This flavorful Jamaican seasoned rice is easy to prepare with long grain brown rice, callaloo, ackee, cabbage, pumpkin, carrot, and peas, in a seasoned coconut broth.
This healthy seasoned Jamaican rice is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and huge hit.
Because of my family’s love for rice, I have an amazing array of vegan rice dishes on here for you to try, including Vegan Rice Recipes, Vegan Red Beans And Rice, and Spinach Rice.
In Jamaica, seasoned callaloo rice is a popular one-pot dish. Seasoned Jamaican rice is traditionally prepared loaded with vegetables, meat, and cooked in fragrant coconut milk.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich Flavor Explosion: The combination of long grain brown rice, callaloo, ackee, cabbage, pumpkin, carrot, peas, and a medley of aromatic seasonings creates a flavor explosion that tantalizes your taste buds.
- Healthy One-Pot Wonder: Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like brown rice, vegetables, and coconut broth, this one-pot wonder is a wholesome, balanced meal. It’s a fantastic way to ensure you’re getting a variety of essential nutrients in one go.
- Easy Preparation: The simplicity of the recipe makes it a go-to for both seasoned cooks and kitchen beginners. The step-by-step guide ensures you create a culinary masterpiece without the hassle.
- Jamaican Tradition on Your Plate: Embrace the Jamaican culinary tradition with this seasoned rice. It’s a snapshot of the vibrant flavors and diverse ingredients that make Jamaican cuisine beloved worldwide.
Ingredients Needed
- Coconut Oil: For sauteeing the vegetables and aromatics
- Aromatics like onion, garlic, and green onion add a savory base to the Jamaican seasoned rice.
- Vegetables including red bell peppers, tomato, carrot, pumpkin, cabbage, callaloo, sweet corn, green peas, and ackee add all the nutrition and flavor to this seasoned rice recipe.
- Thyme: Imparts a warm, earthy aroma, enhancing the overall seasoning.
- Allspice: Contributes to the authentic Jamaican flavor profile, adding warmth and depth.
- Coconut Milk: Forms the luscious base, infusing a tropical creaminess into the rice.
- Vegetable Broth: Cooks the brown rice and infuses it with flavor.
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper: Brings the heat; adjust quantity based on your spice preference or leave whole for a milder kick.
- Salt: Balances flavors and enhances the overall taste of the seasoned rice recipe.
- Brown Rice: For a healthier vegan seasoned rice recipe, I used long grain brown rice. Any variety of brown rice can be used. I love the nuttier flavor, the higher fiber, and the loaded nutrients in brown rice. You can also use Jasmine brown rice or Basmati brown rice.
How To Make Seasoned Rice
- Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green onions, red bell pepper, thyme, and allspice. Cook stirring constantly until onion is soft.
- Add tomatoes, carrot, pumpkin, cabbage, callaloo, brown rice and stir.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, and top with Scotch bonnet pepper.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes.
- Gently stir in sweet corn, green peas, ackee, cover the pot and cook for 5-10 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Fluff with a fork, add additional cooked vegan protein and serve.
- Serve seasoned rice with a salad, curry or jerk recipe.
Expert Tips
- Leave the Scotch bonnet pepper whole if you want to avoid the fiery heat, if you want it to be a little spicy then add only a small amount of the chopped pepper but discard the seeds.
- If your rice isn’t tender after the time recommended, add a 1/4 cup water and cover using the method used in How To Cook Brown Jasmine Rice.
Substitutions and Variations
You can also add a vegan protein like Baked Tofu Nuggets, Gluten-Free Vegan Sausage, or Jerk Tofu. Chickpeas or black beans could also be excellent alternatives, infusing the dish with extra texture and heartiness.
Feel free to include seasonal vegetables or those you particularly enjoy. Spinach, bell peppers, or zucchini would all go great in this seasoned rice recipe.
Storage Tips
To store Jamaican Seasoned Rice, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container once it has cooled to room temperature. Refrigerate promptly, and it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you have a larger batch and plan to store it for a more extended period, consider freezing portions in freezer-safe containers. Properly stored, frozen Jamaican Seasoned Rice can maintain its quality for up to 2-3 months.
When reheating, add a splash of vegetable broth or water to restore moisture, and use methods like the stovetop or microwave for a quick and convenient meal.

Recipe FAQs
Look for callaloo in international or Caribbean grocery stores. You might find it fresh or canned in the canned vegetable aisle.
If callaloo is not available, you can substitute with spinach or Swiss chard for a similar leafy green texture.
Ackee might be available in the international or Caribbean section of large supermarkets. If not, try specialty stores or online retailers that focus on Caribbean or tropical ingredients.
If ackee is not available, you can omit it or replace it with another canned bean or legume for added protein and texture.
What To Serve With Jamaican Seasoned Rice
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag #healthiersteps — we love to see your recipes on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter!
Also please leave a star rating ;-)
Need some encouragement on your Healthier Steps journey?
Join our Facebook groups, sharing lots of delicious vegan and gluten-free recipes, health tips, etc., from our members. Please join us and invite your friends Gluten-Free and Vegan For Beginners and Vegan Recipes With Love.
Categories
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan
- Course: Main Course
- Cuisine: Jamaican
Nutrition
(Per serving)- Energy: 240 kcal / 1003 kJ
- Fat: 9 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbs: 33 g
Cook Time
- Preparation: 20 min
- Cooking: 1 h
- Ready in: 1 h 20 min
- For: 18 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups brown rice, (long grain) rinsed
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green onion
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, or 6 berries
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 cup pumpkin, or butternut squash peeled and diced
- 1 cup cabbage, or bokchoy chopped
- 1 cup callaloo, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 4 cups vegetable broth, or 2 vegan bouillon plus 4 cups water
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup sweet corn kernels
- 1/4 cup green peas
- 1 (15-ounce) can ackee, drained
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green onions, red bell pepper, thyme, and allspice. Cook stirring constantly until onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, carrot, pumpkin, cabbage, callaloo, brown rice and stir.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, and top with Scotch bonnet pepper. If using vegetable broth instead of vegan bouillon then you want to season with salt to taste now. It should actually have enough salt that when you taste it, it should taste how you want the finished rice to taste because the rice will absorb some of the flavors as it swells.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes.
- Gently stir in sweet corn, green peas, ackee, cover the pot and cook for 5-10 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Fluff with a fork, add additional cooked vegan protein and serve.
I can’t wait to try this version,
Can I make this in a rice cooker?
Hello KayT, It should be able to, I don’t use a rice cooker though.
I made this today and my brother and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. I Omitted the oil since I don’t cook with oils. Used 1/2 cup coconut milk instead of the 15oz. This will definitely be in our rotation. Thanks again you are a blessing.
I am delighted to discover this recipe.
Seasoned Rice is excellent 👍. Had it many times.
Sabrina, that’s so wonderful to know, thank you very much for your feedback, I really appreciate it.
Great something new to try.
How much coconut milk
No salt?
Philly, I fixed it thank you, season with salt to taste.
Thank you, it’s one can, I edited the recipe.
Family enjoyed it. Thanks
You are welcome, I’m so happy they did, thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate it.
Can this be eaten alone?
Absolutely!
I will have to try it , thank you very much