Jollof rice may be the best rice on the planet. If you read my post about how I developed this recipe, you already saw just how appetizing it can look. In this post, I will give my detailed recipe, based on lots of research and practice. Since I make it so much, I needed to figure out an easier way. Therefore, I have a single-batch and large-batch recipe.
Jollof rice recipe
Making jollof rice consists of two components: making the stew, then making the rice. Below, I’ve given step-by-step photo instructions of each step.
Making the stew
- Fry onions over medium heat until soft, ~5-7 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste, and fry until no longer bitter, ~5 minutes. Stir frequently.
3. Blend ingredients until smooth. Add to pot and mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low (3) and bring to a simmer.
4. Once simmering, add the spices and cover. Let cook ~5-7 more minutes, then remove from heat.
Making the rice
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat stew over medium heat until simmering. If stew was frozen, thaw first.
2. Add rice. Stir continuously until mixture thickens, 3-4 minutes.
3. Add enough water to just cover the rice.
4. Put in baking dish, cover with tin foil, and bake for 50 minutes.
Ghana-style Jollof rice — single batch
Jollof rice is a very popular tomato-based, West African rice. It originated in Senegal and has since been enjoyed all over the continent. My version, while not traditional, is a very close substitute that my husband and I enjoy often.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup neutral flavored oil (I use avocado oil)
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- ~2 cups broth/water
Blender
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp. ginger, chopped
- 1/2 14 oz. can crushed or diced tomato ( ~2 medium tomatoes)
- 1/3 red bell pepper (optional)
- 1/2 medium carrot (optional)
- 2 green onions (optional)
- 1/4 habanero pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 tsp. each: chili powder, paprika
- 1/4 tsp. each: onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil, cayenne
- 1/8 tsp. each: curry powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary
Instructions
Making the stew
- Large chop half the onion, bell pepper, green onions, and carrots (if using). Add to blender with remaining blender ingredients. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium (5) heat. Slice half the onion very thin, then sauté in oil until soft, ~5-7 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, and fry until it loses its bitter taste, ~5 minutes. Stir often.
- Add blended ingredients and mix well. Reduce heat to med-low (3) and bring to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes, then remove from heat.
Making the rice
*If using frozen stew, thaw first, then proceed with instructions below.
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Add stew to a pot and bring to a simmer over medium (4) heat. Add rice and mix well. Let rice and stew fry on the stove for ~3-4 minutes or until stew becomes less wet, stirring often.
- Add enough liquid to just cover the rice, ~2 cups, and stir well. Adjust taste as needed.
- Pour rice mixture into a 9×13 pan, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes.
Notes
Ingredients
Spices are approximate and can be adjusted to your taste.
Red, white, or sweet onions are all good choices; it is simply a matter of preference.
Carrots, bell peppers, and green onions are optional; if you don't have them on hand, you can simply omit them. They do add good flavor, but the rice will still turn out well.
Ripe, off-the-vine tomatoes are preferred, but canned tomatoes are an excellent substitute if fresh tomatoes are unavailable or out of season.
Making the stew
To make a large batch of stew for the freezer, see recipe below.
Making the rice
Liquids for cooking rice can be stock, broth, or water. If using water, you may want to add more seasoning and adjust to taste.
Some people cook their rice on the stove, but I find that cooking it in the oven is much simpler. It eliminates the risk of burning the bottom, and still results in the delicious, crispy edges that I know and love.
Regular long grain or basmati rice can be substituted for jasmine, but jasmine is the rice I prefer and am most familiar with.
Making a large batch of jollof stew
Once I started making this more often, I didn’t want to bother making the stew each time I wanted jollof. Therefore, I started quadrupling the recipe and freezing the stew. That way, all I have to do each time was defrost the stew and proceed as normal. This recipe is the same as above, simply scaled up.
Ghana-style Jollof rice — large batch
This is how I make a big batch of stew to freeze for later. To make the rice, see the above recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup neutral flavored oil (I use avocado oil)
- 1 large onion
- 1 1/2 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
Blender
- 1 large onion
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2” ginger, chopped
- 2 14 oz. can crushed or diced tomato (~6 medium tomatoes)
- 1 red bell pepper (optional)
- 2 medium carrots (optional)
- 6 green onions (optional)
- 1 habanero pepper (optional)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. Himalayan pink salt
- 2 tsp. each: chili powder, paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp. each: onion powder, garlic powder
- 1 tsp. each: black pepper, dried basil, cayenne (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. each: curry powder, dried oregano
Instructions
Making the stew (same as above recipe):
- Large chop the onion, bell pepper, carrots, and green onions (if using). Add to blender with remaining blender ingredients. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium (4) heat. Slice the other onion very thin, and sauté in oil until soft, ~5-7 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, and fry until it loses its bitter taste, ~5-10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add blended ingredients and stir until somewhat combined. Reduce heat to med-low (3) and bring to a simmer.
- Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat. Use now, or store in the fridge or freezer for later use.
- Once stew is done and cooled, separate into 3 portions (~2 cups each). Freeze in sandwich bags for later use or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Making the rice
Proceed with instructions for single batch jollof, using ~2 1/2 cups rice and 2 cups water for every 2 cups of stew.
Notes
Depending on how many ingredients you use, you may end up with more or less stew each time. I usually divide it into 1/3rds then adjust the rice accordingly.
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