African recipe

Nigerian Jollof Rice

Name: Nigerian Jollof Rice
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: African cuisines
Ingredients: 500 g long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear; 600 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped; 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and chopped; 1 large red onion, divided and chopped; 1 Scotch bonnet or other hot chile, stemmed; 60 ml neutral oil; 35 g tomato paste; 5 g dried thyme; 5 g Nigerian-style curry powder; 7 g fine salt, divided; 900 ml unsalted chicken or vegetable stock, hot; 2 bay leaves; 1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

Long-grain parboiled rice cooks in a smoky red tomato-pepper sauce with thyme and curry, producing separate grains with a gently toasted party-pot aroma.

Nigeria, West Africa

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Servings: 6

Nigerian jollof rice with separate red tomato-seasoned grains and lime — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by Obaniyi covenantSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

500 g
long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
600 g
ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
2
red bell peppers, deseeded and chopped
1
large red onion, divided and chopped
1
Scotch bonnet or other hot chile, stemmed
60 ml
neutral oil
35 g
tomato paste
5 g
dried thyme
5 g
Nigerian-style curry powder
7 g
fine salt, divided
900 ml
unsalted chicken or vegetable stock, hot
2
bay leaves
1
lime, cut into wedges for serving

Method

01
Blend the pepper base
Blend tomatoes, bell peppers, the hot chile and half the onion until mostly smooth. Leave a little texture rather than turning it into a thin juice.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Reduce the tomato sauce
Heat oil in a heavy lidded pot over medium. Add the remaining onion and cook until soft. Stir in tomato paste, thyme and curry powder for 1 minute, then add the blended pepper base and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until thick and glossy.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Season the cooking liquid
Stir in 5 g salt, bay leaves and hot stock. Taste the liquid; it should be savoury but not overly salty because it will reduce around the rice.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Add and coat the rice
Add the rinsed rice and stir until each grain is coated. The liquid should come just level with the rice; add a little hot water only if the grains remain exposed.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Steam until tender
Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 25–30 minutes. Avoid opening the lid. Check one grain near the centre; if still firm while the pot is dry, add a small splash of hot stock, cover and continue until tender.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Rest and serve
Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, fluff gently from the edges inward, taste for salt, and serve with lime and grilled chicken or fried plantain.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Measure the liquid after the sauce or stock is ready, then let the rice finish covered over low heat so steam cooks the top evenly.
Rest the covered pot off heat before fluffing; this lets excess surface moisture settle without breaking the grains.

Common mistakes

Repeatedly lifting the lid releases steam and leaves the top layer undercooked; keep the lid closed until the stated check.
A strong boil scorches the sauce before the rice absorbs it; lower the heat as soon as the pot returns to a simmer.

Substitutions

Long-grain parboiled rice gives separate grains; if using basmati, reduce the liquid slightly and check it earlier.
Vegetable stock can replace chicken stock for a vegetarian pot; use a low-salt stock because the tomato base is already seasoned.

Storage

Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–4°C; use within 3 days and reheat until steaming throughout.

Cultural context

Jollof rice is cooked across West Africa, with each country and household carrying its own version. This recipe is specifically Nigerian party-style jollof: parboiled long-grain rice, a reduced tomato-and-pepper base, stock, thyme, and curry powder. The rice-cooking method and seasoning vary widely.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

A plate of jollof rice and chicken.jpg — Photograph by Obaniyi covenant; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to African recipes

Nigerian Jollof Rice

Ingredients

Method

Blend the pepper base

Reduce the tomato sauce

Season the cooking liquid

Add and coat the rice

Steam until tender

Rest and serve

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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