Nigerian Jollof

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Nigerian

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

This Nigerian jollof rice is a one-pot, tomato and pepper infused rice with a crispy layer at the bottom. The life of the party and ready in 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

For the pepper sauce:

2 Roma tomatoes quartered
2 medium red bell peppers roughly chopped
½ medium red onion roughly chopped
2 habanero peppers roughly chopped (adjust to spice tolerance)

For the jollof rice:

⅓ cup neutral oil such as vegetable
½ medium red onion diced
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 vegetable bouillon cubes such as Maggi
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1¾ cups vegetable broth low-sodium preferred
2 cups long-grain white rice rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Make the pepper sauce:

Add tomatoes, bell peppers, onion (½ of the onion), and habanero peppers to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.

Make the jollof rice:

Heat oil in a large deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion (remaining ½ onion) and bay leaves. Fry until onions are translucent, 2–3 minutes.
Add pepper sauce, thyme, bouillon cubes, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell disappears and the sauce deepens in color, 3–4 minutes.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add rinsed rice and salt, stirring to combine with the sauce. Reduce heat to low.
Cover the pot tightly (use foil under the lid for a better seal if needed) and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the rice to prevent sticking, then cover and cook another 2–4 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
For crispy bottom (party jollof style): Increase heat to medium-high for 1 minute without stirring.
Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves. Stir the crispy rice from the bottom up through the pot. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear—this removes excess starch and prevents gummy jollof.
A tight-fitting lid is essential. If your lid doesn't seal well, cover the pot with foil first, then place the lid on top.
The crispy bottom layer is called "bottom pot" and is the most prized part—don't skip that final high-heat minute.
Habanero heat varies wildly. Start with 1 pepper your first time; you can always add more next time.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze up to 3 months.

Reheating: Stovetop with a splash of water over medium-low heat, covered; microwave works but won't restore crispiness.

Nutrition