Jamaican Rice and Peas

This Jamaican Rice and Peas recipe is an authentic recipe for the traditional Jamaican side dish featuring fragrant thyme and coconut milk! 

Rice and Peas is a staple in the Jamaican diet and is a great accompaniment to most Jamaican entrees, such as Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Curry goat or brown stew chicken. 

This rice recipe is an authentic Jamaican recipe, shared by my husband who grew up in Jamaica before immigrating to Canada in his early 20’s.

This is how my mother in law and my husband makes it, and I can honestly say it is easily far and above the rice and peas you can get at local Caribbean restaurants.

It’s a real staple in our household, and always carefully prepared with lots of love. It’s also a great rice dish that is naturally gluten free and vegan.

I hope you all enjoy this flavourful side dish as much as we do! 

Why is this Called Rice & Peas?

You might be wondering why a dish that so prominently features beans, and not peas, would be called rice and peas rather than rice and beans.

That is because it is traditionally made with pigeon peas, and although kidney beans are a common substitute, Jamaicans also call kidney beans ‘peas’.

If you find a dish called rice and beans, it isn’t Jamaican.

How to Store Jamaican Rice & Peas

Rice and peas can be kept stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If you need to store it longer, you can also freeze rice and peas in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Reheat gently on the stove top or in the microwave. (If reheating from frozen, thaw out overnight in the fridge.)

About the Ingredients for Jamaican Rice and Peas

Peas – We like to use dark red kidney beans as they give this dish it’s signature blush, but you can swap in gungo (or pigeon) peas if you can get them. Swapping in different beans can change the cook time, so please be aware of that. Avoid using canned kidney beans, you need to use dried kidney beans, it will affect the flavour and nobody wants white rice and peas. Avoid canned beans if you want authentic flavour, using dried beans is the only way to go and worth the extra time.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper – You can also omit the scotch bonnet peppers if you don’t like heat as they are very hot, however cooked whole it lends more flavour than heat, and the coconut milk counters a lot of it too.

Rice – 3 cups uncooked rice. We usually use either parboiled rice, long grain rice or brown rice. Be sure to rinse your rice well ahead of time so that the rice doesn’t stick together once cooked.

Coconut Milk – Unsweetened coconut milk for cooking, not the kind you drink. The higher quality the coconut milk, the better this side dish tastes. Trader Joes is really good if you are in the USA, in Canada Aroy-D is decent. Skip on light coconut milk. Grace also has coconut cream that comes in a box and we sometimes use that instead of the canned coconut milk. Personally I find the coconut cream a bit gritty and prefer just a good quality can of coconut milk. You can also make your own fresh coconut milk.

Garlic – You can add as little or as much as you like. 2 Cloves is the absolute lower limit.

Fresh Thyme – Absolutely one of the most important ingredients in this dish is the thyme. Fresh thyme goes a long way to adding loads of flavour.

Green Onions – Known as scallions to Jamaicans, green onions are really essential. They aren’t just a garnish in this dish.

Allspice – Very important to the flavour profile, and found in a lot of Jamaican cooking.

Salt & Pepper – Be sure to season everything to taste.

What to Serve with Jamaican Rice and Peas

The most obvious dish to serve with Jamaican Rice and Peas is Jerk Chicken.

My Jerk Chicken with Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Salsa recipe is as authentic as you can get for dry rubbed jerk chicken grilled on a gas BBQ. The salsa is to die for and freshens everything up.

While absolutely not even approaching authentic Jamaican curry, this Slow-Cooker Chicken Curry Recipe is super easy to throw together and full of great flavour. This is a super easy family dinner recipe that pairs perfectly with rice and peas!

Rice and Peas goes really well with any basic protein too. Smoked Tri-Tip is flavourful, juicy, and melt in your mouth tender. Make the best beef tip roast on any type of smoker with this easy recipe!

This easy yet flavourful and tender corned beef brisket is made conveniently in the Instant Pot in no time! This is a favourite of my husbands and pairs really well with rice and peas along with a side of sauteed cabbage.

This Cilantro Lime Chicken with Fresh Avocado Salsa is delicious served with rice and peas for a fresh tasting family dinner.  It’s also a heart healthy recipe!

This recipe for Orange Glazed BBQ Chicken Drumsticks is Caribbean inspired and pairs so well with rice and peas. Marinated and grilled in a scotch bonnet and orange glaze, these chicken drumsticks are perfectly sweet and spicy. This is one grilled chicken recipe you’ll be craving all summer long!

How to Make Authentic Jamaican Rice and Peas

Yields: 8-10 Servings | Prep time: 10 Minutes | Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients:

•  1 cup of dried red kidney beans or pigeon peas, soaked overnight and drained
•  2 cloves of garlic, crushed
•  3 Green Onions or Scallions, crushed
•  1 Can of Coconut Milk
•  1 Whole Scotch Bonnet Pepper
•  3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
•  1 teaspoon Salt
•  1 teaspoon Black Pepper
•  3 cups of rice

Directions:

Place beans & garlic in a large pot and cover with about 7 cups of water.  

Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. You can test the beans by trying to crush one with the back of a spoon.  If they crush easily then they are ready.  

Do NOT drain the bean water!

Stir in the coconut milk, green onions, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, allspice, salt, pepper and rice.  

Bring back to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.  Time depends on the type of rice used.