How To Make Nigerian Jollof Rice

Here’s how to make Nigerian jollof rice. You only need rice, tomato stew, and seasonings to savor Nigeria’s party rice at home! Best enjoyed with chicken.

Nigerian jollof rice is considered Nigeria’s party rice.

With its bold color, mouthwatering aroma, and distinct smoky taste, it’s one of those dishes that just makes celebrations extra special.

This ultimate fusion of Nigerian curry, herbs, tomato stew, and parboiled long-grain rice is made in a single pot, and you can easily make it at home!

Often described as iconic, unifying, and even controversial, this staple, one-pot wonder is a rice dish everyone should have in their cooking repertoire. 

What Is Jollof Rice?

Not to be confused with Nigerian fried rice, which, by the way, is another delicious Nigerian rice recipe you shouldn’t miss, jollof rice or Naija jollof rice is a flavorful single-pot dish made with parboiled long-grain rice, herbs, spices, and tomatoes. 

I highly doubt you will fail to spot jollof rice at a Nigerian party with its bold, dark orange, reddish color.

It’s definitely an iconic dish, and we’re only talking about its color; wait until you find out how its flavor makes this Nigerian jollof rice recipe special. 

The foundation for the rice’s distinct, smoky, savory flavor with just the right kick is tomato stew. Once you have that nailed down, making the rest of jollof party rice is pretty straightforward. 

Nigerian jollof rice has different versions across Africa. One of which is the classic smoky jollof rice that is made over a wood fire. 

I know this isn’t the most convenient method, so keep reading to know how to cook jollof rice and get the iconic smoky flavor even without using wood fire.  

Why You’ll Love This Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

• Easy: This easy jollof rice recipe comes together in a single pot! Plus, we’ll teach you how to cook jollof rice on your stovetop and oven, so you don’t need to prepare a wood fire.
• Filling: Considered as a staple, Nigerian jollof rice is a complete dish on its own. It’s filling and full of flavor to satisfy your hunger and ease your mood. But for a hearty meal, we’ve also listed the best pairings for jollof rice below.
• Versatile: Serve this vibrant dish at a party or make an ordinary day feel like a celebration with Nigerian jollof rice at the table. You can even customize this Nigerian jollof rice recipe with your favorite vegetables and proteins!

What Does Jollof Party Rice Taste Like?

Nigerian jollof rice tastes smoky, rich, and savory, with just the right kick to make it addictive. It’s such a tasty rice dish that it’s definitely worthy of its title “party rice.” 

Personally, I’m not a fan of “soft” rice dishes (sorry Congee fans), so I already know I’m going to like Nigerian jollof even before trying it.

Its texture is just perfect: not too soft, not too hard. 😋

And because it’s a one-pot dish cooked slowly, all the flavors from the tomato stew, seasonings, herbs, and spice have fused together perfectly.

You’ll get an incredibly inviting aroma in the kitchen, and the resulting vibrant orange-red rice is guaranteed to make your mouth water. 

Nigerian Jollof Rice Ingredients

• Vegetable oil – To highlight the flavors in your smoky jollof rice, make sure to use a neutral oil.
• Plum tomatoes – We’ll blend plum tomatoes for our base sauce to give it a deep flavor and a mouthwatering red-orange color.
• Red bell peppers – The tomato-bell pepper blend gives the stew a more rounded flavor.
• Red onions – This aromatic must-have creates a delectable savory tomato base for the jollof rice. 
• Habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers – Habanero pepper gives our Nigerian jollof rice a delicious kick. Some also like to use Scotch Bonnet pepper to boost the bold color of the rice.
• Tomato paste – We’ll also add tomato paste for color.
• Nigerian curry powder – We used Nigerian curry powder. Together with the dish’s smoky aroma, this spice blend gives the jollof party rice a distinct, irresistible taste.
• Dried thyme – Its earthy, minty flavor blends well with the other spices in this Nigerian jollof rice recipe.
• Bay leaves – You might wonder, do bay leaves even do anything? Well, yes! They actually help with the depth of flavor.
• Chicken stock – You can also use vegetable stock on this party-style rice.
• Long-grain rice – Use parboiled rice so you won’t end up with mushy jollof rice. Here’s how to cook parboiled rice easily.
• Salt – To season your dish as needed.
• Pepper – Black pepper’s sharp flavor completes the taste of our aromatic rice.

Tools Needed To Prepare Jollof Rice

• Blender for the tomato stew
• Knife for slicing the ingredients
• Pot for the tomato stew
• Saucepan for cooking the rice
• Foil for covering the pan

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Jollof Rice Recipe

Long-grain parboiled rice substitute

You can also make jollof rice with basmati rice.

Just remember to cook your rice so it’s not soft or crunchy. Here’s the technique on how to cook parboiled rice!

Plum tomatoes substitute 

Plum tomatoes are our top pick for this Nigerian jollof rice recipe’s tomato stew because they are soft and sweet. If unavailable, substitute them with Roma tomatoes.

Pro tip: Do not use tomatoes that are too watery or have too many seeds!

Nutmeg

Want to give your Nigerian party rice dish a more interesting and unique taste? Try making it with a teaspoon of nutmeg!

How to Make Nigerian Jollof Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 6 plum tomatoes
• 4 red bell peppers
• 3 red onions
• Habanero or Scotch Bonnet peppers to taste
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Nigerian curry powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Tools you need:

• Blender 
• Knife 
• Pot 
• Saucepan 
• Foil 

Instructions:

STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your Nigerian jollof rice.

STEP 2: Blend tomatoes, bell peppers, red peppers, onions, and two cups of stock until smooth.

STEP 3: Transfer the tomato mixture to a large pot and bring to a boil.

STEP 4: Turn down the heat and let the tomato mixture simmer for 10 minutes, partly covered.

STEP 5: Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Stir fry some sliced onions and season with salt.

STEP 6: After about 3 minutes, add the curry powder, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Continue cooking on medium heat for 3 minutes.

STEP 7: Stir in the tomato paste. After 2 minutes, add the tomato mixture and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, partly covered or until the tomato stew is reduced by half.

STEP 8: Add the remaining stock to the pan and bring it to a boil.

STEP 9: Add the rice. Stir and cover with foil and lid.

STEP 10: Turn down the heat and cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

STEP 11: Taste and season your jollof rice as needed.

STEP 12: Allow the covered rice to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy your party rice!

What to Eat with Jollof Rice

Nigerian jollof rice is undoubtedly the life of the party with its vibrant color and delicious fusion of smoky, savory flavors. And while you can enjoy the tomatoey rice dish on its own, it’s also a versatile meal that you can partner with yummy dishes.

If you ask me, the best pairing is Nigerian jollof rice and chicken. Goat meat, beef, or fish with jollof rice will also be amazing. 🤤

But since you’re already making Nigerian jollof, why not cook other Nigerian dishes?

Our easy but delicious moi moi recipe and Nigerian salad will be perfect for the flavorful and colorful Nigerian jollof party rice!

Tips About Making Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe

• Always rinse your parboiled rice in cold water before using it with the other ingredients. This will stop the cooking process and remove the excess starch in the rice to avoid mushy jollof rice. 
• Here’s a trick to cool your rice faster: spread it on a flat dish and blot the excess moisture with a paper towel!
• Make sure that you’re using enough oil in your tomato stew. This will keep the tomatoes and onions from burning since the water will evaporate during cooking.
• Consider adding parsley for a tastier Jollof party rice. Or, for a more traditional flavor, use chunks of smoked fish in the dish. 
• Can you cook jollof rice in the oven? Yes! Just rinse the rice, add all the ingredients, cover, and bake for half an hour. Then, stir everything, add your choice of veggies if you have any, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remember to adjust the baking time according to your elevation.

How To Store Jollof Rice

• Fridge: After cooling, transfer your Nigerian jollof rice to an airtight container. It should keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days!
• Freezer: You can also freeze your jollof rice in a freezer-safe container for 3 months.
• Reheating: To reheat, microwave your leftover smoky jollof rice on high for 4 minutes. Then, just do 1-minute intervals until it’s heated through. 

Where Is Jollof Rice From?

So, who created jollof rice? There is actually a heated debate about where jollof rice is originally from.

The name itself originates from a Senegambian kingdom called the Jolof Empire. 

Then, the delicious dish evolved into different varieties all over Africa.

The ingredients and preparation for jollof rice differ from country to country, and interestingly, you might even find different versions of this dish from house to house!

What Type of Rice Is Best for Jollof Rice?

Jollof rice is best made with long-grain rice that is parboiled.

If you don’t have parboiled long-grain rice, you can also use basmati rice or jasmine rice for this Nigerian jollof rice recipe.

How to Cook Jollof Rice Without Tomatoes

If fresh tomatoes are unavailable, don’t worry; you can still cook jollof rice!

Swap fresh tomatoes with tomato seasoning mix instead. 😋

There are also variations of jollof rice without tomatoes or tomato products. The recipe is made with a red paste from blended bell peppers, red chilis, and onions. 

FAQ About Nigerian Jollof Rice

Conclusion

And that’s it! You just learned how to cook a party-worthy Nigerian jollof rice!

This easy Nigerian jollof rice recipe will give you a tasty, comforting rice dish you can enjoy on its own or with other yummy African dishes.

Don’t know what pairing to try first? Consider Nigerian jollof rice and chicken!

And for those who want to make a smoky jollof rice but don’t have access to a wood fire, you can always try our hack with liquid smoke for a fuss-free fragrant rice. 

Loved this Nigerian Jollof rice recipe? Try these delicious dishes next and delve into the diverse world of African cuisine:

• Oha Soup
• Ghanaian Meat Pie
• Asaro Recipe
• Nigerian Fish Roll
• Nigerian Jollof Spaghetti

Here’s a bonus mouthwatering content:

Check out our previous photos to give you inspiration on what else you can add to your jollof rice!