish Recipes

Chef John's Jollof Rice

This is a foolproof recipe for cooking Jollof rice, West Africa’s most popular dish. I like to serve it as a side with my West African-style grilled beef (Suya), but it can also be a main course.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

1 large , ripe tomato , cored and quartered

1 large red bell pepper , seeded and roughly chopped

1 whole habanero pepper , stem removed

1 whole Fresno chili, or jalapeño , stem removed

4 cloves garlic , peeled

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 cups water

1/3 cup olive oil

1 red onion , diced

1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 1/4 cups basmati rice

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon paste

1/4 cup chopped green onion for garnish (optional)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro , for garnish (optional)

Combine tomato, red bell pepper, habanero pepper, fresno chili, garlic, ginger, and water in a blender for the sauce. Blend on high until smooth and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté until onion starts to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Clear space in the middle of the pan, add tomato paste, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with paprika, curry powder, cumin, thyme, pepper, and turmeric; continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is well combined.

Turn off the heat, and stir in the rice, making sure every grain of rice is coated with the oil-tomato mixture. Add bay leaf and chicken bouillon paste.

Turn heat to high, stir in tomato sauce, and bring to a vigorous simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid or stir rice.

Turn off heat after 20 minutes, and set the timer for 12 minutes. Allow rice to sit and do not remove the lid.

After the 12 minutes are up, remove lid, and fluff rice with a fork, separating all the grains. Serve garnished with green onions and chopped cilantro.

Cook's Note:

If rice seems to be a little undercooked at this point, stop fluffing. Pat the rice down gently with the back of the fork, cover tightly again, and set heat to medium low. Cook for another 5 minutes, and check again.

Associated Recipe

West African Grilled Beef (Suya)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Photos of Chef John's Jollof Rice

You’ll also love.

Jollof Rice Recipe

Jollof rice is a beloved and flavorful dish that hails from West Africa, and it has gained popularity worldwide due to its rich taste and vibrant colors.

This one-pot wonder combines long-grain rice with an assortment of spices, tomatoes, and vegetables, resulting in a dish that’s not only delicious but also visually appealing.

In this recipe, we’ll explore the step-by-step process of making Jollof rice, so you can bring the taste of West Africa to your kitchen and enjoy a delightful culinary adventure.

Ingredients:

To make a scrumptious batch of Jollof rice, you will need the following ingredients:

2 cups of long-grain rice
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, blended or grated
1 red bell pepper, blended or grated
1 green bell pepper, blended or grated
2-3 Scotch bonnet peppers (habanero peppers), blended or finely chopped (adjust according to your spice preference)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (optional, for extra smokiness)
1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper (optional, for added heat)
4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup of mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, and green beans)
Fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

Rinse the Rice : Start by rinsing the rice thoroughly in cold water to remove excess starch. Swirl the rice in a large bowl with water and drain it until the water runs clear. Parboiled rice is recommended for Jollof rice as it yields better results, but regular long-grain rice will work too.
Prepare the Base: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they become translucent. Next, add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and sauté for another minute until the aromas are released.
Add the Blended Vegetables: Now, add the blended tomatoes, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and Scotch bonnet peppers to the pot. Cook this mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, and the oil starts to rise to the surface, creating a thick, flavorful base for the Jollof rice.
Incorporate the Spices: Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, curry powder, paprika, smoked paprika (if using), cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Let the spices meld with the vegetable base for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to intensify.
Add the Rice and Broth: Now, add the parboiled rice to the pot, stirring it well to ensure it’s coated with the flavorful base. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Simmer and Cook: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let the rice cook undisturbed for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Avoid lifting the lid frequently as this can disrupt the cooking process.
Add Vegetables and Finish: Once the rice is cooked, gently fluff it with a fork and add the mixed vegetables. Stir them into the rice, then cover the pot again and let it steam for an additional 5 minutes. This will allow the vegetables to cook slightly while retaining their vibrant color and crunch.
Garnish and Serve: Finally, turn off the heat, and garnish the Jollof rice with fresh cilantro or parsley for an added burst of freshness and color.

Jollof rice is vibrant and flavorful dish is sure to delight your taste buds and impress your family and friends with its mouthwatering taste and alluring aroma.

Feel free to customize the recipe to suit your preferences, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different protein options like chicken, shrimp, or tofu.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking to expand your culinary horizons, Jollof rice is a delightful addition to any meal.

So, gather your ingredients, put on some West African music, and embark on a culinary journey to savor the taste of this beloved West African dish in the comfort of your own home.

Happy cooking!

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Jollof Rice

By Duval Timothy , Jacob Fodio Todd , and Folayemi Brown

1 hour 20 minutes

This is the dish that first got me into cooking. Talking about it got me my first job in a kitchen, and together with the help of friends, local restaurants, and family it’s the recipe we have worked on the most for this book, because we all know how good it should be. If I could only eat one thing in the world it would probably be my grandma’s jollof. She would regularly cook a big pot with care and patience and insist that everyone took home a small container of it. Cooking the rice and storing it for the following day or to give to friends to take away is part of a sharing culture that surrounds jollof—just remember to return the Tupperware!

Ingredients

Preparation.

Finely slice the peppers and onions. Make a paste out of the garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt. Seed and slice the Scotch bonnet pepper, dice the tomatoes and set them aside. Soften the onions and peppers in the sunflower oil over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pasted garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, tomatoes, and dry seasonings and cook for another 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste, cook for another minute or so, then remove from the heat.

Blend the mixture with a generous 3/4 cup of chicken stock. If this was prepared in advance, reheat it first. Add another 3/4 cup of stock and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the palm oil, a final teaspoon of salt, and then pour 2 1/2 cups of this mixture back into the pot. Heat the sauce until it is lightly bubbling. Measure out your rice, then add to the pot. The pot should have a tight-fitting lid, but if it doesn’t you can use some foil with the shiny side facing down to retain the heat. Stir gently so that all the rice is coated with the red sauce, then reduce the heat to a very low flame—the lowest possible.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Open the lid and stir gently again. It is important to get under the center of the pan so all the rice cooks at the same rate. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Open and stir for a final time, then simmer for a final 10 minutes. This makes 30 minutes cooking time in total. Turn the heat off and allow to steam, covered, for another 15 minutes. It’s tempting to open the pot here but it’s very important to trust the process and allow the rice to cook residually. This improves the final taste and texture of the rice.

Open the lid then leave to stand for 5 minutes, uncovered. Then fluff with a fork to separate the rice, slowly working inward from the edge of the pan in a swirling motion. If the rice is not completely cooked, add the remaining 1/2 cup stock, stir gently, then place back over low heat for another 10 minutes. Spoon the rice out onto a separate dish and serve.

To 2 1/2 cups of cooking sauce; the ratio is 1:2 of rice to cooking sauce. Red palm oil, a staple of West African cooking, is available at Amazon.com .

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Coming from a real Nigerian. What is this mess? Why are you guys insistent in westernizing recipes that are instilled in West African culture? Just by looking at this recipe, I can tell you it will be under seasoned and Tabasco sauce bland. You are supposed to blend the veggies together and make a sauce, up the number of Scotch Bonnet peppers and NO SMOKED PAPRIKA!!! Do the real recipe or don’t do it at all.

Abeokuta, Nigeria

"The pot should have a tight-fitting lid, but if it doesn’t you can use some foil with the shiny side facing down to retain the heat." So... if I do this with the shiny side facing UP, what exactly will that do to the quality of the finished product?

AdamChurvis

AtlAasdfasdfsadf

3 bulbs of garlic? Or 3 cloves, im wondering about this garlic.....

Nanaimo B.C

We make jollof rice frequently in our house. My wife and family are from Cameroon. If making it for them, I can say that this recipe would be very under seasoned. For a pot of jollof rice at full temp you need at least 3-5 scotch bonnets (habeneros) run through the blender into a fine puree seeds and all. What was intolerably hot for me was too mild and bland to be eaten by anyone else in their household. Also they will generally only use red palm oil and no other oils. Other things can be added into the rice as well such as corn, peas, and shrimp. Just about anything can be tossed in for variety.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

5 Nigerian Recipes for Weeknight Cooking From Kwame Onwuachi

Nigerian Jollof Rice

Prep time:10 mins Cooking Time:40 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Nigerian Jollof Rice |How To Make Jollof Rice

1 cup uncooked parboiled rice like Uncle Ben’s rice or any variety
1 large sized fresh tomato roughly chopped
1 small onion roughly chopped
1 red capsicum seeds discarded
2-3 fresh red chilli
2-3 tablespoon canned tomato paste
1 Vegetable Stock cube or curry powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano powder
a pinch of salt, to taste
3 tablespoon oil or red palm oil
water to cook the rice
Rinse and soak the parboiled rice .

Remove from the heat and set aside.

Now add the rice.
Stir and cover with a foil and put a lid on the pan. This will seal in the steam and lock in the flavour.

Turn the heat off and keep it covered for another 15 minutes. The steam further cooks the rice.
Then fluff with a fork to separate the rice.

Parboiled rice is highly recommended.
Use ripe red tomatoes and good quality canned tomato paste.

Thanks. I'm sure you will love it:)

Old memories of Nigerian Cuisine. I will make it now that I have seen it here.

[…] Jollof Rice […]

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"Cooking is not only an expression of creativity; it is a creation itself."

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Jollof Rice

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

medium tomatoes

Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (remove seeds for less heat)

medium onion, 1/2 roughly chopped; other sliced and set aside

red bell peppers, cored, roughly chopped

chicken stock or water, or more or less if necessary

vegetable oil

Kosher salt

curry powder

sweet or smoky paprika

dried thyme

ground ginger

garlic powder

onion powder

freshly ground black pepper

tomato paste

long-grain rice, rinsed and strained until water runs clear

unsalted butter

Step 2 In a blender, combine tomatoes, Scotch bonnet pepper, chopped onions, and bell peppers. Add 1 cup of stock, and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a large pot and bring to boil. Turn the heat down, partially cover the pot, and let simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, until reduced to approximately 2 to 2 1/2 cups.
Step 3 In a separate large pan, heat oil over medium heat, and add the sliced onions. Season with salt, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bay leaves, curry powder, paprika, dried thyme, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 1 minute to let the spices bloom. Add the tomato paste, and stir for another 2 minutes.
Step 4 Add the reduced tomato-pepper-Scotch bonnet mixture, stir, and cook over medium heat for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by half.
Step 5 Add 1 cup of the stock to the mixture and bring to a boil for about 1 - 2 minutes.
Step 6 Stir in the rice and butter. Season with salt to taste.
Step 7 Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish. (Be careful - it will be hot!)
Step 8 Cover the baking dish tightly with foil, and bake until the rice is tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Check the rice after about 30 minutes, and add water or stock if it looks dry or the rice is still hard. Fluff with a fork before serving.

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How to Cook Jollof Rice the Ghanaian Way

Last Updated: May 29, 2020

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 9 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 97,341 times.

Jollof (jol-ôf) rice is a popular dish that is enjoyed by Ghanaians, Nigerians, and other West Africans. Ghana is one of the several coastal countries of West Africa. Jollof has many variations; the dish can be made with meat, vegetables, or tofu. The uniquely colored rice is often enjoyed at dinnertime, but is also eaten at various parties and weddings. The origins of this dish stem from the Wolof people, an ethnic group found in the Senegambian region (Senegal and Gambia). Although most people know this dish as jollof, another name is benachin , which means “one pot” in the Wolof language. No matter the name, people from all over West Africa and -- now by emigration -- the world revel in this dish, whether it be at parties or in the comfort of their own homes.

Ingredients

Ghanaian jollof rice #1.

Cooking oil
Chili pepper
Green pepper (bell pepper/capsicum pepper)
Fresh/ canned chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
Any other spice of your choice
Any other vegetable of your choice

Ghanaian jollof rice #2

Meat Preparation :

1 ½ jumbo onion, diced
1 habanero pepper, de-stemmed
3 lbs smoked turkey
7 cups water
¾ tablespoon salt

Creating the Stew :

2 cans Hunt's tomato sauce
½ jumbo onion, diced
1 habanero pepper, diced and de-stemmed
¼ cup of oil

Meat broth (from meat preparation step) :

½ clove garlic

Adding the rice :

6 cups jasmine rice
2 cups water
¼ tablespoon salt

Ghanaian Jollof Rice

Step 1 Blend chili pepper and fresh/canned chopped tomatoes.

Preparing the meat

Step 1 Add 1 diced jumbo onion, 1 habanero pepper, 3 lbs smoked turkey, and ¾ tablespoons salt to a large pot.

Creating the stew

When the oil gets hot, add ½ diced jumbo onion.

Step 2 Spoon onions onto the cooked turkey.

Watch the stew level. If the stew level gets below the halfway mark of the pot, add the water and salt as needed, to keep the levels high enough.

Adding the Rice

Step 1 Add 6 cups jasmine rice to a bowl and wash the rice.

Be sure that enough rice is added. Also, do not add too much rice, or the dish will not cook well.
The rice level should stay 1- 1 ½ inches below the stew level, to avoid dryness.

Step 2 Cover and let cook for 20 minutes on low heat.

Community Q&A

Cook any vegetables that needs to be cooked ahead of time (carrots, beans etc) and add in step 5 of Method One. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
Jollof rice can be served with chicken. In this instance, the chicken stock can be added to the stew in step 4 of Method One. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 2
Remember, its other name "Benachin" means "one pot", therefore anything goes, so long as you are comfortable with it. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 5
Ensure that the rice is neither overcooked nor undercooked. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

2 large pots
1 cooking spoon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jollof_rice – Wikipedia on Jollof rice

About this article

If you love jollof rice, you should try it the Ghanaian way. Start by frying onion, green peppers, and chilis in vegetable oil. Then, add canned tomatoes and tomato puree and let the pot simmer. When the stew starts to thicken, add a few stock cubes and your favorite spices. Pour in rice and mix it into the stew. Stir the pot regularly and keep adding water as necessary until the rice is cooked. As the rice is cooking, fry meat, tofu, or extra vegetables in another pan with some more onion and chili. Then, submerge the meat or vegetables in water and leave it to simmer for 1 hour so the flavors all infuse with each other. Finally, mix the stew with your meat or vegetables and serve your delicious Ghanian jollof rice. For more tips, including how to make chicken jollof rice, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Essay On How To Prepare Jollof Rice For Students

Jollof rice is a beloved West African dish known for its delicious combination of rice, tomatoes, peppers, and a delightful array of seasonings. Whether it’s a family gathering or a special occasion, jollof rice is a staple dish that brings people together. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to prepare this mouthwatering delicacy right in your kitchen.

Table of Contents

Essay: How to Prepare Jollof Rice: A Flavorful West African Dish

Step 1: prepare the tomato stew.

To start, let’s prepare the rich and flavorful tomato stew, the heart of jollof rice. Begin by blending fresh tomatoes and peppers to form a smooth puree. In a pot, heat some vegetable oil and sauté finely chopped onions until they turn golden brown. Then, add the tomato and pepper puree to the pot and let it simmer on low heat. This will infuse the oil with the delightful flavors of the tomatoes and peppers, creating a savory base for the jollof rice. You can prepare the tomato stew ahead of time to save on cooking time later.

Step (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 2: Boil the Meat (Optional)

For those who prefer a meaty jollof rice, now is the time to add some protein. Cut and wash your choice of meat, such as chicken or beef, and place it in a pot with some water. Add seasoning, like salt, garlic, and thyme, and let it boil until the meat is tender and fully cooked. This step not only enriches the flavor of the jollof rice but also provides a delightful texture to the dish.

Step 3: Parboil the Rice

Parboiling the rice is an essential step to ensure that your jollof rice comes out perfectly fluffy and not sticky. Place the rice in a pot and rinse it thoroughly with water to remove excess starch. Then, pour boiling water over the rice and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Drain the water, and your rice is now ready for the next step.

Step 4: Combine Ingredients

In a large cooking pot, pour the flavorful chicken or beef stock and the tomato stew. Allow it to come to a boil, and then add the drained parboiled rice to the pot. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. The level of water should be equal to the level of the rice, ensuring that the rice absorbs all the delightful flavors of the stew.

Step 5: Cook the Jollof Rice

Now, it’s time to cook the jollof rice! Put a lid on the pot and let it cook on low heat. Remember not to stir the rice while it’s cooking, so it doesn’t get sticky. The rice will soak up all the yummy flavors and smells as it cooks. It usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the rice to become soft and fluffy.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for—your jollof rice is ready! Use a fork to fluff the rice gently and serve it hot. The vibrant colors and mouthwatering aroma will entice everyone around the table. Jollof rice is delicious on its own, but you can also pair it with delightful side dishes such as ripe plantains, a fresh garden salad, or a refreshing fruit juice. Gather your loved ones, and enjoy this delectable West African treat together.

Yes, that’s absolutely right! Jollof rice is a versatile dish, and you can try adding different ingredients and flavors to make it just the way you like it. So, don’t be afraid to get creative in the kitchen and enjoy the delicious taste of homemade jollof rice. It’s a dish that brings joy to many people, and you can make it uniquely yours! Have fun cooking and savor every tasty bite of your jollof rice!

Q: What are the ingredients needed to make jollof rice?

A: The key ingredients include rice, tomatoes, peppers, onions, vegetable oil, and various seasonings like salt, garlic, and thyme. You can also add meat or vegetables for added flavor and nutrition.

Q: What is the origin of jollof rice?

A: Jollof rice is believed to have originated in the Senegambia region of West Africa and has since become a popular dish in many West African countries, each with its own unique twist on the recipe.

Q: What are some common side dishes to serve with jollof rice?

A: Jollof rice pairs well with a variety of side dishes, including ripe plantains, fried chicken, grilled fish, salad, coleslaw, or a refreshing fruit juice. The choice of side dishes depends on personal preference and regional variations.

In conclusion, preparing jollof rice is a delightful culinary journey that brings together the vibrant flavors of West Africa. This iconic dish is cherished by many and holds a special place in the hearts of families and communities. Whether it’s a festive celebration or a simple gathering, jollof rice brings joy and unity to the table. So, roll up your sleeves, follow this step-by-step guide, and embark on a flavorful adventure in your own kitchen. Enjoy the delicious taste of homemade jollof rice with your loved ones, creating cherished memories one plate at a time.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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The Best Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

Ingredients

Wash the peppers, onion, and tomatoes.

Blend the chopped ingredients together.

Rinse the rice in water until it runs clear.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.

Chop 1 onion and saute it in the oil for 4 minutes.

Add in the pepper puree and spices.

Add the rice, chicken stock, water, and salt.

Cover and cook the rice for 20 min.

Simmer the rice for an additional 10-20 min.

Fluff and serve the jollof rice.

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