Grab yourself an extra helping of this delicious Caribbean side dish; traditional Jamaican rice and peas (rice and beans) that boasts huge flavor from coconut milk, thyme, scallions, and more!
I’m so happy to be bringing you guys one of the first recipes from my Caribbean background. This dish is a classic dish, a staple, in Jamaican culture. Although my family is from St. Thomas, USVI, rice and peas is a common side dish for us too. Now let’s get into this cultural powerhouse.
What sets this Jamaican rice and peas recipe apart from any other rice and beans recipe that you may be used to is one word…FLAVOR. There are so many flavor notes and aromatics that cook up in this dish. Big time flavor comes from the thyme, scallion, onion, scotch bonnet pepper, and spices. Coconut milk, not pictured above, is also in this recipe and it adds such a nice flavor and moisture content- no bone dry rice here, gyal 😉
My recipe calls for canned red kidney beans but you can also use dried kidney beans as long as you rinse and soak them overnight. Scotch bonnet, a traditional Caribbean pepper, is used in this dish and it adds a subtle amount of heat. Since the pepper is put into the pot as whole, and not sliced open, the heat factor is significantly reduced.
This rice and beans can literally be served with anything. I’m thinking brown stew chicken, braised oxtails, fish, and my favorite of all time…curry goat. I sure do hope ya’ll love this recipe, till next time!
- 1 (14-15oz) canned red kidney beans
- 1 (14oz) canned unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 scallion (green onion), finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp Jamaican ground allspice
- 3 cups long grain brown rice, rinsed and cleaned
- 5 cups water
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- In a large sauce over medium-high heat, add water and beans. Let cook up to bring to a boil.
- Stir in onion, scallions, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, 3 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, coconut milk, and let everything come to a simmer.
- Then stir in rice, reduce heat to low, and cover pot with a lid. Let cook until rice is soft and tender-about 45 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed through.
- Remove pot from heat and let rice continue to steam inside of pot. Then discard thyme sprigs and scotch bonnet pepper.
- Using a utensil, stir and fluff up rice and season with more salt if needed to taste.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Rinse and clean rice in a bowl until the water runs clear to remove starch from rice granules.
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