By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
472 cal · 50 min
African Jollof Rice
Recipe GLPR3b2076ad3efa9f
A vibrant, aromatic West African rice dish where parboiled rice is cooked in a rich tomato and spice-infused broth. Fresh tomatoes, Scotch bonnet peppers, and warming spices create an authentic one-pot meal that's naturally flavorful and deeply satisfying.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 piece Small onion, finely chopped
1 piece Garlic clove, minced
3 pieces Scotch bonnet peppers, finely chopped
7 pieces Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 can Tomato paste
1 teaspoon Curry powder
1 teaspoon Chilli powder
1 pinch Dried thyme
3 pieces Bouillon cubes
2 pieces Bay leaves
2 teaspoons Salt
3 cups Water
2 cups Parboiled rice
Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
Stir in the chopped Scotch bonnet peppers and Roma tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.
Add the tomato paste, curry powder, chilli powder, and thyme. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes to toast the spices and combine the flavors.
Pour in the water and add the bouillon cubes, bay leaves, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the bouillon cubes.
Add the parboiled rice to the pot and stir well to distribute evenly. Return the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Do not stir during cooking.
Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, remove the bay leaves, and serve hot.
Comments
Scotch bonnet peppers will require a special stop, likely at an African or Asian market in Charlotte rather than the standard chains, adding a real errand to a weeknight cook. The rest of the ingredients are available at any Harris Teeter or Walmart, and the dish costs roughly $6 to $8 total—under $2 per serving—with rice and tomatoes as the main cost drivers. The fifty-minute claim is honest for simmering time alone, though chopping the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers adds another fifteen minutes of real prep that most cooks will need. Jollof reheats beautifully and feeds four generously, making it a solid weeknight option once you have the scotch bonnet source sorted, but that sourcing friction keeps it from a higher score.
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