Jamaican Rice and Peas
An authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas (rice and beans) recipe that’s loaded with big flavor from coconut milk, fresh thyme, spices, and more. This here side dish is a Caribbean staple and often served alongside hearty main entrees, so delicious!

Listen, behind almost every Caribbean recipe there is, you’ll also find a steaming pot of this rice. It’s pretty much an unspoken law amongst Islanders alike. The greatest curries, stews, and more gets paired with this famous side dish.
I like to say that it’s kind of like a West Indian holy trinity…the main dish of some sort, sweet plantains, and then some rice and peas. That’s just how it is, can’t mess with a good ting! Haha. You will love these rice and peas, y’all.
Jamaican Rice and Peas 🙌🏾
So, Jamaican rice and peas is basically rice and beans, but in the Caribbean; it is commonplace and known to be called rice and peas. It’s important to note that the word beans and peas will be used interchangeably in this post. Typical elements in this Island dish include coconut milk, onion, scallions, garlic, bay leaves, and spices that make it so fragrant and lush. It’s also easy to make.
This is the most popular rice in Jamaican cuisine. These rice and peas can easily be served alongside your favorite main dishes, but besties when paired with other Caribbean-centered recipes. You’ll find here tons of flavor-filled aromatics that make this rice dish different from others. Now, I’m a bit biased having West Indian ancestry myself, but it really is so good!
⇢ Other recipes: jamaican curry chicken, this blackened salmon with mango salsa, real deal southern green beans, louisiana red beans and rice, southern-style black-eyed peas, and these jerk meatballs in coconut curry sauce– ♡
Ingredients Needed For This Recipe
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)
- Red beans: This recipe calls for *dried* red beans, like small red beans or kidney beans. I like to sort through them beforehand to get rid of any scraggly odds + ends found in the bag of beans. No need to rinse the beans as we’ll be soaking them prior to using (much more on that below).
- Yellow onion: For added flavor, onion goes in basically every Caribbean dish.
- Scallions: You might know ’em as green onions.
- Garlic: No explanation needed…garlic is #bae, garlic is life!
- Scotch bonnet pepper: For flavoring, we’re using just one pepper that’ll go into the pot whole (not cut open!)- trust, you don’t want that 😆❌
- Fresh thyme & bay leaves: Adds some extra fragrant pops, chef’s kiss.
- Seasonings: Just a few basics like ground Jamaican allspice (pimento), salt, and pepper. Jamaican allspice has a delightful combination of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon that give a little oomph to the rice and peas.
- Chicken stock/broth: Flavor on flavor! This is one of the elements that makes this recipe so delicious, the rice and peas are not cooked in water.
- Coconut milk: Always full-fat for richness. Coconut milk provides flavor, adds fragrancy, and promotes moisture within this rice recipe.
- Long grain rice: We can’t make rice and peas without rice, yes?!
- Butter: Just a touch to go in at the end with the rice, yum.
Soaking Beans 101: Why So?
Ahhh to soak or not to soak, that is the question. Some people swear by soaking their beans before cooking and others say nah. ⇢ Why soak beans? Okay so boom, soaking beans prior to cooking them allows for the beans to cook evenly and faster. In addition to that, soaked beans are also easier to digest. You see, soaking them allows for the complex sugars within the beans to break down, therefore reducing indigestion (and gas). An extra step but oh so worth it!
How To Soak Beans: Two Ways
⇢ There are ✌🏾 ways to get those beans ready for Jamaican rice and peas!
- Cold soak (overnight): In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water and let them soak overnight on the counter, about 8 hours. That’s it, after soaking, simply drain them and set aside until called for in the recipe card, below.
- Fast soak (hot method): Bring about 6-7 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Then add in the beans and remove the pot from heat. Let the beans soak in the hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Afterwards, simply drain the beans and set aside until called for in the recipe card, below.
*I almost always soak my red beans overnight that way they’re ready to go on the next day when I plan to make my rice and peas. However, the fast soak is a last-minute effort for the ones that forgot to long-soak their beans, ha!
How To Make Jamaican Rice and Peas
(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)
- Cook the peas. In a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat; add in the drained beans, onion, scallions, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, bay leaves, allspice, salt/pepper-to taste, stock/broth, and coconut milk. Stir all the ingredients together and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the beans to cook until mostly tender, about 1 hour.
- Rinse the rice. Meanwhile, add the rice grains into a large bowl and cover with cool water. Use your hands to gently swish the rice around and then drain. Repeat this process until the water runs clear. Then set aside.
- Back to the peas, check peas for tenderness: use a spoon to gather a bean and softly pinch, looking for a firm but semi-tender feel. At this point, the peas may not be completely soft (they’ll continue cooking later).
- Add the rice & butter. Once the peas are at this point, add in the rinsed rice and butter, and stir to fully combine. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot with a lid.
- Let the rice cook for 25-30 minutes. Keeping an eye on the rice and adjusting as needed. Then remove the pot from heat and let the rice sit, covered/undisturbed, for at least 10-15 minutes to continue steaming.
- Serve. Take a fork and fluff rice, discarding the scotch bonnet pepper, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning with more salt/pepper, if desired. Serve these rice and peas immediately alongside your favorite main entrees or as-is. Enjoy!
Why Use Stock/Broth And Not Water?
You may find that some rice and peas’ recipes use just regular water, however, I find that using stock/broth yields a greater flavor. It adds more depth to not only the rice but the peas as well. The peas soak up all the flavor from the ingredients! In my opinion, using water gives a more bland-tasting rice and peas dish unless you add more spices- but can be done.
You can replace with water, if needed. When using water, you may need to use more than 3 cups (maybe up to an additional 1 cup). Keep an eye out and use your judgment while the peas are simmering.
Rinsing Your Rice
Gahhh, I cannot recommend this enough, y’all. We want to remove as much surface starch as possible from the rice by rinsing it well. I do this about 6 times for good measure. Otherwise, you may end up with super gummy rice, I’d hate this for you. Completing this extra step will yield fluffy, tender rice 👌🏾
Vegan Jamaican Rice and Peas
This recipe can very easily be made vegan or plant-based by swapping the chicken stock/broth for water (notes on this, above) and using non-dairy butter.
About The Scotch Bonnet Pepper
The pepper here is all about adding flavor and a very subtle hint of heat. So long as the scotch bonnet pepper is not cut into or burst open, there’s not a whole ton of heat. Alternatively, you can use a habanero pepper (next best, close alternate) in place of or omit the pepper entirely if you’d like.
These Jamaican Rice and Peas will always be a favorite, rice-centered side dish of mine. There’s so much goodness here. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾
Recipes that’ll pair so nicely with your rice and peas:
- Brown Stew Chicken
- Curry Goat
- Jerk Meatballs in Coconut Curry Sauce
- Stewed Oxtail
- Jamaican Beef Patties
Jamaican Rice and Peas
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Description
An authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas (rice and beans) recipe that’s loaded with big flavor from coconut milk, fresh thyme, spices, and more. This here side dish is a Caribbean staple and often served alongside hearty main entrees, so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight & then drained
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, left whole- do not cut!
- 4–6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Jamaican allspice
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth, plus more as needed
- 1 (13.5- ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups uncooked long grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat; add in the drained beans, onion, scallions, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, bay leaves, allspice, salt/pepper-to taste, stock/broth, and coconut milk. Stir all the ingredients together and cover the pot with a lid. Allow the beans to cook until mostly tender, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, add the rice grains into a large bowl and cover completely with cool water. Use your hands to gently swish the rice around and then drain. Repeat this process at least 6 times until the water runs clear, removing surface starch from the rice. Then carefully drain the rice and set aside until called for in the recipe.
- Back to the peas, check peas for tenderness by (carefully) testing: use a spoon to gather a bean and softly pinch, looking for a firm but semi-tender feel. At this point, the peas may not be completely soft but will also not be rock-hard either (they’ll continue cooking later).
- Once peas have achieved this state, add in the rinsed rice and butter, and stir to fully combine. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot with a lid.
- Let the rice cook for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on the rice as it may cook faster or take a bit longer. If you see that some of the liquid has evaporated too quickly before the rice has cooked through, add about 1/4 cup more stock/broth to replenish, as needed. Then remove the pot from heat and let rice sit, covered/undisturbed, for at least 10-15 minutes to continue cooking, steaming through.
- Then take a fork and fluff rice, discarding the scotch bonnet pepper, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Taste the rice and adjust seasoning with more salt/pepper, if desired. Serve these rice and peas immediately alongside your favorite main entrees or as-is. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
Keywords: rice and peas, rice and beans, jamaican food, jamaican rice and peas, caribbean recipes
28 Comments on “Jamaican Rice and Peas”
Growing up in a Jamaican household, I’ve been so intimidated to make rice and peas lol. Thanks for sharing this straight forward easy recipe to follow!!
★★★★★
Hi Racquel, I’m so happy you found my recipe to be useful, that’s music to my ears! 🙂
Great recipe! My husband loved it and. The directions were easy to follow. Thank you 😊
★★★★★
Glad you and hubby enjoyed this rice and peas recipe, Aisha! 🙂
Hello,
I came across your website when I was searching for rice and peas recipe. Your recipe looks easy and I plan to make it this weekend. I can’t find scotch peppers. Is there a substitute pepper I can use? Is there a difference between coconut milk and using coconut cream?
Hi, if you cannot find scotch bonnet, habanero peppers are a close second- you can also leave out the pepper too. And coconut cream is more dense than coconut milk.
When I made my rice and peas, there wasn’t enough liquid come time to add the rice, it had all cooked down. The recipe seems on point aside from the liquid portions. I’m not sure 3C of stock and one can of coconut milk is enough. Please advise if I’m overlooking something.
Hi there- is it possible that your heat was too high while cooking the beans? If the entire liquid base evaporated prior to you adding in the rice, that could be why.
Made this last night, and it was delicious! Added some kale along with the herbs and used a jalapeño because that’s all I had on hand, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. My partner asked that we definitely use this recipe again, and looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thank you!
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Love hearing that, Sanaz- so glad you and your partner enjoyed these rice and peas 🙂
A great help with ingredients and steps. 👍
★★★★★
I’m not really a big rice and peas person. It’s just comes with Caribbean food 🤷🏾♂️ But this recipe is the best rice and peas I’ve ever had. I made brown stew chicken , cabbage, fried plantains and this recipe for rice and peas last night and the rice was the biggest hit of the plate. Will definitely make this recipe on a regular basis.
Forgot to add my 5 stars
★★★★★
Hi Ed- I’m so happy that you loved these rice and peas as well, thank you! 🙂
This recipe is so flavorful and delicious! I use vegetable stock and love how it pairs with the flavors. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
I love rice and beans but I’ve never had them this way. So delicious. I’ll definitely be trying more of your recipes!
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Simply Amazing!!
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Can you use can red beans and if so do you keep or discard the liquid?
Hi Candice- I don’t recommend canned beans because they’re already cooked and will turn to mush in this recipe.
Just made this with your brown stew chicken recipe and the family loved it!
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Nice, so glad the family enjoyed! 🙂
Made this last night and it was an absolute hit. I’m so glad there’s extra leftover for today!
★★★★★
Hi Michelle- So happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
The taste is delicious! However, mine came out super mushy. I followed the recipe too the tee, but added more beans, could this be the reason for the mush?
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Hi Kayla- If you added more beans to the recipe, that’s likely the culprit of a mushy texture, either that or overcooking? Hope this helps! 🙂
Another Quin recipe that just hits!! Can’t wait to make more of this in the future 🙂
★★★★★
Am I losing my mind? In the ingredient list I don’t see peas and the directions don’t say anything about peas until step #3. Help!!
Hi there- As noted in the blog post…”So, Jamaican rice and peas is basically rice and beans, but in the Caribbean; it is commonplace and known to be called rice and peas. It’s important to note that the word beans and peas will be used interchangeably in this post.”