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
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.
Michelle says
Turned out delicious This is probably not traditional but we had it w mahi mahi topped with spicy mango salsa and avocado on the side.
lucy tonna-henry says
Hiya, What is Creole spice. Don’t think its available in the UK. Is there an equivalent or could I make my own?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lucy! Check out this post here .https://www.africanbites.com/creole-seasoning/ It’s my homemade version
Joey says
Looks real tasty my dear pepper pot ♥♥♥
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks!
Kelley says
This has been one of our favorites since I first made it a couple of years ago. I just got an Instant Pot back in February, and this recipe converted flawlessly. For anyone else who would like to Instant Pot this, just saute everything like you normally would, and cook for 3 minutes high pressure with a natural pressure release. Perfect!
Amie says
Was looking for a not-so-typical rice and beans dish online, found your recipe and tried it — absolutely delicious! Will be making this more often, it was a big hit with the whole family.
ImmaculateBites says
Yay!! Thanks for letting me know Amie.
Meaghan says
OH MY GOODNESS!! I’ve made this twice in the last two nights- my husband loves it so much! As do I! Thanks for a great recipe!! I noticed in your pics you added paprika? before the milk- yes?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes I did! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Martin says
Good tasty stuff! I was too lazy to find or make Creole seasoning. I used your dry jerk spice recipe. Seemed a bit similar to Creole, +/- a few ingredients. Blooming the spices with the onions and garlic in hot oil is a really good technique.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is Martin! Adds some extra boost of flavor to it. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Jasmine says
Hi, im making this tonight and wanyed to know if i could use chicken stock instead of broth?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jasmine! You sure can. Happy Cooking!!!!
Robert Falardeau says
Hi Imma. I would like to make this along with some jerk chicken for a church group of 60 people. Can I multiply this the ingredients many times without risk of the liquids not evaporating etc?
ImmaculateBites says
Hey Robert! I have doubled the ingredients and it worked out just fine. Never tried more than that. When am cooking for a large crowd I cook in batches.
Alissa Sklar says
Can I use brown long grain rice?
ImmaculateBites says
You sure can.
Ty says
Rice was really good but I had one problem. My rice had two much liquid in it. I used two cups of water and one can of milk. Great technique and good flavor.
ImmaculateBites says
Hmmmm..Double check your measurements , that’s a good amount of liquid to rice ratio.
Lara says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’m gobbling up my masterpiece right now lol. It came out perfectly, the measurements were just right. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!!! Thank you SO MUCH!
Tj says
Love this recipe can I ask what kind of pot you used?
ImmaculateBites says
I used a 7 inch Dutch Oven(cast iron).
Steff says
Hello Imma,
Thus far I have made your rice and peas with curried beef, curried goat and stewed chicken..out of sight!!! Thank you for sharing your families recipes. I will be making the one pot rice and peas with jerk chicken next girl..I’m excited. Who doesn’t love good home cooked authentic Jamaican food?? Now, I do have a question..can you please send me an easy roti recipe? I love it and haven’t gotten it right yet.. Thank for all that you do Imma..wink*
Deborah says
This is an amazing dish with perfect instructions. Thank you Imma. Love your posts.
I made this and it turned out so well, started on stove pot and continued in rice cooker.
My husband and I loved it and we call it “the Caribbean Wachey”
(Wachey is rice and beans in Ghanaian cuisine)
However, I am looking forward to the baked version of it, to make things easy in the future.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! I have a rice cooker version will load it up soon. It’s a lot easy to make