Jamaican Rice and Peas
This Jamaican Rice and Peas is infused with coconut, Caribbean herbs and spices. It’s close to authentic and makes a flavorful side dish for family dinners.
Jamaican rice and peas is a popular dish served at nearly every dinner table across the island. Growing up in Jamaica, I would have this dish every Sunday and at special events such as Christmas dinners.
Traditionally, this recipe would take hours to make as Jamaicans sought to prepare nearly every ingredient from scratch. One such ingredient was fresh coconut milk.
Before blenders were popular, it was our assigned task as kids to sit and grate dried coconut meat every Sunday. Meanwhile, our mothers or grandmothers prepared the dried red kidney beans.
I’ll be sharing different methods of preparing Jamaican rice and peas, Traditional and Instant Pot, while maintaining the authentic flavor. I’ll also include instructions for canned beans and canned coconut milk for a quicker meal.
If you enjoy this dish, you should also try my other recipes: Jamaican Pigeon Peas and Rice, Vegan Jamaican Patties and Vegan Rasta Pasta.
Why do Jamaicans say rice and peas?
Why Jamaicans refer to “beans” as “peas” is still a mystery, but it has never been debated. Neither my family nor any Jamaican I’ve met has explained why.
According to History Professor and Author of A Concise History of the Caribbean, Barry W. Higman, Jamaicans say “rice and peas” to differentiate the dish from similar ones in nearby islands. These countries would refer to their dish as “peas and rice”, “beans and rice”, or “rice and beans”.
Key Ingredient Notes
- White rice – Jamaican often use long-grain white rice to make rice and peas. Jasmine rice can also be used.
- Red Kidney Beans – dried beans are traditionally used to make Jamaican rice and peas, but you can also use canned. Be sure to soak dried beans for at least 8 hours or overnight. Larger and darker red kidney beans will give the dish a darker red color.
- Coconut Milk – can be made from scratch using dried coconut meat or unsweetened coconut flakes. Canned full-fat unsweetened coconut milk may also be used.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper – ensure that it is whole, uncut and unbruised. The goal is to extract the flavor from the skin without the spiciness as most of the heat is around the seeds.
Scotch Bonnet is one of the hottest peppers in the world (10 to 50 times hotter than jalapeños), so handle them with care and wash your hands after using them. - Scallions or escallions – similar to green onions but stronger in flavor. The Jamaican variety has distinct purple roots.
- Thyme – Fresh gives the best flavor, but you can use dried.
- Allspice – also called pimento. Freshly ground from whole berries gives the best flavor, but pre-ground is fine.
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning and All-purpose seasoning – adds extra flavor to the dish. I used the Walkerswood brand. Choose the mild version as it is less spicy. It can also be found in some grocery stores. Try to find an all-purpose seasoning blend that has Caribbean spices.
How To Make Jamaican Rice and Peas
1. Soak the Beans before cooking
- Presoak for 8 hours or overnight in double the amount of water.
- Drain, rinse and add to a pot or pressure cooker.
- Fill the pot with enough fresh water to ensure the level is 1 inch above the beans. Cover with a lid.
- Cook at high heat for one hour in a pot (adding more water if needed to maintain the level) or 15 minutes in a pressure cooker. The beans should be tender but not crunchy or mushy.
2. Make the fresh coconut milk
- Combine the shredded unsweetened coconut flakes with warm water.
- Blend for 2 minutes with a high-speed blender or use an immersion blender for easier cleanup.
- Strain the mixture, extracting as much liquid as possible. I used a nut milk bag which is super fine and much easier to use. Set the coconut milk aside.
3. Make the cooking broth for the rice
- Once the broth is ready, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then add the drained rice to the pot.
- Add the pre-cooked beans with the liquid or undrained canned beans to a pot more suitable for cooking rice. If you cooked the beans in the rice pot, then no need to remove them.
- Add the homemade coconut milk (or canned coconut milk) to the pot.
- Stir in the jerk seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, scallion, garlic cloves, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, salt and black pepper.
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil at high heat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and has a deep reddish-brown color.
- Key tip: If your pot doesn’t already have a vent, slightly ventilate the lid to prevent any boiling over.
4. Wash and add the rice
- Add the rice to a large bowl and fill it with water.
- Stir to release the starches that could make the rice stick together while cooking. Drain.
- Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is clear (about 4 to 5 times total).
- Once the broth is ready, add the drained rice to the pot. Add more water if needed to ensure the level is 1 inch above the rice.
- Cover the pot with a sheet of aluminum foil, then the lid.
- Allow the rice to cook and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or until it’s tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
- Allow it to rest for 10 minutes after cooking. Remove the strands of scallion, thyme branches and scotch bonnet pepper before gently stirring with a fork.
Storage
Unlike plain rice, Jamaican rice and peas last for less time in the fridge due to the coconut milk going bad much easier.
I suggest only storing it in the fridge for no more than two days. For longer storage, place in the freezer in airtight containers for up to a month.
Portion into individual containers for easier defrosting and reheating. Defrost in the fridge or microwave.
Can I make Jamaican Rice and Peas in an Instant Pot?
Sure, you can make rice and peas in the Instant Pot. Use the “Beans” setting to cook the presoaked peas, and the “Rice” setting to complete the cooking of the dish after adding the rice. Check out the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
More Jamaican recipes
- Vegan Jamaican Curry Tofu
- Vegan Jamaican Fruit Cake (with Alcohol-free Option)
- Jamaican Vegan Stew Peas
- Jamaican Easter Bun Recipe
More Rice Recipes
- Vegan Taco Rice (Instant Pot)
- Vegan Charleston Red Rice
- Vegan Hoppin’ John
Jamaican Rice and Peas (Authentic Recipe)
Servings: 6
Calories: 382kcal
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Infused with coconut, Caribbean herbs and spices, this Jamaican rice and peas is close to authentic and makes a flavorful side dish for family dinners. Use fresh or canned beans. Instant Pot method included!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or dutch pot for rice
- Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
- Strainer or Nut Milk Bag
- Blender
- Aluminum Foil
Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (370 g) long grain white rice
- ¾ cup (127 g) dried kidney beans, presoaked (See Notes)
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened coconut flakes, or dried coconut meat
- 1 ½ cup (355 ml) warm water, or one 14oz can of coconut milk instead of water and flakes
- 1 teaspoon mild jerk seasoning
- 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning
- 3 stalks scallion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice, or pimento, manually ground (or ½ tsp pre-ground)
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, uncut and unbruised (See Notes)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt, (less if using salted canned beans)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the dried beans (or skip to the "cooking broth" section if using canned beans):
- Add the presoaked beans to a pot or pressure cooker.¾ cup (127 g) dried kidney beans
- Fill the pot with enough fresh water to ensure the level is 1 inch above the beans (about 3.5 cups/800ml). Cover with a lid.
- Cook on high heat for one hour in the pot (adding more water if needed to maintain the level) or 15 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Make fresh coconut milk (or skip to the next section if using a 14oz can):
- Add the shredded unsweetened coconut flakes to a blender with warm water.¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened coconut flakes ,1 ½ cup (355 ml) warm water
- Blend for 2 minutes. I used an immersion blender for easier cleanup.
- Strain the mixture, extracting as much liquid as possible. I used a nut milk bag which is super fine and much easier to use.
- Set the coconut milk aside.
Make the cooking broth for the rice:
- Once the beans are cooked, allow the pressure cooker to release before opening.If you’re using a standard pressure cooker. Place the pot in the sink and cool it down with running tap water until the pressure fully releases.
- Add the precooked beans with liquid or undrained canned beans to a pot more suitable for cooking rice. If you cooked the beans in the rice pot then no need to remove them.
- Add the homemade coconut milk (or canned coconut milk) to the pot.
- Stir in the jerk seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, scallion, garlic cloves, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper, salt and black pepper.1 teaspoon mild jerk seasoning ,1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning ,3 stalks scallion ,2 cloves garlic ,1 sprig fresh thyme ,1 whole scotch bonnet pepper ,1 ½ teaspoon salt ,½ teaspoon black pepper ,1 teaspoon whole allspice
- Cover the pot and bring to a boil at high heat for 5 minutes.
- Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and has a deep reddish-brown color.
- Key tip: If your pot doesn’t already have a vent, slightly ventilate the lid to prevent any boiling over.
Wash the rice:
- Add the rice to a large bowl and fill with water.2 cups (370 g) long grain white rice
- Stir to release the starches that could make the rice stick together while cooking. Drain.
- Repeat the rinsing and draining steps until the water is clear (about 4 to 5 times total).
Cook the rice:
- Once the broth is ready, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then add the drained rice to the pot.
- Add more water if needed to ensure the level is 1 inch above the rice.
- Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil, then the lid.
- Allow the rice to cook and steam for 12 to 15 minutes or until it’s tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
- Allow it to rest for 10 minutes after cooking. Remove the strands of scallion, thyme branches and scotch bonnet pepper. before gently stirring with a fork.
INSTANT POT JAMAICAN RICE AND PEAS (using dried beans)
- Soak the red kidney beans overnight.
- Drain and rinse the beans then add to the inner pot.
- Add scallions, thyme, garlic cloves, allspice, jerk spice, all-purpose seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper. Add the coconut milk and 2 cups of water.
- Place the inner pot into the base, cover and lock the lid.
- Switch the valve to Seal, select Bean and set to cook for 15 minutes on High. Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice as previously directed.
- Once the timer beeps, switch the valve to Vent to quickly release the pressure. Open the lid and remove the scotch bonnet pepper and any fresh thyme twigs.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning or add salt and pepper if needed. The broth should be flavorful.
- Stir in the drained rice, cover the pot and Seal the vent. Select Rice and set to cook on High for 5 minutes.
- Tip: Set a second timer for 20 minutes total. Sometimes the Instant Pot might not automatically switch to "Cooking" or the Timer due to the thickness of the dish, but the heat inside is still enough to cook the rice. To prevent the rice from burning, switch Off the Instant Pot after 20 minutes total and continue to the next step.
- Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes after cooking (Keep Warm for 10 minutes). Then switch the valve to Vent. Gently stir the rice and serve.
Notes
- Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight in double the amount of water. Drain and rinse.
- Alternatively, use one 15oz/425g can of beans for this recipe. Add at Step #3 under “Make the cooking broth for the rice”.
- When using scotch bonnet pepper in this recipe, the goal is to extract the flavor from the skin without the spiciness. Most of the spiciness is in the seeds so it should be fine to use as long as it’s not cut or bruised.
- Scotch Bonnet is one of the hottest peppers in the world (10 to 50 times hotter than jalapeños) so handle with care and wash your hands with soap after using.
- Check the post for step-by-step photos and more info.
Tried this recipe? Upload a photo in the comments below!If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a rating. It really helps the blog.
Nutrition
Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 602mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
This post was originally published on October 2020, and updated on December 2022.
Delicious!Have never cooked rice and beans in coconut milk and flakes!But Scotch bonnets,I will pass on!
If using an instant pot and canned beans, how long do you cook the beans with the seasonings and liquid?
I usually cook canned beans with the liquid and seasonings for 5 mins in the instant pot on High pressure or the Bean setting.
How long do u cook rice than if your using can beans
Since the cooking broth (with dried or canned beans) is made before the rice is added, the rice should be cooked for the same length of time (12 to 15 minutes for stovetop or 5 minutes for Instant Pot).
Absolute best recipe. Thanks for sharing. Well done.
Thank you so much!
This turned out delicious. I was worried about the bean water proportions as a another recipe I tried out ended up way too watery, this was perfect. Just make sure you have that 1 inch of water above the rice. It may seem like too much water at first but it will cook out. I also didn’t find it very spicy, so you can add another scotch bonnet if you wish.
Great job Nicole! Thanks so much for trying the recipe!
Thank you for sharing!!!
No problem Anita!
Hi, What brand of All Purpose Seasoning do you use? I imagine that brands can taste different.
Do you ever use peas that Japanese call adzuki? I thought Jamaican peas are the same.
Thank you!
Hi Christy,
I use various brands at times but Island Spice and Grace are my favorites. I’ve never made this recipe with adzuki beans but I have tried rice with adzuki beans in Japan and they do taste similar. The cooking time for adzuki beans may be shorter though.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was looking for something to replicate my favorite Caribbean restaurant and this did it! I doubled the recipe and used dried beans but canned coconut milk. I had a few issues with the jasmine rice but by adjusting the liquid it turned out well just a bit more on the moist side.
You mentioned freezing the recipe. How do you manage to do that without affecting the rice quality? I’ve tried to freeze rice in the past and it turned into a big grainy mess. Thanks again for the great recipe!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe Nat! You can freeze the rice in smaller servings instead of altogether for easier thawing/reheating. Upon reheating, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water with the rice to a covered pot (for stovetop) or covered but slight ventilated microwave-safe dish (for the microwave). This creates steam while reheating which helps to keep the grains of rice plumped.
This recipe is so amazing! I’ve made it many times over the last few years. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much!
Loved it. Tasted like my local Jamaican spot. Paired with my newly experimented Jamaican Jerk pork recipe and this is already a staple in my rotation. Thanks!
Thanks so much for trying it Jacob! I’m glad you enjoy it!
I’m about to make this for the 2nd time. DELICIOUS!
Thank you so much for providing options of how to make this. I used canned coconut milk and kidney beans and loved it.
Thank you so much for trying it Holly!
I’m definitely trying this recipe tomorrow, but I’m using an entire 14oz bag of beans. My question is how much water should I add in the pressure cooker for that amount of beans, and how much rice should I add? Also I’m using jasmine rice, is that going to change the rice cooking time?
Hi Candace,
You can adjust the ingredient amounts by adjusting the serving size. 14oz of kidney beans is about 400g which is roughly 18 to 19 servings of the recipe. The remaining ingredients will be automatically adjusted. Jasmine rice works perfectly in the recipe. I use it very often as well!
If the rice isn’t cooked at the end of the recommended time, keep it covered with the foil and lid on low heat for an extra 10 to 15 minutes.
So delicious!
I improvised a bit to match the ingredients I had on hand, using brown rice, shallots instead of green onion, and no scotch bonnet. But it is delicious. Love adding to my Instapaper recipes. Thank you for sharing some of your traditions and love of food with the rest of us.
Thank you so much for trying Chris and sharing your swaps! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
I am currently making this recipe using the instant pot and dried beans. I’ve just added the rice and I encountered the “Burn” error. I’ve venting it and mixed it up and I’m trying it again, I just don’t want to add too much water. Do you have any tips for avoiding this error?
Hi Anjali, sorry you are having trouble with the recipe. I haven’t seen that message before but due to the coconut milk in this dish the rice can stick to the bottom of the pot. However, it shouldn’t burn if it’s cooked for the recommended time. Try not to cook the rice for longer than 20 minutes TOTAL after adding it to the instant pot (including the time it takes to heat up or come to pressure). You can set a separate timer if needed, starting it after covering and sealing the vent. I don’t recommend stirring the rice or adding more water once it begins to cook. I hope this helps and I hope you’ll try it again.
This recipe was absolutely stunning and tasted so good. Even without the scotch bonnet peppers as they weren’t available near me, they were so delicious and definitely authentic tasting. Deeply appreciative that I am now able to have one of my favorite Jamaican dishes because of you at home!
I’m very deeply appreciative of the way that you formatted your recipe. It was so nice to be able to see the ingredient portions required mid-instructions! So very helpful and I’m poking around your site just for that.
Thank you so much for the feedback Avery! I appreciate that so much. I hope that you’ll others that you’ll enjoy!
Just finished making this and honestly wow! I have never had rice come out as good as this! Recipe was easy to follow and perfect timings/ratio of liquid. Will continue using this recipe from now on! Paired with some jerk chicken and corn on the cob! Thank you Jhanelle
Thank you so much for the feedback Laura! Enjoy!
I used dry kidney beans, canned coconut milk and the instant pot for this recipe. It turned out GREAT! The beans were an excellent texture and the rice was fluffy. So delicious! I bookmarked this one.
I’m so happy to hear that Emily! Thank you for trying it!
One technical correction: pepper seeds are not hot. Seeds may seem hot because they are in contact with the placenta, which contains the capsaicin glands, but the oleoresin is concentrated in the placenta and endocarp. For more Scotch bonnet flavor, slice the pepper in half, scrape out the placenta, and rinse out the inside of the skin.
Thank you for sharing your insights. You are right that the pith of the pepper is spicy. However, I still wouldn’t recommend handling the cut pepper too much as it could irritate the skin or eyes in some if our hands aren’t properly washed. Not much heat is released if the pepper is uncut so using it whole shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
OMG….. this recipe was DELICIOUS, my friend from Guyana and she said that I am a honorary Caribbean. The only issue I had was the rice got too done, because I was making it for 20 people; also I was told that the rice was sour, from the person that ordered the dish, not sure what she meant because 8 different people LOVED it. Thanks again for sharing the recipe.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Sheryl and for sharing it with others! I’m sure you’ll nail it next time around! Feel free to reach out if you need any help.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, Jhanelle! I got a little chop happy and chopped up the scallions. Do you think that takes away from the desired flavor? I sure hope not! It’s a great recipe and smells amazing!
No problem Trina! It should be perfectly fine! Please let me know how it turns out.
Delicious!!! I had a hard time finding scotch bonnet peppers but I did eventually find them. It imparts the flavor but not the heat!!!
Thanks so much for giving it a try Mary!
This has become my go to rice and peas recipe. I’ve made it several times and the only changes I made is to add both all purpose seasoning and the jerk seasoning. Together they give the rice a lot more flavor. My boyfriend is Jamaican and he approves 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Amy! So happy you both enjoyed it!
Turned out great. I used the short cut version with canned beans and canned coconut milk for a weeknight meal. The rice was perfectly cooked. I made this as a side for jerk chicken that I already had.
Thanks so much Barbara! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi just wondering do you have to drain the canned kidney beans and what temp do you cook at when you add the rice to the broth? Thanks
Hi Jade,
No, don’t drain the canned beans. Increase the heat after adding the rice to bring it to a boil quickly then reduce it to low as soon as it starts boiling.
On a scale of 1 to 10, that would be about 6 to boil then down to 3 to finish cooking.
I was looking for a taste of home… and NOTHING on the internet looked right. Until I saw your recipe! It LOOKED exactly like what I grew up with. So I just knew it was gonna be great. My dad when he first came over to the states, this was the 1st thing he made like religiously.
I’m so happy and enthralled while reading your recipe, thank you for educating the community. Also even mentioning items that everyone could grab. UGH so good❣️
Thank you so much Daeja! I really appreciate this!
Amazing I loved it, only issue is the rice ended up very sticky and mushy. Is that because to much water was added after rice was added?
Hi Sam,
Sorry you had trouble with the recipe. Adding too much water is one possible cause of it becoming sticky. I’ve made that error a few times too before getting it right.
Add just enough to cover 1 inch above the rice. If it’s difficult to see this (as I know the liquid wouldn’t be clear at this point), you can dip a dry handle of a spoon in the pot until you touch the top of rice. Remove and see how far up the spoon handle the liquid line is.
If it’s an inch, cover and cook for at least 10 mins on medium heat before lifting the lid. Another possible cause of stickier rice could be not rinsing and draining it well to remove the extra starch.
But I hope that you will give it another try. Thank you for the feedback.
Thank you Jhanelle for sharing this recipe! I will try for New Year’s!
Thanks Darlene! Enjoy!
Hey. I want to make this but with tinned kidney beans. I’m assuming I don’t have to boil them in water for as long as stated – but what do I do?
Many thanks and blessings
Hi Connor,
If you’re using canned beans then start at step 3 under “Make the cooking broth for the rice”.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Fiona!
You use the words “authentic “ to describe the recipe, if you are using jerk seasoning and not the real seasonings then it’s just your version of the recipe! Yeah it might taste good but it’s not authentic! You know what else is in most of those dry jerk seasoning? “MSG”!
What does “real seasonings” mean? Please do tell.
I’m convinced you didn’t read the post. Walkerswood doesn’t have MSG nor is it a “dry jerk seasoning”.
No real Jamaican use jerk season in Jamaican rice and peas! Plus the peas is cooked in the water that’s it’s soaked in to get that red coloring! Also the coconut milk and peas is boiled long enough to make last at least until the next day refrigerated as leftovers or as we Jamaicans say, “Sunday-Monday “.. !!!
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for your comment.
Every “real Jamaican” should know the primary ingredients in Jerk seasoning are scallion, thyme, allspice (pimento) and Scotch Bonnet pepper. The exact same ingredients listed in the remainder of the recipe. Had you read the post you would have seen where I mentioned that it added extra flavour to the dish. Why? Because not everyone outside of Jamaica has access to all the fresh seasonings. You are free to omit it if you’d like.
Every Jamaican family has its own cooking techniques. My family, including extended (aunts, grandparents who all still live in Jamaica), uses a pressure cooker to save time. As we Jamaicans would say, “modern times now”.
The taste is the same and the cooking liquid is never discarded (also mentioned in the post) so the red colour is still achieved. Bear in mind that there are different varieties of red kidney beans available in Jamaica. Large, small, red, dark red. If you desire a more intense red colour, choose the darker variety.
Thanks again for your comment. I hope this cleared up any misunderstanding.
It taste nice we have it in Ghana and it’s called wakye but we don’t add the coconut and it best served with black sauce , macaroni and gari
Ohhh that sounds good! I’ll have to look that up. Feel free to share your favourite recipe with me too.
I’m looking forward to making this. One question, how much fresh coconut milk does this yield?
Hi Michael! It should yield about the same as a can of light coconut milk – 1 1/2 cups or about 400 ml.