One Pot Vegan Jambalaya

A vibrant and flavourful dish, this one-pot vegan jambalaya is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. This is a healthy veggie-only jambalaya with no processed ingredients insight that the entire family will love.

Hailing from New Orleans, jambalaya is a colourful one-pot dish that's typically loaded with sausage and seafood. While there are many recipes for veganized jambalaya out there that use plant-based sausages, my vegan jambalaya only has vegetables and beans in it. I also add a can of chickpeas to transform it into a very filling dish.

You can, of course, add some plant-based sausages to the pot, but I like it just the way it is. It's also much cheaper to make meatless jambalaya, not to mention great if you're not a fan of highly processed ingredients.

Jambalaya is traditionally spicy, and this recipe is no exception. However, you can easily control how spicy it gets because you can add the Tabasco sauce right at the end. This way, you can taste the finished dish and decide whether it's fiery enough for your family.

What do you need to make it?

To make this spicy vegan jambalaya, you'll need the following ingredients:

Onion, celery and sweet pepper - These form the base of the dish, and you'll have to saute them patiently until they soften before continuing with the recipe. If you don't want to use olive oil, you can saute them in a bit of water or veggie stock.

Chopped tomatoes - You can also use crushed tomatoes or plum tomatoes that you crush by hand before adding them to the pan. Fresh tomatoes are also great here.

Spices and herbs - This is where you can get creative. I use a mix of mild chilli powder, cayenne pepper, oregano and basil, but you can also add some smoked paprika and a bit of ground cumin too. A ready-made cajun seasoning is also great in this recipe.

Rice - Long grain rice has just the perfect texture for jambalaya. Don't use risotto rice because that's too starchy for this recipe. You can substitute the white rice with brown rice, but you'll have to cook it longer.

Red kidney beans and chickpeas - I use canned beans and chickpeas for convenience, but you can cook them from dry if you want.

Tabasco sauce - This is optional but highly recommended if you like things spicy. Add 1-2 tablespoons to the pan and then allow everyone to add extra to their individual bowls as needed.

How do you make vegan jambalaya?

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan that has a tight-fitting lid and sauté the onion and celery over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and sweet red peppers and continue to sauté until the peppers soften a bit.

• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, then add the chilli powder, cayenne pepper, basil, and oregano. Cook for a minute, stirring often, then add the rice, kidney beans, and stock.
• Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
• Add the chickpeas, stir to combine, then cook for another 5 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
• Stir in the Tabasco sauce and parsley and season to taste. Serve hot with extra Tabasco sauce if you like.

Extra tips for the perfect vegetable jambalaya

• If you want to add some extra texture to this simple vegan jambalaya, you can use a plant-based meat substitute. Vegan chorizo is a good choice here. Slice the chorizo and fry it in a bit of olive oil until browned, then transfer to a plate and continue with the recipe in the same pan. Add the fried chorizo back to the pan right at the end.
• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
• You can make the jambalaya with brown rice instead of white, but keep in mind that you'll have to cook it for longer (about 40 minutes).
• Use a ready-made cajun mix instead of the spices and herbs for a convenient shortcut.
• If you notice that the rice is drying out at any point in the cooking process, add some more water or vegetable stock.

If you liked this one-pot vegan jambalaya, have a look at some of my other easy vegan rice recipes:

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)

Vegan Paella with Artichokes

Asparagus and Courgette Risotto with Lemon

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