Thieboudienne or Ceebu Jen (Poisson au Riz), a delicious one-pot meal with rice, fish, and vegetables, is popular in Senegal. You’ll love the layers of flavors!
It has quickly become a household favorite. I’ve been singing its praises to anyone who would listen to my ramblings—you’d think I was the brand representative for this dish.
It’s bursting with flavor with so many delicious vegetables and spices; a satisfying meal by itself. And you don’t need to buy specialty items.
What Is Thieboudienne?
Thieboudinne or Ceebu Jen (Poisson au Riz) is a traditional, one-pot fish stew popular in West Africa. Most people refer to it as the national dish of Senegal. And Ceebu Jen are Wolof words meaning rice and fish.
Legend has it that a chef at the colonial governor’s residence created this rice dish because of a barley shortage. The fish is scored, marinated with herbs, deep fried, and then cooked in a tomato-based sauce. Vegetables include carrots, green or red peppers, cassava, potatoes, and eggplant.😋
Recipe Ingredients
- Fish – Any white, firm-fleshed fish will work for this fish and rice stew: grouper, sea bream, and snapper.
- Marinade – Parsley, green onions, garlic, habanero (or a scotch bonnet pepper), and Maggie provides an excellent marinade.
- Seasonings – Onion, tomato sauce, and tomato paste are rarely missing from foods in West African countries.
- Short-Grain Rice – Broken rice thickens the stew better than whole rice, but I used short-grain rice for a shortcut.
- Veggies – Almost any vegetables, like carrots, eggplant, and red and green bell peppers, work.
- Carbs – Potatoes, cassava, and squash are nutritious, besides adding flavor and texture.
- Smoked Fish delivers smokey goodness. Mackerel, herring, salmon, eel, and tuna are traditional.
How to Make Thieboudienne
Prep
- Prep Fish – Wash the fish carefully, drain, and pat dry with paper towels or a clean towel. Score or slit the fish 4-5 times on a slant across each side. If using fish steaks, score once. Rub the fish with lemon salt the fish, and set aside.
- Marinade – In a food processor or blender, puree chopped parsley and basil, green onions, garlic, and habanero pepper (optional). (Photos 1-2)
- Marinate – If using whole fish, dowse fish in one portion of the parsley marinade, making sure that both sides are coated with the marinade, including the inside of the slashes. If using fish steaks, poke holes into the flesh of the fish and put them in the marinade. Let the fish sit covered in the refrigerator as you prepare the vegetables for the dish. (Photo 3)
- Prep Veggies – Wash and peel the potatoes and cassava and cut them into large chunks. Clean carrots, eggplant, and red and green peppers and cut them into large chunks.
Cook the Stew
- Fry Fish – Heat a Dutch oven or a wide heavy saucepan until hot; add a cup of oil, then lower the fish into the oil and fry until brown, 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the fish and set it aside. (Photo 4)
- Sauce – Add the chopped onions to the oil, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and three tablespoons of the fish marinade. Let it cook for about 8 minutes. (Photos 5-6)
- Season – Add salt, bouillon, and white pepper to taste. Let it simmer for about five minutes. Add in the smoked fish and cook for another 5 minutes. (Photos 7-8)
- Simmer – Add 6 cups of water, then the cassava and potatoes. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, followed by the eggplant, carrots, peppers, and okra. Simmer for about 3 minutes. (Photos 9-10)
- Fish – Add the fried fish and let it simmer with the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Carefully remove the fish and vegetables and set them aside, leaving the tomato sauce in the pot. (Photos 11-12)
The Rice
- Rice – While the vegetables are cooking, wash your rice. Add two tablespoons of oil to a pot and the washed rice. Stir the rice for 1-2 minutes until fully coated in oil. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and close with the lid to prevent the steam from escaping. Let the rice steam for 5 minutes. (Photos 13-14)
- Final Stretch – Add the steamed rice to the tomato sauce and 1-2 cups of water as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste, then cover and cook on very low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or a little more, or until the rice is cooked, has absorbed the water, and is tender. (Photos 15-16)
Note: You can also finish cooking the rice in the oven for about 10 minutes or until tender (in an oven-safe pan) to minimize stirring and prevent burning. - Serve – When the rice is ready, serve it warm with the reserved vegetables and fish.
Recipe Variations
- Thiebou Yapp – If you love Senegalese food, try replacing the fish with meat.
- Tamarind is a traditional ingredient for a unique tartness, depending on the region. Add a spoonful of tamarind sauce with the tomato paste.
- Swap Veggies – You can use whatever vegetables you prefer. Try swapping the carrots with sweet potatoes or pumpkin and adding some broccoli.
- Fermented Snails – You can also add dried fermented snails. They are a traditional ingredient in thieboudienne and add a rich, umami flavor. If you can’t find them, add a spoonful of Asian fish sauce.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you cut your potatoes and cassava into similarly-sized cubes, so they cook evenly.
- If using salty smoked fish, rinse it under cold water before adding it or reduce the amount of salt.
- Soak the cassava in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to remove toxins.
- If you don’t have short-grain rice, pulse long-grain rice in the blender 2-3 times to break it up.
Mahe-Ahead Instructions
This recipe is a great make-ahead. Let the stew cool completely. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 2 months. I love doubling the recipe and freezing it in meal-size portions.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Thieboudienne is best hot. I do let it cool enough not to burn my tongue.
Store leftover thieboudienne in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for 2-3 months. Thaw the frozen stew overnight in the fridge, then heat it in a saucepan or zap it in the microwave.
FAQs
This classic is Senegal’s national dish, symbolizing Senegalese culture and identity. Some say it’s the precursor to Jollof rice and a tribute to human resourcefulness. And it’s a labor of love.
This recipe isn’t complicated; it just involves many steps, which doesn’t lend well to a pressure cooker. However, you could put your ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure for about 8 minutes. Please let me know in the comments if it worked for you.
Yes, you can use long-grain rice. Basmati and jasmine are my go-to’s. Then, I break it up in the blender for the authentic thieboudienne texture.
What to Serve With Thieboudienne
This one-pot meal is excellent by itself, but fried sweet plantains, yuca, and couscous are good options. Sorrel drink with a few mint leaves and orange blossoms makes a great beverage.
More Delectable African Recipes To Try
Conclusion
This thieboudienne recipe is delicious and bursting with flavor. Would you like more fabulous African recipes? Follow me on Facebook!
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in December 2012 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Thieboudienne/Ceebu Jen (Poisson au Riz)
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds fish white, firm-fleshed fish—whole or steaks (bone-in)
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt and white pepper or more to taste
- 1 cup parsley and basil, chopped
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1-2 habanero peppers (optional)
- 2 pounds potatoes and cassava
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 pounds vegetables (carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, eggplant, etc.)
- 1 small head cabbage
- 1 pound okra
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoons bouillon powder (or sub with salt)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces smoked fish
- 6 cups water (or low-sodium broth)
- 3 cups uncooked short-grain rice (I used basmati rice)
Instructions
- Wash the fish carefully, drain, and pat dry with paper towels or a clean towel. Score or slit the fish 4-5 times on a slant across each side. If using fish steaks, score once. Rub the fish with lemon, salt it, and set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, puree chopped parsley and basil, green onions, garlic, and habanero pepper (optional).
- If using whole fish, dowse fish in one portion of the parsley marinade, making sure that both sides are coated with the marinade, including the inside of the slashes. If using fish steaks, poke holes into the flesh of the fish and put them in the marinade. Let the fish sit covered in the refrigerator as you prepare the vegetables for the dish.
- Wash and peel the potatoes and cassava and cut them into large chunks. Clean carrots, eggplant, red and green peppers, cabbage, and okra, and cut them into large chunks.
- Heat a Dutch oven or a wide heavy saucepan until hot; add 1 cup of oil, swirl and heat for a few seconds, then lower in the fish and fry until fish is brown, around 3 minutes. Turn the fish around and brown it for two minutes on the other side. Remove the fish and set aside.
- Add the chopped onions to the oil, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and three tablespoons of the fish marinade. Let it cook for about 8 minutes.
- Add bouillon (or salt) and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for about five minutes. Add in the smoked fish and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add 6 cups of water, then the cassava and potatoes. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, followed by the onion, eggplant, carrots, peppers, cabbage, and okra. Simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Add the fried fish and let it simmer with the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Carefully remove the fish and vegetables and set them aside, leaving the tomato sauce in the pot.
- While the vegetables are cooking, wash your rice. Add two tablespoons of oil to a pot and the washed rice.
- Stir the rice for 1-2 minutes until fully coated in oil. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel and close with the lid to prevent the steam from escaping.
- Let the rice steam for 5 minutes.
- Add the steamed rice to the tomato sauce and 1-2 cups of water as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste, then Cover and cook on very low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or a little more, or until the rice is cooked, has absorbed the water, and is tender.
- Another option is to finish cooking the rice in the oven for about 10 minutes or until tender (if using an oven-safe pan) to minimize the stirring and prevent burning.
- When the rice is ready, serve it warm with the reserved vegetables and fish.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure you cut your potatoes and cassava into similarly-sized cubes so they cook evenly.
- If using salty smoked fish, rinse it under cold water before adding it or reduce the amount of salt.
- Soak the cassava in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to remove toxins.
- If you don’t have short-grain rice, pulse long-grain rice in the blender 2-3 times to break it up.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Bob says
None of the steps have what temperature to cook any of items at. Medium heat , high heat ? Also will the rice just cook in the pot and oil or do I need to add liquid for it to steam . I read the instruction as put rice in a pot and oil and cover with lid and cloth is that right ? Thank you can’t wait to try the recipe .
Imma says
Hi Bob. The rice here is washed so will still be a little wet before you add it to the oil. No need to add in more water.
Yulia says
When do your put the smoked fish?
Imma says
Thank you for catching that. You should add the whole fish back in step 9. Please let me know how it turns out for you.
Taona says
Where do you find your smoked fish? Thank you for this delicious recipe!
keishondra says
Very good, however the skin came off my fish during the frying process , any idea what I did wrong ?
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry I missed this comment. Use a nonstick fry pan when frying the fish or deep fry the fish.