Liberian Jollof Rice is a vibrant, deeply flavoured one-pot dish where long-grain rice is simmered directly in a blended tomato-pepper base. Seasoned with onion, garlic, and a Maggi cube, the rice absorbs every drop of the sauce, turning a gorgeous red-orange. It is served at celebrations, Sunday lunches, and street-food stalls alike.
Serves 4
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and fry until golden, about 5 minutes. Pour in the blended tomato-pepper mixture and fry, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and oil floats on top, about 15 minutes.
Crumble in the seasoning cube and add salt to taste. Stir in the washed rice and mix well to coat every grain.
Add 2½ cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
Remove from heat, let steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Serve hot alongside fried plantains or chicken.
Blend tomatoes smooth for a silkier sauce.
Keep heat very low at the end to avoid scorching the bottom.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Mise en place pays for itself: chop, measure and pre-mix everything before the heat goes on, especially for any step that moves fast.
Add chicken pieces to the pot before adding rice.
Stir in frozen peas or carrots for extra colour.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water.
Jollof rice traces back to the Wolof people of Senegambia and spread across West Africa over centuries. Liberia adopted it as a national comfort food, with each family holding its own secret ratio of peppers to tomatoes.
Yes — add an extra ¼ cup of water and extend cooking by 5 minutes.
Moderately hot. Remove scotch bonnet seeds or use fewer peppers to reduce heat.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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