Caribbean Rice and Beans delivers a flavor explosion with garlic, onions, and intensely delicious spices. Infusing it with bay leaves, thyme, scotch bonnet, and coconut milk creates an incredible rice meal!
I would like to say that with what the world is experiencing right now, every day should be a gratitude day. So, I’m beyond thankful for this gift of life and my beloved family by my side.
And while I’ve been daydreaming about my next Caribbean trip, a tropical food trip in my kitchen, starting with this rice and beans recipe, will have to do. Or if you’re into Jamaican food, it’s rice and peas. 😍
What Type of Beans for Caribbean Rice and Beans
When making this scrumptious meal, I don’t have any favorites, so whatever is in the pantry works. Traditionally, Caribbean beans and rice use red kidney beans. However, it’s just as delicious with black or pinto beans or pigeon peas. The look may change slightly, but that’s about it.
Recipe Ingredients
- Rice – Long-grain separates more easily. However, medium-grain, jasmine, and basmati rice work just as well.
- Seasoning – Garlic, onion, hot pepper (scotch bonnet peppers are my fave), Creole seasoning, thyme, bouillon powder, bay leaves, optional smoked paprika, and good ol’ S&P pack a flavor punch.
- Kidney Beans – Dried beans are cheaper, but for convenience’s sake, I’ve gone with canned. Choose which is best for you and your Caribbean red beans and rice.😉
- Coconut Milk – Full-fat coconut milk provides liquid to cook the rice and a tropical taste.
- Chicken Broth delivers the rest of the needed liquid and adds extra flavor.
How to Make Caribbean Rice and Beans
- Wash rice until water runs clear. Drain water.
- Sautee Aromatics – Heat a saucepan with oil. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, and hot pepper, and sauté for about a minute. (Photos 1-2)
- Simmer – Stir the rice into the pan, then the beans, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add coconut milk, bay leaf, bouillon powder, Creole spice, and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is cooked (about 20 minutes). (Photos 3-4)
Note: Stir occasionally to prevent burning, adding water as needed. - Serve – Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Jerk Rice and Beans – For even more spice, add a teaspoon of jerk seasoning to the traditional recipe.
- Bean Swap – Pigeon peas, kidney beans, and black beans are all conventional choices. You can also use other beans, such as pinto beans, red beans, or lentils.
- Vegan Version – Replace the meat-based broth with vegetable broth; done.
Tips and Tricks
- Test the rice to avoid overcooking. It should be tender but still have a slight bite, and the beans should be tender but not mushy.
- Almost any chili pepper, such as habanero and jalapeño, will work if you don’t have a scotch bonnet.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice because it removes excess starch and keeps the rice from getting sticky.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Cool the rice and beans after cooking and freeze them in meal-size portions in airtight containers for 2-3 months. It will last in the fridge for 3-4 days—the same works for leftovers.
Thaw frozen rice and beans in the refrigerator overnight. Then simmer (stirring occasionally) in a pot until it bubbles. Add water or broth as needed to keep it from burning—a microwave works, too.
FAQs
Caribbean rice and beans definitely have a West African influence. Enslaved Africans brought the recipe to the Caribbean, and it quickly became a staple in many Caribbean cuisines.
It depends on who you ask and where you are in the world. In Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, it’s known as rice and peas. That’s because, in the West African Akan language, the word for pea refers to most legumes, including beans.
Rice and beans are a nutritious meal. So you can serve it as a complete meal or add meat and sides, such as ripe fried plantains.
What to Serve With Caribbean Rice and Beans
It’s traditionally served with chicken, beef, or pork. It goes excellent with brown stew chicken, Jamaican curry goat, or jerk chicken. Fried sweet plantain and Caribbean coleslaw are wonderful sides.
More Popular Jamaican Dishes to Try
Conclusion
This Caribbean rice and beans recipe takes rice to a whole new level. Would you like more African-based recipes? Then follow me on Facebook for more! ❤️
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in February 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Caribbean Rice and Beans
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (about 1¾ cups)
- 1 15.5-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 small bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2¼ cups chicken broth or water (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Wash rice until water runs clear. Drain water.
- Heat a saucepan with oil. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, and hot pepper, and sauté for about a minute.
- Stir in rice to the pan, followed by beans, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add coconut milk, bay leaf, bouillon powder, and Creole spice with 2¼ cups of broth or water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes (more or less). Stir occasionally from the sides to prevent burning add more water as needed.
- Adjust for salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves You have to stir occasionally to be preventing any burns.
- Serve warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Use 3 cups of water or broth for really moist rice and beans. If you want your rice to look just like in the picture, use 2 cups of water or broth.
- I used paprika and Creole salt to enhance the rice’s flavor. It’s not traditional, so if you want traditional rice, omit the paprika and use regular salt instead of Creole salt.
- Feel free to switch the coconut milk with 2 cups of water.
- If you want to make it vegan, vegetable broth is fine.
- If using dry pigeon peas, boil them until tender, then replace beans with pigeon peas in the recipe instructions. You may also use pinto or black beans instead.
- I use uncooked long-grain rice. No need to parboil; just rinse it until the water runs clear. One of our readers here has used Japanese short-grained rice, and it works. Brown long-grain rice works, too.
- Too much liquid and stirring would make your rice mushy.
- You may cook it ahead and refrigerate it. It heats up very well the next day.
- If you don’t have chicken bouillon, you may leave it out or use half of a Maggie cube and add it to the pot.
- For those who want to cook it using an Instant Pot, one of the readers shared this: saute everything like you usually would and cook for 3 minutes at high pressure with a natural pressure release.
- No Creole spice? You can use my jerk spice.
- You can add your favorite cooked protein to the mix, like shredded smoked turkey, diced chicken, ground meat, sausages, and so on.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Chika says
Great recipe, perfect comfort food for a cold winter day! I added paprika and cajun seasoning but my rice didn’t come out as orange-ish as in the photos, but who cares … it tastes great! Thanks.
ImmaculateBites says
“Thank you, I am happy to hear you feel that way. Maybe add more paprika next time .
Roberto Beltran says
I’m a Certified Chef from Puerto Rico
I LOVE all the recipes from The African Bites immaculate bites, every recipes from you guys from our Afro-Caribbean recipes are outstanding THANKS Again ❤
ImmaculateBites says
Am honored ! Thanks So much.
Lay says
I’m going to cook this tonight but I need specific instructions for the beans, should they soak in water? Do they go in dry?
ImmaculateBites says
It is Fully cooked beans. If using dry beans , boil until tender before using .
Catherine says
The amount of coconut milk states 27oz can or 13/4 cup which is not the same amount, can you confirm which is correct for 12 servings?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s 27 ounce coconut milk (2 cans of milk or 3 1/2 cups milk)
Christine Frano says
If I’m using bell peppers, how much should I put in? Can’t wait to try this!
ImmaculateBites says
1 medium Bell pepper would do just fine.
Ruby says
Ooh what is the rice and beans served with in the video? I love this dish but think it would be great as a side with another dish too! ❤️
imma africanbites says
Hi, Ruby. I paired it with this Curried Goat Stew (https://www.africanbites.com/curried-goat-stew/). Thanks for stopping by.
Keith says
I have made this now a dozen times. It always comes out spectacularly. It is so easy and do very good. Have turned several friends on to it. Thanks for posting such an amazing recipe.
Leslie says
I love the flavors of this dish and just need some guidance to perfect it. I used a can of coconut milk, 2 cups of chicken broth, and jasmine rice. I didn’t stir the rice at all while it cooked. My rice turned out mushy! Any suggestions?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello,
Be sure to drain all the water from the rice before adding to the pot . Maybe try cutting back on the broth- about 1 2/3 cup and go from there. Hope this helps.
Dawn fox says
I can imagine this with all its flavours is amazing, mine however ended up with mushy rice. Can you point me in the right direction please
ImmaculateBites says
So sorry to hear that. I would suggest decreasing the liquid by a1/2 cup and drain the rice throughly before adding to the pot. It might be too much water or stirring. Hope this helps.
Mrs. Greene says
I only have dried black beans. I know it isn’t traditional but do you think it would be okay?
ImmaculateBites says
Of course it would. Boil the beans first until tender before using in the recipe.
Akuka Eberechukwu Sharon says
I have been following your post thanks a lot for impact in my life. Please ma where can i paprika in Nigeria.
ImmaculateBites says
It’s available in most supermarkets. Just ask , sometimes it is available in open markets.
CHRISTINA says
Hello
If I am using the chicken bouillon cubes how many do I use for this recipe?
Thanks in advance!!
ImmaculateBites says
One would do just fine.
Luis says
I’m going to make this recipe
Taylor says
My fiancé made jerk chicken tonight and I was looking for a more flavorful version of red beans and rice for accompaniment. Imma, I will be adding this recipe to my regular rotation. I love a one-pot recipe; this was perfect. Looking forward to trying your jerk chicken recipe next
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Glad it worked out well for you Taylor.
Rochelle says
This is our go to when we have Jerk Chicken. Never fails! I just swap out the scotch bonnet for some Susie’s Hot sauce and i’ve always got the ingredients on hand Thank! Thank you!
tripp says
Hi…I recently discovered your blog, and have saved quite a few of your recipes already. Would it be possible for you to make it easier to “pin” them using pinterest? A lot of blogs have a nifty little “pin” button near the top or bottom of their recipes which make the process a whole lot easier. Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Tripp! Thank you for the suggestion. Please could you check your page again and see if the “pin” button is visible now? Thanks.
Jess says
I made this recipe with all the listed ingredients in a Caldero. The flavors were phenomenal, best recipe I have come across for Rice and Peas. I will try your Jerk Chicken recipe next.
ImmaculateBites says
Fantastic! I am glad you loved it, Jess. Thank you for the feedback !