One Pot Ghanaian Jollof Rice – A delicious Ghanaian rice dish made with spicy, smoky tomato stew and basmati rice. This jollof recipe is authentic and addictive. Perfect for Sunday dinner and special occasions!
For those unfamiliar with the West African dish, jollof rice is essentially rice cooked in a heavily spiced and simmered tomato-based stew. It is the ancestor of one-pot rice dishes found throughout the African Diaspora such as the red rice of the Gullah-Geechee people and the jambalaya of Creole cuisine.
While jollof rice is thought to have originated in Senegal, countries like Nigeria and Ghana have their own versions–and each believes that their version is THE BEST jollof rice. While I have no dog in that fight, I can say that Ghanaian jollof rice is a particularly special treat.
To make Ghanaian jollof rice, begin by soaking basmati rice in water; this removes the starch and allows the rice grains to stay separate when steamed in a rich stew. The stew is made with ingredients quite integral to West African cuisine: onion, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, Roma tomatoes, Maggi, and mackerel. When all of these ingredients come together, the result is a seriously addictive one pot Ghanaian jollof rice!
ingredients you’ll need
The ingredients needed for this recipe are quite simple, and you can use them again and again for different dishes. They are especially handy for other Ghanaian recipes!
You will need:
- Basmati Rice – The fragrant, long-grain white rice is used to make Ghanaian jollof because it is fluffy and the grains stay separate after cooking.
- Vegetable Oil – Jollof rice requires a lot of oil. Don’t be shy! You want your stew to be fried well as this adds to the flavor.
- Aromatics – Onions, ginger, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper are the base for just about every savory Ghanaian recipe, and this dish is no exception. I like to add bay leaves as well to add more depth to the stew.
- Tomatoes and tomato products – This recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and mackerel packed in tomato sauce. Canned mackerel in tomato sauce can be found in West African and Caribbean grocery stores; if you are unable to find it, you can substitute a cup of canned tomato sauce and mackerel packed in water for one can of canned mackerel in tomato sauce.
- Herbs and spices – Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried ginger, cumin, curry powder, thyme, and oregano make for a deliciously spicy, smoky one pot Ghanaian jollof rice.
- Salt and Pepper – These two seasonings are mainstays in just about every kitchen. I like to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The quantities of salt called for in the recipe below reflect the fact that kosher salt is less salty than table salt. I also add an entire Maggi seasoning cube for an extra burst of umami flavor, and would not recommend leaving it out. It gives the jollof rice its signature taste.
how to make this recipe: step by step instructions
Soak the basmati rice – Add the rice to a bowl and cover it with water. Set aside so that it soaks while the stew is cooking (Photo 1).
Blend and fry aromatics – Blend onions, ginger, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper with salt and fry them in oil (Photo 2).
Blend tomatoes with spices and add to onion mixture – Blend tomatoes, smoked paprika, and chili powder with Maggi. Cook the mixture uncovered for 20 minutes on medium high heat (Photo 3).
Add more ingredients to the stew and simmer until dark and reduced – Add jalapeño, canned mackerel in tomato sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, and seasonings. Simmer on medium low until dark and reduced (Photo 4).
Add the soaked rice to the stew – Season rice and fry it in the stew along with a whole scotch bonnet pepper (Photo 5).
Steam the rice in the stew – Add water to the pot. Once the water comes to a boil, cover the pot and let the rice cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally (Photo 6).
sides for one pot Ghanaian jollof rice
- Grilled, fried, or baked chicken
- Roasted beef or lamb
- Grilled, fried, or sautéed seafood
- Fried plantains
- Ghanaian Salad – Fresh greens provide balance to the rich flavors of one pot Ghanaian jollof rice.
recipe tips & frequently asked questions
- Soak the rice – Soaking the rice removes the starch and keeps the rice from becoming mushy after cooking.
- Take your time – A stew simmered low and slow is the secret to delicious jollof rice.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Avoid soggy jollof rice – Do not add too much water to the pot! Add water one cup at a time, adding more only if the rice has dried out too much.
- Do not undercook the jollof rice – Let the rice cook for the full 25 minutes, and let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes. You want all of the grains to be cooked.
one pot ghanaian jollof rice q & a
A large, heavy bottomed pot with a lid, a blender, and a wooden spoon are helpful when making this recipe.
Jollof rice is essentially rice cooked in a heavily spiced and simmered tomato-based stew.
Jollof rice is believed to have originated in Senegal.
Jollof rice is delicious! It has a spicy, smoky flavor.
The stew is made with ingredients quite integral to West African cuisine: onion, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, Roma tomatoes, Maggi, and mackerel.
Basmati rice is used when making Ghanaian jollof rice.
Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried ginger, cumin, curry powder, thyme and oregano make for a deliciously spicy, smoky one pot Ghanaian jollof rice.
Jollof rice can be refrigerated up to five days and frozen for one month.
more west african recipes to enjoy
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you think.
PrintOne Pot Ghanaian Jollof Rice
One Pot Ghanaian Jollof Rice – A delicious Ghanaian rice dish made with spicy, smoky tomato stew and basmati rice. This jollof recipe is authentic and addictive. Perfect for Sunday dinner and special occasions!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: West African
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 yellow onions, halved
- 1 2 inch piece ginger, peeled
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 6 Roma tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Maggi shrimp cube (optional, can substitute with salt or bouillon)
- 14-oz can mackerel in tomato sauce, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons Jamaican curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, cover 2 1/2 cups basmati rice with water. Set aside.
- Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil.
- Blend onions, ginger, garlic, a scotch bonnet pepper, caraway seeds and 1/2 teaspoon salt with 1/4 cup of water. Add mixture to oil and fry until onions are translucent.
- Blend Roma tomatoes, smoked paprika, chili powder, and Maggi with 1/4 cup of water. Add to onion mixture and simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add mackerel in tomato sauce, bay leaves, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, curry powder, thyme, and salt to the stew.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour or until dark and reduced. Stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure the stew does not burn.
- Drain rice and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Add rice and scotch bonnet pepper to tomato stew and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 1½ cups of water to the pot. Once the tomato-rice mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pot with a paper towel or towel and a lid.
- Cook rice covered for 10 minutes and stir. Put the towel and lid back on and cook for another 10 minutes then stir. Repeat this for a third time, cooking the rice covered until tender (about 5 minutes more).
- Turn the heat off. Keep the pot covered for about 10 minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice.
Notes
- Soak the rice – Soaking the rice removes the starch and keeps the rice from becoming mushy after cooking.
- Take your time – A stew simmered low and slow is the secret to delicious jollof rice.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Avoid soggy jollof rice – Do not add too much water to the pot! Add water one cup at a time, adding more only if the rice has dried out too much.
- Do not undercook the jollof rice – Let the rice cook for the full 25 minutes, and let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes. You want all of the grains to be cooked.
- Storing Leftovers – Jollof rice can be refrigerated up to 5 days and frozen for up to one month.
Keywords: Rice recipes, West African recipes, Side Dishes
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I made this recipe for my family Christmas dinner and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was a popular rice dish on the table.
★★★★★
Marie, my apologies for the late reply. Thank you so much for your feedback. I am very happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the jollof!!