Jollof Rice – Easy, flavorful and perfectly cooked African classic dish Jollof rice both made completely in the oven and on stovetop. Perfect for regular nights or special occasions!
Jollof rice is a legendary one-pot dish that’s ubiquitous in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and Sierra Leone. In fact, this is the most popular party food in West Africa and has been gaining momentum elsewhere in East Africa.
Because of its popularity, there have been several debates as to its origin. What I know for sure is that- it is an AMAZING one-pot dish and there is no argument when everyone is shoving it down their throat.
What is Jollof Rice?
Jollof Rice, or sometimes called as jellof rice, is a classic rice dish cooked in a flavorful tomato-based broth. With its several regional variations in name and ingredients, there is NO absolute right or wrong way of cooking this popular African rice recipe.
Jollof Rice Ingredients
I just want to say that jollof rice is great for entertaining, especially if you have picky kids. They always go for it.
It is fair to say, this delicious rice dish is fairly easy to make anywhere in the world because the ingredients are easy to find.
Despite its many variations, the most common ingredients of a jollof rice recipe are as follows:
- rice (uncooked long-grain rice)
- tomato sauce
- chicken broth (or water)
- onions
- cooking oil
- vegetables (like peas and carrots)
- hot pepper
- salt
- scotch bonnet pepper or hot pepper
How to Cook Jollof Rice?
Traditionally, Jollof is cooked over the stovetop; involving with a lot of stirring and sometimes the rice would stick to the pot making the dish quite unappetizing.
In this blog post, I completely eliminated that problem by making it in the oven with just a 5-minute prep time and no constant stirring involved. But if you want to stick to the traditional way, I’ve also included the stovetop method here in this blog post.
It started by RINSING the rice and NOT PARBOILING it. Followed by combining all the ingredients in the baking dish or pan. And lastly, covering it with aluminum foil and popping in the oven. Isn’t that easy enough for you?
Now, if you are not vegan and want to throw in some meat or protein, do so by all means. Simply stir fry shrimp, beef or chicken and medley of vegetables, mix with the rice and serve.
What to Serve with Jollof Rice?
This delicious rice dish can be served with just about any meat or non-meat recipes that you like. You can start with these few below and then explore other recipes to pair with this lovely dish:
- Chicken Stew (African-style)
- Suya Chicken
- Fried Plantains
- Asun (Spicy Roast Goat)
- Curried Goat Stew
- African Beef Stew
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
More Popular African Recipes That You’ll Love
- Egusi Soup
- Eru
- Moin Moin
- Puff Puff (Please also see my list of Puff Puff Recipes HERE)
- Fish Pepper Soup
- Okra Soup
- Maafe
How to Make Jollof Rice
Baking Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse rice through the water. In a half sheet baking pan.
In a half sheet pan (12-13/16″ l. x 10-7/16″ w. x 2-1/2”) combine all ingredients and stir so that everything is fully combined.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil paper. Double if you can, it helps cook faster. Gently place in oven and let it cook for about 70 -80 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and check after 70 minutes. Since posting I have retried recipes several times and it works best for my oven after 75 minutes.
Remove carefully from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the aluminum paper. Fluff rice with a fork and mix evenly. Serve warm.
Watch How to Make It
Jellof Rice (Oven and Stovetop Method)
Ingredients
- 3-4 tablespoons (42ml-56ml) vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion , diced, (red or white onions)
- 2 teaspoons (1.6g) fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme , optional
- 1 tablespoon (8g) minced garlic or (9.7g) garlic powder
- 3 cups (591g) rice , long-grain, uncooked rice (I used Basmati)
- 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (4g) chicken bouillon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 14-ounce can of tomato sauce or puree
- 4 cups (1000ml) chicken broth or water ( 5 1/4 cups for stove top)
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper or ¾ teaspoon hot pepper , omit if cooking for kids
- 1 pound (453.59g) vegetables (optional) (can be peas and carrots, green beans or corn)
- parsley for garnishing
Instructions
Baking Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse rice through water. In a half sheet baking pan
- In a half sheet pan (12-13/16" l. x 10-7/16" w. x 2-1/2”) combine all ingredients and stir so that everything is fully combined.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil paper. Double if you can, it helps cook faster.
- Gently place in oven and let it cook for about 70-80 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and check after 70 minutes. Since posting, I have retried recipes several times and it works best for my oven after 75 minutes.
- Remove carefully from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the aluminum paper. Fluff rice with a fork, thrown in your add-ins and mix evenly. Serve warm.
Stovetop Method
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Next add onions, thyme, and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add rice, season with paprika, bouillon, salt, and pepper.
- Cook stirring often until fragrant, for about 30 seconds. and brown stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour tomatoes sauce, chicken broth, and hot pepper, if using any into saucepan.
- Bring to a boil stirring once or twice. Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, for 15-18 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, let it sit covered for 5 minutes then fluff rice with a fork or serving spoon. Then throw in sauteed veggies and/or beef, chicken and shrimp and mix, if desired
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Use 5 1/4 cups of broth or water when making this stove top.
- I have tried several cookware for this rice and my recommendation are as follows: any shallow baking dish would work here, a Dutch oven is good, too and an aluminum baking dish.
- Make sure they have a tight fitting lid or cover it tightly with an aluminum foil as show in the video.
- Tightly cover the pot or pan with foil paper or its corresponding lid. Double foil paper to retain more heat.
- If you don't have a can of tomato sauce in your pantry, you may replace it with a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (thicker than tomato sauce), HOWEVER the consistency will not be the same.
- I would recommend, if you can, to use the can of tomato sauce if you can get your hands on it because it’s a crucial ingredient to this dish.
- To double the recipe, double everything EXCEPT the cooking time. You might have to add just a few minutes more, depending on the baking dish. Start checking after 80 minutes.
- If you want to add other vegetables in this dish like green beans and corn, sauté first the vegetables and throw it in when it’s all done. It is vibrant and colorful this way, also this would ensure that your vegetables are perfectly cooked.
- One of our readers threw in shredded cabbage, carrots, yellow pepper and green onions into the mix.
- On the other hand, if you want to throw in shrimp, saute them first and add them as you fluff the rice. The residual heat will warm them enough and they will not go rubbery.
- Make sure your beef or any other meat is cooked before throwing it in the mix.
- The rice was NOT PARBOILED before putting in the oven. All you need to do is RINSE the rice with water.
- I use Royal basmati rice for this recipe which is available at Walmart and Costco. I have tried several variety and they work just as well.
- If you don't have basmati rice, you may replace it with white long-grain rice with same ratio of rice and water.
- As per some of our readers here, you can use brown rice but that would need a bit more water (cannot give you the exact measurements because I never tried it) and it will take you two hours since brown rice takes longer to cook.
- Swap habanero pepper for scotch bonnet or replace it with ¾ teaspoon hot pepper. Omit if serving it for the kids.
- You may swap bouillon cubes with 1-2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning. That should add more flavor to it.
- When using bouillon cubes instead of the powder, simply dissolve it completely in liquid before adding.
- You may leave out completely the paprika, or swap it with curry. It would slightly alter the taste, but not that much if you love curry.
- To avoid a mushy rice, reduce the liquid by 1/3 cup.
- You can also cook this in a rice cooker.
Nutrition Information:
Pete says
I was surprised to read that the jellof rice getting burnt makes it un-appetising, Ah!!! But that is the “party jellof rice” now. That burnt flavour is exquisite, gives it a distinct taste. One of a kind
Kelechi says
Hi! When you say chicken broth or water, do you mean water if you added the bouillon earlier? I’m using maggi and I’m not sure if I should be adding extra maggi cubes to the water to create broth
ImmaculateBites says
Hello! No need to . If you added Maggie already. Water is just fine.
Cynthia G says
Hi Imma! First off I love, love, love the new website . Congrats and well done!! I love this recipe as it never fails. I use the oven method but have adjusted it slightly to save time. I parboil the rice with the bouillon cube and then combine all of the ingredients as per your oven method. At which point, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to cook. Just thought I’d share as I did this yesterday and it came out perfectly. Hope you are keeping well x
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Cynthia , So kind of you, Thanks for taking time out to share this with us.I would definitely give this a try.
Moise Tavares says
CORRECTION CORRECTION ! I read so much rubbish that jollof rice comes from Nigeria or Ghana and other anglophones countries in West Africa! First ask yourself what the meaning of Jollof and no one in those countries would be able to give you an answer. Jollof comes from the language Wollof and it means Senegal. It’s a slang the Senegalese use, like Niggah for the Nigerians. You guys are actually saying Senegal rice from Nigeria or Ghana which makes it even more funny! Lol
Just a bit of education as I am getting tired of correcting the mass. One thing never go to a France or an ancient French colony and mention that it’s a dish from another country. . Then my dear you’ll be on your own if you get sliced…
Mo says
Love this recipe!
Reminds me of my grandmas, so thank you!
Can you cook this in a rice cooker? If so for how long?
Londo says
for the stove top method should i pre cook the rice?
ImmaculateBites says
No you should not. Cook at the same time as the other ingredients .
Venessa McNish says
I made this today because I wanted something different for dinner. I didn’t add the onions because we have an onion recall going on ( I added onion powder instead). It was yummy !!! Such a easy and tasteful recipe. My family enjoyed this so much ..
Shade Moody says
I want to try this recipe for dinner tonight. Can you tell me exactly how much salt you’d use. I know it says “to taste” but I’d appreciate your recommendation.
ImmaculateBites says
Use about 1- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt . Remember you can always add , if you need more salt . Hope this helps.
Shade Moody says
Thanks so much for the specific salt measurement. This rice was so good. My whole family loved it
CJ says
I cannot wait to make this for my friend who is a long way from home. He is from a large African city, and I hope he will enjoy this. I tried making him this dish from another site/recipe once before…It turned out horrible so I ate it and didn’t share in shame. Haha, I am excited for him to try this! I hope it makes him feel more welcome!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi CJ. Thank you for taking the time to leave this review. And I am sure your friend will love this dish. Do let me know how it turns out for you :).
Diane says
Made this baking method. Halved the recipe for the number of people we had. Can’t believe it worked first time! And is absolutely delicious. Will be added to our favourites from now on.
ImmaculateBites says
High five on nailing this first time, Diane! I am thrilled you loved it! Thanks for stopping by.
Madi says
Omg !!!! Thank you thank you so much this recipe is amazing I only had 3/4 cup measurement so I used that as cups so 3. 3/4 cup of rice to 4 3/4 of chicken stock lol but I used half of the last cup of the stock less did it on 180 degree took out 10 mins earlier and it was incredible actually perfect I was so proud thank you so much for making this version and sharing Wish I could share picture. ❤️xxxx
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Madi ,
Next time share it on instagram and tag ImmaculateBites . SO happy to hear it worked out well. Thanks for the feedback
Jennifer Malone says
Wow! This is delicious! I really appreciate the one-dish directions. This is just as good as a more involved and step-heavy recipe and crazy-easy! I love the idea of traditional recipes done slow and understand that that can be a bit of a spiritual journey but I just don’t have time for that! I did use an habanero and hot paprika. It is very spicy-hot. I enjoy that but it may be a bit too much for most. Paprika can also be sweet or half-sharp, depending on the kind you buy. I got mine in a Polish neighborhood so it is pretty sharp. Thanks for creating and sharing this delicious and beautiful recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jennifer , thanks for taking time out to share this with us. Glad you enjoyed it .