Oven-Baked Jollof Rice (Easy, No-Stir Method)
This easy, flavorful, and flawlessly cooked African classic oven-baked jollof rice is made simple by taking the easy way out. Just stir it all together in a casserole dish, and put it in the oven. With its well-seasoned goodness, including onion, garlic, and tomatoes with some nutritious veggies thrown in, it’s perfect for regular nights or special occasions!
Jollof rice is a legendary one-pot dish that’s ubiquitous in Senegal, 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 about 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.
Why Bake It
While the classic jollof rice, sometimes called jellof rice, is cooked in a flavorful tomato-infused broth on the stovetop, the no-stir method lets you set it and forget it while getting other things done. With just five minutes of prep time and no constant stirring involved, you can have your jellof and eat it too. Just so you know, there is no absolute right or wrong way to cook this popular African rice recipe.
How to Bake Easy Jollof Rice
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Please do not use parboiled rice! Add all the ingredients to the baking dish or casserole pan.
- Cover with aluminum foil and pop it in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 70-80 minutes.
Tips & Tricks
- People say not to wash your rice because you remove the enriching vitamins. However, you really don’t lose that much, and washing your rice before cooking makes it fluffier.
- Let the rice sit covered for about ten minutes after removing it from the oven so that the rice evenly absorbs the remaining moisture. Then fluff your deliciousness with a fork and enjoy.
- Everyone’s oven is different. So if your rice is still hard with excess liquid after 80 minutes, be patient and turn up the heat just a tad. It just means your oven runs a little cooler than mine does.
- If your pan is dry, heat up some broth or water and stir it in. You want the liquid you’re adding to be hot so that it doesn’t cool your rice down.
Make Ahead and Leftovers
Store any leftover jollof rice in the fridge in an airtight container. It should last 3-4 days easily. It also freezes well for 4-5 months. To reheat it, add a splash of water or chicken broth, cover it, and bake it in a preheated 350℉ (180℃) oven for around 20 minutes. Ready!
Watch How to Make It
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This post was first published in March 2014 and has been updated with beautiful photos, a video, and more tips and notes.
Oven-Baked Jollof Rice
Ingredients
- 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) vegetable oil (feel free to reduce the amount of oil)
- 1 medium onion, diced (red or white)
- 2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic or 2½ teaspoons (12g) garlic powder
- 3 cups (540g) long-grain rice, uncooked (I used basmati)
- 1 tablespoon (9g) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (5-6g) chicken bouillon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 14-ounce can tomato puree or sauce
- 4 cups (950ml) chicken broth or water
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper or ¾ teaspoon ground hot pepper (omit if cooking for kids)
- 1 pound (450g) vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn, etc., optional)
- parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Rinse the rice with water and drain.
- In an approximately 13”x18”x2½” baking dish, combine all ingredients and stir so that everything is fully incorporated.
- Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Double the foil if you can because it helps cook faster.
- Gently place in the oven and cook for 70-80 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and check after 70 minutes. I’ve made this recipe several times, and 75 minutes works best in my oven.
- When the rice is done, remove it carefully from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the aluminum foil, fluff with a fork, and stir in your add-ins until evenly combined. Serve warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Any shallow baking dish or a Dutch oven will work, as long as it’s large enough.
- If the baking pan doesn’t have a tight-fitting lid, cover it tightly with aluminum foil so the steam can’t escape. Doubling up foil over the lid is even better.
- You can replace the tomato sauce with a can of crushed tomatoes and blitz it in a food processor.
- To double the recipe, double everything except the cooking time. Depending on the size of the baking dish, you might have to add just a few more minutes, but not a lot.
- For optional vegetables and protein, sauté them first, then stir them in when the rice is done. That allows the colors to stay vibrant and ensures that your vegetables are perfectly cooked.
- One of our readers loves adding shredded cabbage, carrots, yellow pepper, and green onions to the mix.
- I used Royal basmati rice for this recipe, available at Walmart and Costco. I have tried several varieties, and they work just as well, using the 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 (I cannot give you the exact measurements because I’ve never tried it), and it will take you two hours since brown rice takes longer to cook.
- Parboiled rice cooks too fast for this recipe and will turn mushy.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.
It tried this yesterday and it came out so well. Because of the rice I was using I only used 3 cups of broth.
Thanks for a quick and easy way to make jollof.
If the shrimp are cooked, add them as you fluff the rice, the residual heat will warm them enough and they will not go rubbery.
I loooooove this recipe! I am watching Parts Unknown and trying to cook one of the dishes cooked in each episode. This has got to be my favorite so far! One thing, the shrimp turned out rubbery in the oven. Is it supposed to be cooked at a different point in the cook? Thanks!
Bit late to help you, but any shrimp or meat needs to be cooked separately and not added until the rice is done. I can’t imagine what that shrimp was like after that long in the oven!!
Same with veggies, remember rice takes much longer to cook completely so your veggies will turn to mush.
This recipe is a Godsend! Thank you for sharing. My family loves it!
I tweaked it a little bit. Instead of using broth I blended red peppers without water and added it. It came out really yummy.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!!!
Is the rice pre cooked?
No it’s not precooked.
How did u prepare the rice before putting in the oven ? As in was it parboiled?
Hello Franca. No, the rice was not parboiled before putting in the oven. All you need to do is wash the rice. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!
I love your method of making it in the oven. My only issue I had is all of the seasoning was left on top, with cooked rice on the bottom. I mixed added a tiny bit of water and hopefully that will do it. Thanks again!
Hi Imma, what the brandname of your basmati rice? Merci
Hello Laurette,
I use royal . It’s available at Walmart and Costco. I have tried several variety and they work just as well.
Hi! Red onions or white onions in this style of cooking. Im also making gizdodo which calls for onions. Thank you.
Either works just fine.
What type of beef will I is for the Jalloff Rice?
Any beef works .
Ever try making this with a slow cooker…?
No I haven’t .
Could you please explain the cube of chicken boullion – how much water should you use to dissolve it?
And what kind of hot pepper should I use instead of the 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper ?
Please let me know before cooking
Thank you,
Habenaro pepper
When we were visiting friends in Nigeria, they made us something that they called “stew” and served it with jollof rice. It was a thick tomato sauce and the served it over chicken (or maybe cooked the chicken in it, I am not sure which). (They also said they can do it with beef.) Does this sound familiar to you? If so, do you have a recipe for “stew” that you can suggest? Thanks!
You can check out this recipe here >>> https://www.africanbites.com/beef-stewafrican-style/ Hope it’s what you’re referring, too. Enjoy!
Hi,
I cooked the shrimp with the Jollof. Would it taste the same if I did?
The shrimp might be too rubbery.
How would this work if I substitute the rice for riced cauliflower?
Sorry, I can’t give you an exact proximation, I haven’t tried this with riced cauliflower.
At what point do I add the shrimp to the jollof rice?
You saute it separately and add after you remove from the oven or when serving it.
I am not too crazy about bouillon cubes. What can I add instead?
. About 1-2 teaspoons of creole seasoning would add more flavor to it.
hi! can this be made in a microwave oven instead? can’t wait to try it!
Hi,
Haven’t tried it in a microwave . If you do let me know the outcome .
Thanks
Hello! Tried this recipe for the first time today, followed the instructions and amounts of liquid and Basmati rice. Unfortunately my rice at the bottom of the cooking tray was mushy and the top was raw. I did stir well and used tight tinfoil… I had to finish it on the stove. Flavour was awesome! But rice no good.. what did I do wrong? 🙁
To reduce the mushy rice – reduce the liquid by 1/3 cup especially if using larger chicken thighs they tend to release extra liquid.
Is the meat cooked when added?
Yes it is .
It tastes amazing! This recipe is pretty much foolproof! If your jollof rice never turns out quite right or you just don’t want to slave over a stove this recipe is for you. It doesn’t get much easier than this. This technique does not compromise the flavor at all. I will never make stovetop jollof rice again. Thanks so much for posting this. This recipe is has a permanent place in our meal rotation.
Awesome! Thanks for the detailed feedback!
Hi. I don’t have Basmati rice. I only have white long-grain. What would be the cups ratio of water and rice to get same servings
Hi Saurel, same ratio of rice and water .