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West African · Nigerian · Ghanaian

Jollof rice

Non-vegetarian

Long-grain rice cooked in a rich, smoky blended sauce of tomatoes, red peppers and scotch bonnet with thyme and curry powder. A centrepiece of West African parties; this version follows a Nigerian style.

Jollof rice is a West African rice dish, ready in about 1 hour 35 minutes and made with tomato, tomato paste and long-grain white rice. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Delicious grilled chicken served with flavorful Jollof rice and sautéed vegetables on a white plate.
Photo: Mohammad Fahim / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 5 min
Rest
10 min
Total
1 h 35 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
537

Ingredients

6 servings

For the pepper base

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blend the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), red peppers (opens in a new tab), scotch bonnet, one onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger until smooth. Simmer the purée in an uncovered pan until reduced by about a third.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the sliced onion (opens in a new tab) until soft. Add the tomato paste (opens in a new tab) and fry, stirring, until it darkens to a brick red.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the reduced pepper base, curry powder (opens in a new tab), thyme (opens in a new tab), bay leaves (opens in a new tab) and salt and fry until the oil rises to the surface.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the stock and rice. Bring to the boil, then cover tightly (a sheet of foil under the lid helps) and cook on low heat without stirring.

    • 25 min
    • low heat

  5. Step 5

    Check the rice: if still firm, add a few spoonfuls of water and cook longer. Let the bottom catch slightly for a smoky 'party' flavour, then rest covered for 10 minutes and fluff.

    • 12 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour.

About this dish

Origin
West Africa · Origin disputedMany accounts link the dish to the Senegambia region and the Wolof people, but its origin is debated and Nigerian, Ghanaian, Senegalese and other versions are each distinct and fiercely championed.Also popular in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered, Steamed, Blended
Taste
savoury, smoky, spicy (chilli heat), aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, PescatarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · One-pot · Batch cooking
Cook more with
Tomato · Tomato paste · Long-grain white rice · Red bell pepper · Fresh red chilli · Onion
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Steaming · Bhunao · Wet grinding

Allergens

  • May contain: Mustardfrom curry powder
  • May contain: Celeryfrom curry powder, chicken stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

537 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 395 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 8%
  • Carbohydrate 62%
  • Fat 30%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy537 kcal136 kcal
Protein11.2 g2.8 g
Carbohydrate82.8 g21 g
Net carbohydrate78.6 g19.9 g
Sugars8.5 g2.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.2 g1.1 g
Fat17.8 g4.5 g
Saturated fat1.8 g0.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol4 mg1 mg
Sodium778 mg197 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
662 mg
Calcium
58 mg
Iron
4.9 mg
Magnesium
49 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
105 µg
Vitamin C
69 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
368 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Reducing the pepper base well before adding the rice prevents soggy jollof.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring the rice while it steams breaks the grains and makes it mushy.
  • Too much liquid at the start — you can always add more later.

Serve with

  • Serve with fried plantain, grilled or fried chicken, and coleslaw or a simple salad.

Food safety

  • Cooked rice should be cooled quickly and reheated only once.

Storage

  • Refrigerate within 1 hour; keeps 2 days. Freezes well for 1 month.

Reheating

  • Reheat with a sprinkle of water, covered, until steaming hot throughout.

Variations

  • Ghanaian jollof (Ghana): Typically made with fragrant rice such as jasmine or basmati and often more aromatic with ginger and spices.
  • Thieboudienne (Senegal): The Senegalese fish-and-rice dish often discussed alongside jollof.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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