Caribbean Rice and Red Beans- Seasoned with garlic, onions and creole spice. Infused with bay leaves, thyme, Scotch bonnet and coconut milk. 
If you delight in traditional Caribbean food then you should consider making this scrumptious rice and beans. Sometimes referred to as rice and peas if made with pigeon peas or yellow peas. When making this sumptuous rice, I really do not have any preference for beans. Whatever is in the pantry works for me. Here, I used kidney beans. 
This is very simple, easy, cheap and nutritious dish to make in a saucepan. Why nutritious? The beans of course, it is a good source of complete protein, especially if you are vegan. 
What makes this dish so enticing is coconut milk, coupled with scotch bonnet pepper (hot pepper), onions, garlic, thyme and red beans. For a deeper flavor, I added creole spice to up the flavor in this coconut milk rice and beans meal. If you like a more orange or reddish appearance then include the paprika. I like to leave the scotch bonnet pepper whole because it produces the right amount of heat and flavor without being too overwhelming. It is traditionally served with chicken, beef or pork or pair it with this brown stewed chicken HERE 
Enjoy Notes and Tips!
- This recipe has been updated with pictures and suggestions
- For a really moist rice and beans use 3 cups of water/broth. If you want your rice to look just like in the picture then use 2 cups water or broth
- In the recipe I used paprika and creole salt to enhance the flavor of the rice. It’s not traditional, if it is tradition you are after then omit paprika and in place of creole salt use regular salt.
- Feel free to switch the coconut milk with 2 cups of water
Watch How to Make It
Caribbean Rice and red Beans -- Seasoned with garlic, onions and creole spice. Infused with bay leaves, thyme, Scotch bonnet and coconut milk.
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola)
- 2-3 garlic clove , minced
- ½ medium onion , diced
- 2 teaspoons creole spice Homemade recipe here
- 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 13.5 oz can (1 3/4 cups) coconut milk
- 15.5 oz can red kidney beans , rinsed and drained
- 2 small bay leaves
- salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth or water (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper.
- 1 teaspoons paprika (optional)
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Wash rice until water runs clear. Drain water.
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Heat a saucepan with oil. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, and hot pepper, sauté for about a minute.
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Stir in rice to the pan, followed by beans for about 2 minutes, then add coconut milk, bay leaf, bouillon powder, creole spice, with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes or more. Stir occasionally from the sides to prevent burns , add more water if needed.
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Adjust for salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves You have to stir occasionally to be preventing any burns.
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Serve warm
- This recipe has been updated with pictures and suggestions
- For a really moist rice and beans use 3 cups of water/broth . If you want your rice to look just like in the picture then use 2 cups water or broth
- In the recipe I used paprika and creole salt to enhance the flavor of the rice. It’s not traditional, if it is tradition you are after then omit paprika and in place of creole salt use regular salt.
- Feel free to switch the coconut milk with 2 cups of water
Thanks so much for your recipes the ones I have prepared have came out a winner they’re so delicious and I can’t wait to try this one very soon. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
I’m very glad you enjoyed Rosaleen! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I made this tonight for my husband and I. Absolutely LOVED IT. Both of us didn’t want to stop eating it lol. I’ve never seen him scarf rice down like that. 10/10 would absolutely make again.
Awesome ! Thanks for the feedback.
How would you do this recipe with dry pigeon peas? I have some but I’m afraid of messing them up so I haven’t tried it lol ty!
I would boil it first , until tender . Then replace beans with pigeon peas.
I LOVE this recipe! I do have a question! Do you use the plain enriched long grain rice, or parboiled rice?
Hi. Use uncooked long grain rice. No need to parboil, just rinse it until water runs clear.
I tried this recipe this past weekend and it’s the best rice and peas I’ve ever made. You can eat it as is but I paired this with Imma’s Slow Cooker Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken. DA BOMB! Thanks!
I made that rice dish yesterday with your suggested chicken and peppers stew in the picture. Oh my gosh, it was delicious! My girlfriend was so happy with it. We both love good food I must say. She is British with quite a strong Jewish flair in her and I am french – from Brittany! I actually added the creole spice to the chicken both in it’s marinating phase (overnight for me) and at the time of cooking it with the browning sauce, organic ketchup et cédera. I found your website ‘accidentally” recently and there are quite a few meals that I look forward to making. Thank you so very much ⭐️⭐️
What would make this mushy?
Too much liquid and stirring .
Thank you
This is delicious!
I made it with barbequed chicken and it was soooooo good. I didn’t have scotch bonnet peppers so I used 2 small jalapenos I had on hand and diced them along with the onion. Otherwise made exactly according to recipe, including your creole spice, and it was perfect.
I don’t have creole spice, can I substitute for something else?
Onion powder garlic powder salt pepper 1 part each, 2 parts paprika and 1/2 part each oregeno basil thyme.
Would need salted pigtail to be authentic! Also needs a sprig of thyme and some allspice grains!
OMG .. I love this recipe
I’m from Europe and this for me is something new. I’ve always wanna to try different recipes from all around the world. With your recipes I successfully did it from the first time. Thank you so much!
Very delicious… yummy..
This recipe is to die for. Such a perfect side for any meat dish. Heats up perfectly the next day.
It’s basically the perfect recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Such a treat! Thanks again Imma for all your amazing recipes.
My rice staying kind of hard what’s happening?
Hi Connie, I have not encountered this problem before , so I can’t say for sure without actually being there . The only think that comes to mind is the water . Make sure it’s accurately measured.
I made this and my rice was a little mushy. I did the broth and coconut milk. It still tastes good but I would’ve liked it less mushy. I also used that tropical sazon I had no paprika and it was an excellent substituting spice/ season. I pairs it with oxtails. I’m definitely gonna try again maybe with less 1 cup of broth.
Thanks for the great recipes.
I have made this 10 or more times and it always comes out right every time.
Good work I love your recipes.
I’m cooking this right now, can this be refrigerated and heated up next day?
Yes, it can.
Amazing with the Oxtail stew recipe!
By adding the coconut milk, will that make the rice have a sweet taste?
Not at all.
I made this rice and beans with Jamaican OxTails and it was deliciousthis will be the way I make my rice from now on.Thank you for sharing
My wife and I made this last night, and served it on the side of grilled yellowtail amberjack. It was excellent!
Most of your foods have a nutrition fact but the serving size would be great too please…I track my food intake so I would greatly appreciate that
Completely agree!
The servings are listed at the top
@Tiffany, she means the serving size as in how much of the actual food is suggested for 1 serving.
I did a little math (which I’m not claiming to be good at). 2 cups of uncooked rice yields about 6 cups of cooked rice. And in a can of beans there is about 1 1/4 cups. So that’s about 7 and 3/4 cups of food (just estimating, not including all the spices and herbs). Divide that by 6 and it comes to about 1 full cup and just over a little of 1/4 cup of food per person. If you’re eating this with other dishes I think a half cup or 3/4 cup should suffice. 1 1/4 seems kind of a lot.
2 cups of uncooked rice yields 4 cups cooked rice according to package.
I made this for the very first time and it came out DELICIOUS!!
My family tore it up…Lol. Thank you for posting a delicious meal with easy to follow instructions.
That cracked me up. Lol. I’m so happy it turned out great for you, Andrea. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂
I made this yesterday. It was excellent and also it also worked with Japanese short grained rice. I rinsed the rice well, used canned, drained field peas, and Sason, since I didn’t have the Caribbean salt seasoning. It came out perfect, without having to look at it constantly. By the time o remembered it, the rice was done and delicious. Your hint for the whole habanero caused it to have a perfect flavor. Thank you
Thank you for sharing those tips, Cheryle! Glad you love the flavor overall.
Thank you we love it.
I cooked for my best friend and my love.
He’s love it.
Hi Imma, really want to try this recipe but I’m scared. I don’t use chicken bouillon by the spoons. I use it by the cubes like Maggie. You said you used chicken broth in addition to the Creole seasoning. I’m thinking adding the bouillon might make it too salty. Did you add it to yours?
Hi Vanessa, Yes I did. You don’t have to be scared hon. You can omit it , if desired. Or cut your cube in half before adding to the pot . It works out just fine with or without it. Happy Cooking!!!!
We love this recipe with a few modifications!! I omit the coconut milk but add a 15 oz can of tomato sauce and another can of diced tomatoes. Oh and I DOUBLE the Carribian spice!! Great with Andouille sausages or w/o sausage!!
A great dinner for the two of us!!
Thank you for sharing those tips, Thom! Have a great day!
Delicious!!!! My family and I more than enjoyed it!
Great! Thanks for letting us know.
I have already made this rice dish few time. I always make Jerk chicken with it, which is spicy, therefore, I avoid adding any hot spicy to the rice, it turns out great. It’s a big hit with my family and friends.
Hurray! Thank you for letting me know, Misty! 🙂
Great recipe! I was hesitant about using kidney beans but went with it. Taste great and I went with the 2.5c of water, 1 can of coconut milk and my version of the creole spice. Thanks for sharing!
You’re most welcome! And thank you for dropping by, Leila!
Delicious !!! Thank You!
I made this tonight in combination with your Jamaican jerk seasoning recipe which I used to make jerk chicken. What can I say.. OMG so good. I sauteed boneless free range thighs with red onion and crushed garlic (used olive oil for both btw, but added a tablespoon of coconut oil to the chicken). Put in about a tablespoon per pound of your jerk seasoning, a 1/2 TBSP more brown sugar and I am now happily drowning in a bowl of Jamaican food. Your blog is lovely, easy to read, few annoying pop-ups. I will be coming back to scope more recipes! (I’m also bringing some of this to my friend at work who’s from Grenada tomorrow 🙂
Kristen