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Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

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Red Beans and Rice made with coconut milk, thyme, scallions, and scotch bonnet peppers give this Jamaican rice dish an island flair!

Coconut milk, thyme, scallions and scotch bonnet peppers give this Jamaican red beans and rice dish an island flair!

Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

When I vacationed in Jamaica years ago, I fell in love with their food and couldn’t wait to recreate my favorites at home. This easy Red Beans and Rice recipe is the perfect side dish for Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken, Slow Cooker Jerk Pork, or Jamaican Coconut Shrimp Stew. You can also enjoy this meal as a vegetarian entree with a simple avocado and tomato salad on the side. This Caribbean red beans and rice recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!

Jamaican Red Beans and Rice

Rice and beans are a staple in most Latin and Caribbean countries because they are inexpensive and nutritious. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Some Latin recipes to try are arroz congri, or Cuban rice and black beans, and these Puerto Rican beans.

This Jamaican-inspired Red Beans and Rice recipe is cooked in coconut milk and tastes slightly sweet. It is not spicy since the scotch bonnet pepper is cooked whole for added flavor and is discarded before the rice finishes cooking. Of course, if you want a spicy rice dish, you could chop the scotch bonnet and add it to the rice, but be warned – it will be hot!

Storage

You can easily halve the recipe to have fewer servings. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 4 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

How do you make red beans and rice from scratch?

  1. Start by sautéing the garlic, onion, scallion, and thyme for a few minutes.
  2. Add in the rice and beans followed by the coconut milk, water, salt, pepper, and whole scotch bonnet pepper.
  3. Stir ingredients, bring to a boil, and then remove the pepper from the pot.
  4. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes until almost the liquid is absorbed and just skims the top.
  5. Remove the pot from the heat and keep covered for 10 minutes. The steam will continue to cook the rice, so don’t take off the lid!

Coconut milk, thyme, scallions and scotch bonnet peppers give this Jamaican red beans and rice dish an island flair!

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Jamaican Red Beans and Rice Recipe

5 from 4 votes
6
Cals:192.5
Protein:5
Carbs:36
Fat:3
Red Beans and Rice made with coconut milk, thyme, scallions, and scotch bonnet peppers give this Jamaican rice dish an island flair!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Jamaican Red Beans and Rice
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Yield: 10 servings
Serving Size: 3 /4 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp coconut oil, or canola
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/4 cup onion, minced
  • 1 scallion, chopped
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 13.5 oz can, 1 3/4 cups light coconut milk
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet hot pepper, not chopped

Instructions

  • In a medium heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add garlic, scallion, onion and thyme.
  • Sauté a few minutes, then add rice, beans and stir.
  • Add the coconut milk, water, salt and fresh pepper and place the whole scotch bonnet pepper in the pot, stir to combine and bring to a boil.
  • Remove and discard the hot pepper and continue to cook the rice until almost all the liquid is absorbed and just skims the top.
  • Cover; reduce heat to low; simmer for 25 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 additional minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice (do not be tempted to lift the lid before that).
  • Serve hot.

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Notes

Makes 7 1/2 cups.

Nutrition

Serving: 3 /4 cup, Calories: 192.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Protein: 5 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Sodium: 136.5 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 1 g

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