Description

This Vegetable Jambalaya is a flavorful, hearty dish packed with fresh vegetables, aromatic spices, and wholesome ingredients. Perfect for a satisfying vegetarian meal, it layers vibrant vegetables, fire-roasted tomatoes, black-eyed peas, and okra with perfectly cooked rice in a one-pot skillet method inspired by traditional Cajun cuisine.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
handful chopped celery leaves or fresh parsley (for garnish)

Spices and Seasonings

1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot pepper sauce (for serving)

Other Ingredients

15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 1/4 cups white rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
8 ounces frozen cut okra

Instructions

Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes or until the onions become slightly soft.
Add Peppers and Spices: Add the red bell pepper and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, hot smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well to coat the vegetables with the spices.
Add Tomatoes and Rice: Pour in the diced fire-roasted tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the white rice and stir thoroughly to coat the grains in the flavorful mixture.
Simmer the Rice: Add the vegetable broth and stir. Cover the pot, raise the heat slightly and bring it to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the rice covered for 10 minutes.
Add Black-Eyed Peas and Okra: After 10 minutes, gently add the drained black-eyed peas and frozen cut okra evenly over the top of the rice. Cover and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the okra is tender and the rice is fully cooked.
Rest and Garnish: Remove the pot from the heat while keeping it covered. Allow the jambalaya to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then, fluff the rice gently with a large fork. Serve topped with your favorite hot pepper sauce and garnish with chopped celery leaves or fresh parsley.

Notes

For a spicier jambalaya, increase the cayenne pepper or add more hot pepper sauce when serving.
If you don’t have braiser or a 10-inch skillet, any wide, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid will work.
Allowing the dish to rest after cooking helps the flavors to meld and the rice to finish absorbing liquid evenly.
You can substitute brown rice in this recipe, but it will require longer cooking time and more broth.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Cajun/Creole

Keywords: vegetable jambalaya, vegetarian jambalaya, Cajun rice dish, one-pot meal, black-eyed peas, okra, fire-roasted tomatoes, spicy rice recipe