Jollof rice
Nigerian party rice cooked in a fried-down tomato, pepper and scotch bonnet base until the grains stain red and the bottom catches.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Jollof is rice cooked in a reduced tomato-and-pepper base until every grain is stained red and the bottom of the pot catches a little. This version blends tomatoes, red peppers, scotch bonnet and onion, fries the blend down in oil with tomato purée until it loses its raw edge, then cooks parboiled long-grain rice in it with stock, thyme, curry powder and bay. The pot is covered tightly, foil under the lid, and left alone. The smoky bottom layer is not a mistake. Nigerians call it party jollof when it has that char.
What you'll need
14 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Rice, long-grain parboiled, rinsed until the water runs clear500 g
- Tomato, ripe plum tomatoes, roughly chopped400 g
- Red pepper, deseeded, chopped2
- Scotch bonnet, one blended, one left whole2
- Onion, one blended with the tomatoes, one thinly sliced2 medium
- Tomato purée44 ml
- Neutral oil100 ml
- Chicken stock, hot700 ml
- Bouillon cubes, crumbled1
- Thyme, dried4.9 ml
- Curry powder4.9 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
- Butter, stirred through at the end (optional)15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Blend the tomatoes, red peppers, one onion and one scotch bonnet until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and boil hard until reduced by a third and no longer watery, about 15 minutes.
15 min
Step 2
Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Fry the sliced onion until soft and golden at the edges, 6 minutes. Add the tomato purée and fry, stirring, until it darkens to brick red, 3 minutes.
10 min
Step 3
Pour in the reduced pepper blend. Fry it down with the thyme, curry powder, bay leaves and crumbled stock cube until the oil separates and rises to the top, about 12 minutes. Stir often so it does not stick.
12 min
Tip: The base is ready when it has stopped tasting of raw tomato and the oil pools at the edges.
Step 4
Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat every grain. Pour in the hot stock, add the whole scotch bonnet and salt. The liquid should sit just above the rice.
3 min
Step 5
Bring to a boil, then drop the heat to the lowest setting. Lay a sheet of foil across the pot and press the lid on top. Cook 30 minutes without lifting the lid.
30 min
Watch: Do not stir once the lid goes on. Stirring breaks the grains and turns the pot to porridge.
Step 6
Turn the heat up to medium for 2 minutes so the bottom catches and smokes slightly, then turn it off. Rest 10 minutes. Remove the whole chilli and bay, fork in the butter if using, and lift the rice from the bottom up so the smoky layer is mixed through.
12 min
Tip: You will smell the bottom layer catching. That smell is the point; stop before it turns acrid.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 326 kcal
- Protein
- 5.5 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 18.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.9 g
- Fibre
- 3.3 g
- Sugar
- 7.2 g
- Sodium
- 848 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Fresh tomatoes → 400 g tinned plum tomatoes
Reduce for less time; tinned tomatoes have already lost water.
Scotch bonnet → Habanero or a mild red chilli
Same heat family. For a mild pot use half a chilli and no whole one.
Tips
- Parboiled (easy-cook) rice is what Nigerian cooks use. Basmati will work but overcooks faster, so cut the stock by 100 ml.
- If the rice is still hard when the stock is gone, sprinkle over 100 ml of hot water, re-cover and give it another 10 minutes.
- Serve with fried plantain and a side of coleslaw or moi-moi.
History & culture
Weddings, birthdays, Sunday lunch, office parties. The pot at a Lagos owambe is cooked over wood in a vast aluminium pan, which is where the smoke comes from. It is served with fried plantain, coleslaw, and chicken or beef. Nigeria and Ghana argue publicly about who does it better. Nobody has settled it.
The dish descends from thieboudienne in the Senegambian Wolof empire, which gives the name. Tomato-based rice spread along the West African coast through trade in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Parboiled rice is the Nigerian norm because it holds its shape through the long braise.
Traditional — Cooked on a gas hob rather than over wood, so the smoke comes from letting the bottom catch, not from the fire. Some cooks add a knob of butter at the end; it is optional here.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Jollof rice take?
1 hr 20 min all in — 20 min prep, 1 hr cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Blender, Dutch oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Fresh tomatoes → 400 g tinned plum tomatoes. Reduce for less time; tinned tomatoes have already lost water. Scotch bonnet → Habanero or a mild red chilli. Same heat family. For a mild pot use half a chilli and no whole one.
What should I watch for?
Do not stir once the lid goes on. Stirring breaks the grains and turns the pot to porridge.
Any tips from this recipe?
Parboiled (easy-cook) rice is what Nigerian cooks use. Basmati will work but overcooks faster, so cut the stock by 100 ml. If the rice is still hard when the stock is gone, sprinkle over 100 ml of hot water, re-cover and give it another 10 minutes. Serve with fried plantain and a side of coleslaw or moi-moi.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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