Jamaican Rice and Beans Recipe
- Updated
- 9 comments
This amazing combination of rice and beans cooked with herbs in a coconut broth is incredibly easy to make and nothing short of delicious.
If you love a bunch of side dishes to your main entrees then you absolutely have to make my Macaroni and Cheese and Italian Pasta Salad.
Jamaican Rice and Beans
Red beans and rice is an absolute staple in the Caribbean and especially in Jamaica. It features ingredients that are always available and often times incredibly cheap. Jamaican rice and beans have a few more unique items in there to help round out the flavor and give them that real tropical taste.
If you’ve been in Jamaica maybe you’ve noticed that a lot of the locals call beans, peas. Red beans are most commonly known as peas or red peas in Jamaica just in case you see it called something else online or while visiting there.
What’s In It?
There are some amazing ingredients in this recipe that make it so unique and delicious. Here are the items that you will find in it:
- Long Grain Rice: Most often used for this recipe would be jasmine.
- Kidney Beans: Whether dried that are soaked in water and cooked or canned, either will work.
- Scotch Bonnet: This spicy pepper is sometimes hard to find in the states and you can sub in a habanero pepper or if that’s too spicy then just use a jalapeño.
- Thyme: Use fresh thyme sprigs to help bring out some more delicious flavor. You can substitute with dry thyme.
- Ham: Some diced ham in here would be a total bonus and really helps to make this extra delicious.
- Coconut Milk: This is a must-have and please use the full-fat version.
- Chicken Stock: This aids in cooking the Jamaican rice and beans and you can also substitute with water or vegetable stock.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is best served right when it is done cooking, but you make it up to 1 day ahead of time. If doing so, keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day and reheat before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired amount into a pan along with a few tablespoons of water and stir over low heat until hot. You can also cook in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl until hot.
chef notes + tips
- Please feel free to use medium or short grain rice as well if that is all you have.
- You can use dark or light-colored kidney beans in this recipe.
- This pairs perfectly with my jerk chicken recipe
Recipe Chef Notes + Tips
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is cooked but you can make this up to 1 day ahead of time and reheat it before serving.
How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will not freeze well.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount into a small pot with a little bit of water and cook over low heat until hot. You can also heat up in the microwave until warm.
More Side Dish Recipes
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Jamaican Rice and Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ peeled small diced sweet onion
- 2 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 1 cup small diced ham
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 ½ cups long grain rice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 15 ounce can drained and rinsed dark red kidney beans
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-size sauce pot add in the butter and cook the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until very lightly browned.
- Stir in the ham and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add in the rice, coconut milk, chicken stock, and fresh thyme and mix until combined and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Next, turn the heat down to low and add a lid to the pot and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Using a fork mix around the rice to break up any big chunks and then gently stir in the beans, salt, and pepper until combined, and serve.
Notes
How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will not freeze well.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount into a small pot with a little bit of water and cook over low heat until hot. You can also heat up in the microwave until warm.
Hello Chef Billy!
I’ve been ‘following you’ and using your recipes the past few months. Very happy with everything I’ve tried. I made this side dish for my family last night with our slow cooked carnitas. I left out the ham, swapped black for red beans, and added diced red bell pepper and corn at the very end for color and less heat. VERY YUMMY. Thank you so much for another amazing dish.
Vinny
Holland, PA
My pleasure. Thank you for giving it a shot!
Hello Chef Billy!
I’ve been ‘following you’ and using your recipes the past few months. Very happy with everything I’ve tried. I made this side dish for my family last night with our slow cooked carnitas. I swapped black for red beans, and added diced red bell pepper and corn at the very end for color and less heat. VERY YUMMY. Thank you so much for another amazing dish.
Vinny
Holland, PA
My pleasure!
Think I’ll try to veganize this recipe. Thanks
Oh soooo very good! Also works well with leftover chicken.
When do you add the jalapeño or habenera pepper?
after adding the rice
Looks beautiful! Thank you chef Billy!