This easy vegan jambalaya recipe is cozy, spicy, and full of flavor! Brown rice and plenty of veggies help this one-pot meal feel hearty and filling. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
This recipe was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2024 to include new photos, notes, and a few tweaks to make the recipe easier and more streamlined.
Jambalaya is the ultimate one-pot wonder! This Louisiana comfort food staple has a hearty, stick-to-your-bones texture and plenty of spice. A foundational dish in Creole and Cajun cooking, jambalaya uses Louisiana's holy trinity - onion, celery, and bell pepper - as its building blocks.
While traditional jambalaya features both meat and seafood - like andouille sausage, shrimp, or chicken - we love making this flavorful rice on its own for an easy vegan spin (although you can certainly add some meat, meat substitutes, or beans if you like!)
Meet our Guest Expert!
We consulted with food writer (and New Orleans Native!) Lauren LeBlanc to help us pay proper tribute to Jambalaya's deep roots. Lauren is the founder of Lauren From Scratch, where she shares her culinary expertise with Southern Louisiana, New Orleans, and Cajun recipes. Find her tips throughout this post!
Cajun vs. Creole Jambalaya
While there are countless approaches to homemade jambalaya, it has evolved into two primary categories: Cajun jambalaya (sometimes called "brown jambalaya") starts with browned sausage but uses no tomatoes, which results in a deeper brown color. Creole jambalaya typically includes crushed tomatoes, which gives it a brighter red color, and often includes shrimp instead of (or in addition to) pork sausage.
This recipe leans towards the Creole jambalaya tradition, and includes a can of diced tomatoes for color and flavor. To learn more about traditional jambalaya, check out this creole chicken and sausage jambalaya from Jessica at Swanky Recipes (A NOLA local!)
Lauren's Tip
Jambalaya originated in Louisiana with Spanish, French, and African roots dating back to the 1700s. Its predecessor was most likely Spanish paella - a rice-based dish that can include seafood, chicken, or sausage. Early jambalaya recipes would have been made with local ingredients, like ham, shrimp, sausage, and long grain rice grown in the Mississippi River delta. Jambon is the French word for ham; yaya is a West African word for rice. Jambon à la yaya, or “ham with rice”, eventually turned into jambalaya.
Ingredients
For a full ingredients list and exact quantities, scroll to the recipe card below.
Before you jump into cooking, we want to highlight a few things:
- Diced tomatoes give this jambalaya its bright red color. Look for a small can - about 15 ounces - and opt for a "no salt added" variety if possible (this gives you full control of the seasoning!)
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce lends important balance and umami here. We've tested and liked Annie's Vegan Worcestershire; you can also try a homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce recipe. If you don't have this specialty ingredient on hand, use soy sauce instead (don't just skip it!)
- Hot Sauce adds depth and complexity to help mimic the rich flavor you get in a meat-forward jambalaya.
- Celery, Onion, and Green Bell Pepper - AKA the holy trinity of Cajun cooking - form the vegetable base of this dish.
- Brown rice adds extra flavor and texture to this recipe, which helps it feel hearty. We recommend using a long grain brown rice here.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add protein. Add your favorite plant-based meat substitute (like vegan sausage), diced tofu, or drained and rinsed beans (we like chickpeas, red kidney beans, or black beans here). Stir extra protein right into the jambalaya, or add it as a topping to the finished dish.
- Dial up the spice by stirring extra hot sauce or paprika into the jambalaya once the rice is cooked. While it's not traditional, you can also add a spoonful of diced jalapeño or poblano pepper and sauté it along with the holy trinity vegetables.
- Swap some or all of the smoked paprika for cayenne pepper or your favorite Cajun or Creole spice blend.
Lauren's Tip
If you want more “meatiness” in this vegan jambalaya, add chopped mushrooms. Some older Cajun jambalaya recipes called for a can of sliced mushrooms, but it would also be a great addition to this vegan Creole version. Roughly chop 8 ounces of mushrooms and add them in with the diced tomatoes.
Step by Step Instructions
Heat a large, deep saucepan over medium-high heat. (We're using a deep stainless steel skillet in these photos; you can also make this recipe in a Dutch oven. Make sure your pot has a lid - you'll need it to cover the rice as it cooks!)
Add a splash of olive oil to the hot pan, then add the onion, celery, and green bell pepper (Image 1, above). Sauté, stirring only occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and developed a deep brown color.
Be patient here: Giving the veggies plenty of time to brown and caramelize will build much more flavor into your jambalaya! In our testing, the veggies took anywhere from 10-30 minutes to properly brown, depending on the pan and the intensity of the burner.
When the veggies are browned, stir in minced garlic and a pinch of kosher salt (Image 2, above). Let that cook another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
Lauren's Tip
In Cajun jambalaya (brown jambalaya), much of the flavor comes from browning the meat first. In Creole jambalaya (red jambalaya), the holy trinity is usually sautéed first and the meat is added later. For this vegan version, caramelizing the vegetables adds more flavor depth in place of browning meat, so take your time with this step!
Add brown rice to the skillet, along with smoked paprika (Image 3, above). Stir everything together and let it cook 30 seconds or so, until the paprika is fragrant. The rice will start to look glossy as it absorbs some of the moisture in the pan.
Deglaze the pan with a bit of vegetable broth (Image 4), stirring constantly to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (that's where a ton of flavor is!) Continue adding broth a bit at a time, stirring constantly, until all the broth has been added.
Stir diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce into the rice (Image 5, above), then add another generous pinch of kosher salt.
At this point, the liquid should cover the rice in the pot (Image 6, above) and resemble a chunky, brothy stew.
Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low, and let it cook for about an hour, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid (Image 7). The exact cook time will vary depending on the size of your pan and the strength of your stovetop burner.
When all the liquid has been absorbed, stir the jambalaya and give it a taste. Add more salt as needed. Don't worry if the top of the jambalaya looks less-than-impressive when you initially remove the lid: It will come to life as you stir it all together!
Don't open that lid!
While the rice is cooking, it’s important to keep the lid closed to contain all the steam and moisture. This ensures the rice comes out perfectly cooked. In Louisiana, every Cajun kid is taught not to peek in the pot while the rice is cooking.
How to Store Leftovers
Let leftover jambalaya cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. If the jambalaya looks dry, add a splash of water or veggie stock as you reheat it.
This jambalaya also keeps well in the freezer! Freeze in an airtight container, then defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
FAQs
Because brown rice has a longer cook time - and absorbs more water - than other rice and grain varieties, we recommend sticking with the brown rice in this recipe as written unless you're comfortable making rice cooking adjustments on the fly. If you prefer to use white rice, farro, or quinoa in place of brown rice, you will likely need to reduce the amount of vegetable broth in this recipe and/or shorten the cooking time.
Note: Traditionally, jambalaya is made with long-grain white rice. We chose to develop this recipe specifically with brown rice because it is a bit heartier and has more depth of flavor, which helps us build a more complex jambalaya with flavor that's closer to traditional non-vegan versions.
We're using a deep stainless steel skillet in these photos; you can also make this recipe in a Dutch oven. Make sure whatever pan you use has a tight-fitting lid. Choose a pot that's wide and fairly deep so that the rice has plenty of room to expand as it cooks!
In general, no - you don't need to rinse the brown rice when you're making the jambalaya (although you certainly can rinse your rice if you prefer!) We tested it both ways and didn't notice a real difference, so do what feels best to you!
No. While these dishes share some similarities (including a Louisiana origin), they are different. Gumbo, for example, is a brothy dish (kind of like soup or stew) that includes a flour-and-butter (or flour-and-oil) roux, which is cooked until it is very dark and then used as the base of the soup. Authentic Cajun Gumbo is often served with a scoop of rice on the side, while in jambalaya recipes, rice is the star ingredient.
The short answer: We updated it to make it even better!
This recipe was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2024 with new photos, additional notes, and streamlined instructions. With the help of Lauren LeBlanc, an expert on Cajun and Louisiana cuisine, we also made some small adjustments to keep this recipe more in line with a traditional, authentic jambalaya!
The old version of this meatless jambalaya included jalapeño; today, we use green bell pepper instead, which makes this recipe heartier (and aligns it more closely with a traditional jambalaya!) To account for the extra bulk a green pepper added to this recipe, we also reduced the rice and liquid from the original version so the final amount of jambalaya is the same.
The previous version of this one pot jambalaya also called for fresh diced tomatoes: We've replaced those with a can of crushed tomatoes to make prep easier and faster. Other than that, you'll notice we've kept things pretty much the same! The biggest change we made was adding a TON of step-by-step photos to help you along as you cook.
If you loved the original recipe we shared, we promise this one is even better! If you're attached to the original version, though, no worries: feel free to contact us and we'll send you a copy.
We recommend making this recipe on the stovetop as instructed: Getting a good sear on the vegetables is so, SO important to develop the flavor of this vegetarian jambalaya, and you don't get that same flavor development if you just throw everything in the slow cooker. We have not tested this recipe in a crockpot or an Instant Pot, so can't speak to exact timing or adjustments if you'd like to use that equipment.
More Hearty, Vegan Comfort Food
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Print📖 Recipe
Spicy Vegan Jambalaya
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Cajun and Creole Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy, vegan jambalaya recipe is perfect for cozy weekends or Meatless Mondays!
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 large stalks celery, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (see recipe notes)
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 green onion, sliced, for garnish (optional)
Equipment Note: Use a large, wide saucepan or pot with a tight-fitting lid. We used an older version of this deep, 5.5 quart sauté pan in these photos; this recipe also works well in a Dutch oven.
Instructions
Brown the Veggies (10-30 minutes)
- Heat your saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil; heat until it shimmers.
- Add diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan and stir to combine. Sauté, stirring only occasionally, for at least 10 minutes, until veggies have softened and developed a deep brown color. Tip: Depending on your pot and the strength of your burner, it can take anywhere from 10-30 minutes for your veggies to develop a deep brown color. Be patient here: Letting the veggies brown properly is the key to developing incredible flavor in this dish!
- When veggies are browned, stir in garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Let cook another minute or so, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add brown rice and smoked paprika to pot; stir to combine. Cook 30-60 seconds, just until the paprika is fragrant and the rice has begun to soak up the liquid in the pan (the rice should look a little glossy and translucent around the edges).
Add the Liquids (5 minutes)
- Add vegetable broth to pot a little at a time, stirring well between each addition to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan (these browned bits - called fond - are where a ton of flavor lives!) Continue until all vegetable broth has been added.
- Add diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce to pot along with another generous pinch of salt; stir to combine.
Cover and Cook (1 hour)
- Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover with the lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 45-60 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid in the pot. Tip: The exact cooking time will vary based on the size of your pan and the strength of your burner.
- Stir jambalaya, taste, and add salt as needed. Garnish with sliced green onions (optional) and serve immediately.
Notes
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce. Regular Worcestershire sauce isn't typically vegan: Strict vegans should be sure to opt for a vegan variety (if you're not vegan, regular Worcestershire works just fine here!) We've tested and liked Annie's Vegan Worcestershire; The Wizard's Vegan Worcestershire sauce is also well-reviewed (although we haven't tested it ourselves). Worcestershire lends important balance, flavor, and umami to this recipe - don't just skip it! If you don't have vegan Worcestershire, use soy sauce instead (it's the best substitute we tested!)
Additions and Substitutions. Add your favorite vegan protein (like plant-based sausage, soy curls, or tofu), diced mushrooms, or beans (chickpeas, butter beans, kidney beans) to this jambalaya to make it heartier. If you'd like more spice, add extra smoked paprika or hot sauce, or sauté some chopped jalapeño along with the veggies. Use red or yellow bell pepper instead of green bell pepper.
Look for brown rice with a long grain, and avoid any pre-cooked or microwaveable rice products as the cook time and absorption can vary widely. We did test this recipe with short grain brown rice: It tastes great but often needed an extra few minutes to cook.
Can I use a different kind of rice? We do not recommend using white rice or other grains in place of the brown rice unless you are comfortable making on-the-fly substitutions, as different rice varieties vary widely in cook time and liquid absorption. Swapping white rice for the brown rice in this recipe with no other adjustments will affect the texture and taste of the final dish. White rice or other grains will likely require less liquid and a shorter cook time than this recipe as written.
What if my rice isn't fully cooked? If your rice is still crunchy towards the end of the cooking window, it just needs a bit more time to cook! If the jambalaya has no liquid left, add an extra splash of veggie stock or a bit of water, then re-cover with the lid and continue to cook on low heat for another 10-20 minutes. If there is still liquid in the pot, simply re-cover with the lid and cook a few minutes more.
What hot sauce should I use? We've tested this recipe with almost a dozen different hot sauces (including Sriracha, Cholula, Tabasco, Frank's, and a variety of local/specialty hot sauces). and they've all been great! Use whatever you have on hand.
Like all good things, jambalaya takes practice. Use this recipe as a jumping-off point, take a few notes after your first try, and keep at it! Remember that everyone's kitchen and equipment is different: It may take a few tries to dial this recipe in for your specific environment.
This recipe was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2024 with new photos, additional notes, and a few adjustments to make the recipe even easier and more straightforward.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 224
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 734.5 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.4 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Shari
Very good! I’ve made it twice now exactly as written. May add vegan sausage next time
Team Life As A Strawberry
YIPPEE! We love the addition of vegan sausage!