Recipe
🍽️ DINNER
Nigerian Jollof Rice
Long-grain rice simmered in a smoky, slightly spicy pepper-and-tomato base until every grain is stained red.
Nigerian · medium · serves 6
prep 20 min · cook 45 min
~535 cal · 10g protein · 93g carbs · 13g fat · 4g fiber · 6g sugars · 2g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Jollof rice, long-grain rice simmered in a blended base of tomatoes, red peppers, onions, and pepper until every grain is stained deep orange, is the most fiercely debated dish in West Africa. Its name traces to the medieval Wolof (Jolof) empire of Senegambia, and versions spread across the region, but Nigeria and Ghana in particular carry on a good-natured 'Jollof Wars' rivalry over whose is supreme.
The Nigerian style, associated above all with Lagos, prizes a smoky depth called 'party jollof', traditionally achieved by letting the bottom of the pot lightly char over an open flame so the rice picks up a faint burnt fragrance. No Nigerian celebration, from weddings to naming ceremonies, is complete without a steaming tray of it.
Jollof is celebration food and everyday food at once, usually served with fried , and with chicken, beef, or fish alongside. Bringing it to a gathering is a small point of pride: the cook whose jollof disappears first has won the day.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally vegetarian, vegan and gluten-, dairy-, nut-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 6
3 cups long-grain rice
2 red bell peppers
3 plum tomatoes
1 (or to taste) pepper
2 yellow onions
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp curry powder
2 bay leaves
2 tsp ground white pepper
2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crushed
2.5 cups vegetable
Instructions
1
Blend the bell peppers, tomatoes, Scotch bonnet, and one onion into a smooth purée.
2
Dice the second onion and fry in the oil until soft. Add tomato paste and fry 3 minutes until it darkens.
3
Pour in the blended purée and cook, stirring, 12-15 minutes until it reduces, thickens, and the oil rises, this is what gives jollof its depth.
4
Stir in the thyme, curry powder, bay leaves, white pepper, crushed bouillon, stock, and salt; bring to a boil.
✎ Chef’s note
White pepper is what people mean by the party-jollof taste. It is rarely written down but it is in almost every caterer's pot.
5
Add the rinsed rice, stir once, then cover tightly and cook on low 25-30 minutes, resisting the urge to stir, until the liquid is absorbed.
6
Let it rest covered 10 minutes, then fluff. Serve with fried plantain.
Lagos party-style jollof.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Lagos. Lagos is a megacity that takes its jollof rice personally, and its buka canteens serve pounded yam, egusi soup, and pepper-fired suya late into the night. Nigeria's coastal giant eats loud, spicy, and communal.
🗺️
Nigeria. Nigeria is West Africa's giant, and its kitchens argue passionately over jollof rice, the smoky tomato-and-pepper rice claimed across the region. Staples like pounded yam, egusi seed soups, suya spice, and fiery pepper sauces anchor a bold, communal table across more than 250 ethnic groups.
🌍
Africa. The structure repeats across most of the continent: one starch and one sauce. A grain or root is cooked stiff, torn or rolled by hand, and used to carry a stew of leaves, groundnut, okra or fish, usually from a shared bowl and with the right hand. UNESCO listings have followed that logic, inscribing couscous in 2020 as a shared Maghreb tradition and Ivorian attieke in 2024.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
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Good to know
You’ll need: Blender.
Storing it: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within an hour. Keep up to 2 days and reheat until piping hot all the way through.
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Themes
Frequently asked questions
What is Nigerian Jollof Rice?
Long-grain rice simmered in a smoky, slightly spicy pepper-and-tomato base until every grain is stained red.
Where does Nigerian Jollof Rice come from?
Nigerian Jollof Rice is a Nigerian dish from Lagos, Nigeria.
Can Nigerian Jollof Rice be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Nigerian Jollof Rice recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Nigerian Jollof Rice safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Nigerian Jollof Rice take to make?
About 65 minutes total (20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking), serving 6.
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