Recently one of the visitors to the blog asked how to make Jamaican rice and peas using canned beans. This reminded me that I’d mentioned in my original Jamaican rice and peas post that I’d post a separate recipe for rice and peas with canned beans. So, here it is!
You might be wondering why you would choose dried beans over canned beans to make Jamaican rice and peas. Well, the traditional way to make rice and peas is with dried beans. So, you would use dried beans if you want to be more authentic. Dried beans also tend to be cheaper than canned beans as a package of dried beans usually has more servings than a can of beans. Since they are cooked with the spices for much longer than canned beans, dried beans also give the rice and peas more depth of flavour. On the other hand, canned beans make cooking rice and peas faster and easier. So, choose which method works best for you on any given day; I usually use canned beans when I’m making rice and peas on busy weekdays and dried beans on the weekends when I have more time.
How to Make Jamaican Rice and Peas with Canned Beans
Here are the ingredients that you’ll need to make Jamaican rice and peas (with canned beans): 1 tablespoon of canola oil, 1 medium onion (diced), 2 cloves of garlic (minced), ¾ cup of liquid from the canned red kidney beans (top up with water to this level if you get less than this amount from the canned beans), 2¼ cups of water, 1 teaspoon of ginger (minced), 1 teaspoon of ground allspice, 2 stalks of scallions (chopped), 4 stalks of thyme (de-stemmed), 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional; leave whole), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 2 cups of brown rice, 540 ml can of red kidney beans, and ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of coconut milk.
To make the rice and peas, start by rinsing the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under the tap until the water runs clear; this will remove the surface starch from the rice and keep the rice from sticking to each other. Sauté the onions and garlic with the oil in a medium non-stick pot, with the stove set at medium heat; do this until the onions are translucent (about 1 minute). Add the liquid from the canned beans, water, ginger, allspice, scallions, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper. Cover the pot with a lid and let the liquid come to a boil.
Remove the scotch bonnet pepper from the pot; you can discard it or use it for something else. Pour the rice, beans, and coconut milk into the pot. Add the salt and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together, then cover the pot with the lid. For best results, I like to cover the pot first with tin foil, then the lid; this helps to trap in steam to cook the rice more evenly. Let the liquid come to a boil then lower the heat to simmer.
Let the rice simmer for 35-40 minutes or until tender; use a spoon to gently turn the rice at about the half-way mark to prevent burning. Remove the tin foil from the pot at about 6 minutes before the rice is done cooking and let the rice cook for the remainder of the time with only the lid covering the pot. Rice and peas can be served with stews like Jamaican Curry Chicken and Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken. Enjoy!
Related Recipes
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Jamaican Rice and Peas (with dried beans)
-
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
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Slow Cooker Jamaican Oxtail Stew
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Jamaican Curry Chicken
Jamaican Rice and Peas (with Canned Beans)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¾ cup liquid from the canned red kidney beans
- 2¼ cups water
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 stalks scallions (chopped)
- 4 stalks thyme (de-stemmed)
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (leave whole)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups brown rice
- 540 ml can red kidney beans
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp coconut milk
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under the tap until the water runs clear.
- Heat the oil in a medium non-stick pot with the stove set at medium heat. Pour the onions and garlic in the pot. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent (about 1 minute).
- Add the liquid from the canned beans, water, ginger, allspice, scallions, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let the liquid come to a boil.
- Remove the scotch bonnet pepper from the pot; you can discard it or use it for something else.
- Pour the rice, beans, and coconut milk into the pot. Add the salt and black pepper. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything together, then cover the pot with the lid. For best results, cover the pot first with tin foil then the lid; this helps to trap in steam to cook the rice more evenly.
- Let the liquid come to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and let the rice cook for 35-40 minutes or until tender; use a spoon to gently turn the rice at about the half-way mark to prevent burning.
- Remove the tin foil from the pot at about 6 minutes before the rice is done cooking and let the rice cook for the remainder of the time with only the lid covering the pot.
Can this work in a rice cooker?
Hi Jalah,
I haven’t tried it in a rice cooker, so I can’t say. Your best bet is to find a recipe that uses a rice cooker.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. It was a hit with my family. I had to add 2 more cups of water as my rice was not fully cooked after the suggested cooking time.
We used the leftover rice to make jerk chicken protein bowls the next day. This dish is so flavorful and authentic. We will definitely be making this again.
You’re welcome, Kristin. I’m happy to hear that it was a hit with your family.
This recipe is great. I didn’t have aluminum foil to cover the pot but did the last part of cooking in the oven. It came out well. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Mwila. I’m glad the recipe turned out well for you.
I always cook my rice dishes in the oven. It comes out great every time.
I’m making this dish for thanksgiving but I’m finding it difficult to find scotch bonnet peppers is there another pepper I can use?
The closest substitution for scotch bonnet pepper is habanero pepper. You can also try Thai red chili or serrano chili peppers, if you also can’t find habanero peppers.
Excellent!!! Thank you so much for this recipe! We made it with white rice and reduced the cooking time to 15 minutes and it was divine. Pigeon peas work great in this recipe too!
You’re welcome, LG. I love pigeon peas.
This recipe was awesome. It came out amazing flavors were incredible. I’ve made it 3 times with jerk chicken thighs. Thank you so much.
God bless
Merry Christmas 🎅
Thanks for the review, Cecelia. Merry Christmas to you too!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Robyn. I’m glad you liked it.
This turned out perfect! I didn’t add thyme because I didn’t have any so I added some Italian seasoning. I won’t forget to grab it next time I make it ❤️
I’m glad to hear it turned out well for you, Lana. Even without the thyme.
I am about to attempt to use your recipe but I don’t have a scotch bonnet pepper, is there anything else I could use?
Hi Crystal,
You can substitute scotch bonnet pepper with habanero pepper. If you can’t find habanero pepper, you can use Thai red chili or serrano chili peppers, which grocery stores tend to carry.
This is my kind of dish – I’m going to try to make it!
I hope you like it, Tanya.
This is a go to recipe for me now, thanks!
You’re welcome, Hannah. I’m very happy to hear that.
So delicious! I’m surprised how well it turned out 😋 it paired well with my plantain curry
I’m happy to hear that, Em. Plantain curry sounds delicious.
Thank you for this! I forgot to soak my beans and this turned out perfect!
Yes, this is great for when you forget and don’t have time to soak beans. Lol.
I made this today and oh my days!!! It’s bangs ( scrumdidliumptious) – my go to method! So easy! Thanks for sharing 😃
You’re welcome, Celeste. Glad you liked it.
GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL itsa da BOMBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Lol. I’m glad to hear that, Ty.
Can you use dried thyme leaves instead of fresh, and how much would you use.
Also I dont have any coconut milk on hand any substitute?
Hello Lillian, yes you can use dried thyme leaves. One teaspoon of dried thyme leaves will be good. As for coconut milk, you can replace it with 1/2 cup of water. However, keep in mind that coconut milk adds a distinct flavour to rice and peas. So, the flavour will be different without coconut milk.
I did it today and it was awesome and Tasty.
I’m very happy to hear that, Saralyne.
Thank you! I always wanted to cook this at home and now I know how😁💯✌🏾 Great recipe!
You’re welcome, Sumaya. I’m glad to have been of help.
Can a rice cooker be use
Hi Lisa,
I haven’t tested this recipe in a rice cooker, so I can’t tell you how it’d turn out. I’ll test it out one day and let everyone know. However, there are rice cooker Jamaican rice and peas recipes on the web. So, I’d suggest that you use one of those recipes, unless you want to test out this recipe in a rice cooker.
This was amazing and easy
I’m glad you liked it, Grace.