This easy vegan jambalaya is full of fresh produce and ready in under an hour – the perfect healthy vegan recipe for busy weeknights.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you buy something I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting Life As A Strawberry!
In a hurry? Click here to jump straight to the recipe!
I am a huge fan of dinners that are quick, easy, and don’t involve a last-minute trip to the grocery store. This spicy (vegan!) jambalaya definitely falls into that category.
I grew up on jambalaya that was loaded with shrimp, chicken, and andouille, but when I went vegetarian I had to improvise a bit. Turns out jambalaya is just as good without the meat and fish! (Side note: Make sure you’re using a vegan Worcestershire sauce if you’re cooking this for strict vegans or vegetarians!)
Even now that I’m back to being an omnivore, this vegan jambalaya recipe is still one of my favorites for a quick dinner or a Meatless Monday dish.
If I’m particularly hungry, I’ll throw in some portobello mushrooms or tofu to give it a bit more oomph, but for the most part I eat it just like you see it here. Full of tomatoes and cilantro (two of my favorite things in the universe) with a nice kick from the jalapeño and paprika.
This recipe is cooked entirely in one big pot, which makes for low-maintenance cooking and easy-peasy cleanup.
I recommend using a large, flat-bottomed skillet or even a good dutch oven here so you have plenty of room to stir everything around without any spills.
This is also a great blank-canvas recipe: start with this simple vegan jambalaya, and add your favorite veggies or proteins to make it even heartier!
I love adding extra sautéed peppers and onions, crispy tofu, or mushrooms – and be sure to check out the comments for some great suggestions from other readers!
Basically, here’s your homework assignment: Make this vegan jambalaya. It’s easy. It’s fast. It’s oh-so-delicious.
Just a winning combination, really.
THE WINNINGEST.
Spicy Vegan Jambalaya
An easy vegan jambalaya for busy weeknights or Meatless Mondays!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 large stalks celery, diced
- 1 heaping Tablespoon diced jalapeño (use more or less depending on how spicy you like things – 1 Tbsp. gives it a nice kick)
- 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes (you could also use whole cherry tomatoes or one large can of crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice
- 4.5 cups vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce (you can find some good vegan varieties online or, if you don’t have any of the vegan stuff handy, just leave it out!)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce (I use Sriracha)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan (use one that has a tight-fitting lid).
- Add onion, garlic, celery, and jalapeño to oil and sauté until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and cook an additional minute or two to soften them up.
- Add rice, vegetable stock, worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, paprika, hot sauce, salt, and pepper to pan and stir to combine. Cover and bring mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-40 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and cooked through.
- Stir in fresh cilantro and serve immediately. Garnish with extra cilantro.
Notes
This jambalaya has a nice kick to it – use more or less jalapeño and paprika depending on how spicy you like things. Add cooked shrimp or andouille to make this a heartier meat dish.
If you don’t have vegan Worcestershire sauce handy, leave it out, or – if you aren’t a vegan/vegetarian – just use regular Worcestershire. I like this vegan variety from Annie’s.
Serve with my easy vegan biscuits or easy Crusty French bread!
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting Life As A Strawberry!
New Vegan Family..with picky kids..loved the recipe. Added vegan sausage and beans on a bed of Kale.
Quick easy and healthy meal!
★★★★★
Loved it ! When I realized one of my guests coming for a bbq is vegetarian I thought I needed something with substance other than grilled veggies and the salads I had. I found this recipe made it following easy directions and everyone loved it ! They also couldn’t believe I’ve never made it before. I will keep this recipe close by, I will be making this again. Thanks for a quick and easy dish !
★★★★
What an amazing dinner! Everyone loved it, and there was more to go around.
Definitely making this a staple in our house 💞
★★★★★
Lovely. Easy family meal. I added a tin of lentils and a tin of kidney beans for extra proteins. This also helped make it a good size for our family of 5 very hungry mouths😀
★★★★★
Hi Lee, Mmmm yum! Those add-ins sound great! Thank you for sharing.
I added zucchini for the last 20 minutes and okra for the last 5. If you add veggies I’d add more paprika and hot sauce because the spice gets diluted
Sooo good!!
★★★★★
I’m such a fussy eater and was a bit hesitant on trying this as I don’t eat salad items. I’m soo glad I did. This was soo amazing!!
★★★★★
Hey Jessica, wow – thank you for this praise! Glad to read we ‘wowed’ you with this recipe!
This is sooooooo good! Thank you!
Hello Kenneth – thank you for the praise!
So good!! I added a red & green bell pepper, 1 can navy beans, 2 field roast vegan sausages, and some green onions at the end… Also a bit more smoked paprika, worcestershire, and hot sauce for a little more spice flavor. Other than that, I followed the rest of the recipe as it’s stated.. there’s plenty of leftovers and I’ll definitely keep this recipe!! Oooo and I also served it with cornbread because yum!
★★★★★
Hi Kayla – Yum, I love the cornbread part! Thanks for sharing your add-ins for others to read.
I’ve made this dish atleast 5 times this year, I’m totally obsessed! The only thing I add is vegan sausage for some protein, other then that I follow the recipe to a T.
★★★★★
Hey Kels, love the change up! It’s great to hear you LOVE it!
I need to stop eating dairy again. Please help me.
This looks delicious! I love rice so much. And wow! Almost 10 grams of protein. Yum.
Delicious! I made this last night – I like to make a big pot of something that I can dole out for work lunches all week. This definitely fit the bill. I added a few carrots (only because I had no other use for them) and I see a lot of people adding bell pepper – I may try that as well. I was thinking okra would also be a really nice flavor addition here. I’m trying to up my protein intake so I may add beans next time (although it definitely doesn’t need it). Really great recipe – thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
I made this in my Instant Pot. Came out great.
★★★★★
I am cooking for a very large group – a few of whom are vegan. I want to cook the rice separately because the meat dish goes on rice, so will have two options, one meat and one vegan, both go on rice. What should I change to accommodate this?
Making dinner for 60 this, for 10 vegans, and enough for others to try. Say enough for 25 regular servings.
Hi Annie! I haven’t tested a high-yield version of this recipe, but my recommendation would be to prepare the veggies + tomatoes as instructed and then toss that “sauce” with the cooked rice. Hope that helps!
Omg this is so perfect!! So often I find that meals don’t come out quite right even when I follow the recipe… but not this time! This recipe worked so great, it came out AMAZING!! I didn’t have to change anything! All I did was add peppers and mushrooms… and garnished with MORE jalapenos (But that’s just because I’m addicted!!) I’m So happy with this and really looking forward to trying some of your other recipes 🙂
Hi Faye, I love that you added MORE spice! So glad you enjoyed it!
I love this recipe so much I have made this 3 times in 2 weeks! Very easy to make, easy ingredients but yet so tasty and refreshing. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Happy you’re enjoying it Helen!
I made this tonight with the only addition being one red bell pepper and one green bell pepper and it turned out being amazing. I found a recipe online for vegan worcestershire that I used which worked out well because I was wanting that as a condiment anyway and this recipe caused me to finally make it! So good! Thank you!!
Oh, I also used brown minute rice in mine which worked really well! I had to add a little sprinkle more about ten minutes in to tighten it up but it was so yummy! Make this! You’ll love it!
Great, I love the adjustments you made!
This looks really good.
My vegan best friend is coming over for dinner next week, I’m gonna surprise her with this!!
Very good. Instructions easy to follow. Everyone really enjoyed it.
★★★★★
Wahoo! So happy to hear that, George!
Jessie – DELICIOUS! I’ve only been cooking vegan for about four months, and this is one of my top favorite recipes yet. I added a bell pepper, as you suggested, because a Louisiana dish shouldn’t be missing part of the trinity. I also followed your advice in terms of wanting more oomph and threw in a pound of white beans (soaked and cooked) – I used 1/2 small white beans and 1/2 great northern beans because that’s what was in the pantry. I included 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke (LOVE). Another comment questioned whether you really meant 1 1/2 cups of chopped cilantro. Yes, you did, and my, my, my is it tasty! THANK YOU.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it, Dory! LOVE the additions you used!
Delicious! Not sure what I did wrong, but the rice was really firm even after the liquid was absorbed after a 40 minute summer. I will certainly try this again. Thank you!
So glad you liked it, Patty! I find that the rice sometimes needs more time depending on the tomatoes I use and the specific type or blend of rice – definitely don’t be afraid to give it an extra splash of cooking liquid and cover it back up if it needs a little more time!
Have you ever tried quinoa instead of rice?
Not yet, but I bet it would be great!
Do you think the leftovers could be frozen?
Definitely! We freeze portions of this and reheat it in the microwave – you may just need to add a splash of water or stock when reheating to keep the rice moist.
This recipe sounds amazing! Definitely going to try it. Do you think it’ll be good if I add lentils for an extra protein boost??
★★★★★
I haven’t tried it with lentils but I bet it would be great!
I made this for my family and it was DELICIOUS. I only made one change…I added veggie sausage. It was a hit with the hubby and kids alike!
Love the veggie sausage addition! I’m so glad you liked it!
Awesome! Right amount of liquid for short grain brown rice. Added an extra onion, green pepper, thyme and used tomato stock from leftover tomato canning. I found one ripe jalapeño enough to have a nice bite but not too much for others who don’t handle too much spice.Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
I’m so glad you liked it, Laura! Thanks for letting me know how it came out!
The food in your video looks nothing like your pictures…? And 4.5 cups of veggie broth is too much and will make your Jambalya runny.
I used 4.5 cups of broth as directed, it did not make it runny in the least.
same exact problem. it’s been cooking for over 40 mins and still liquid. rice still hard.
Hi Katie! It’s hard to say what the cause is without being in the kitchen with you, but I find that the rice sometimes needs more time depending on the tomatoes I use and the specific type or blend of rice, or even depending on how deep the pot is that I’m using – definitely don’t be afraid to cook it a little longer or turn the heat up a touch if it needs more time!
I have made another one pot vegan jambalaya in the past, but my family said hands-down this one was much better!! This is a keeper. Loved it. I also added some beans and other veggies (since I had them), but it would be fantastic as it is. Thank you!
★★★★★
Wahoo! I’m so happy you guys liked it!
I like the recipe, is there a book published with more recipes?
Hi Travis, thanks! No book yet!
About to make this tonight. It sounds delicious!!
★★★★★
Thanks, Carlos! I hope you enjoyed it!
Added beans, lentils & corn. Really quick & easy!
★★★★★
Wahoo! I’m so happy you liked it. I love the additions you chose!
I didn’t have jalapeños or the hot sauce. I used Siracha instead. I also added in green bell peppers cause we had them and why not. It was Delish!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Hello I have a question!
With the rice am I supposed to boil it separately first and then add it or does it cook in the pot?
It cooks in the pot with the jambalaya!
Love this recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Beth!
I added white wine and used Tamari instead of Worcestershire sauce. It tastes amazing 😍
I’m so happy you like it, Tina! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
This was SO good! I made it tonight for my vegetarian daughter and me. We loved it! Thank you!
I’m so happy you liked it, Laurel! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
I’m making this now for a baby shower. I’m vegan and no one else there is. I saw this recipe and was intrigued. It’s cooking now.
I’m so glad you found the recipe! I hope you love it!
Just to let everyone know, worcesterchire sauce is not vegan. It’s made with anchovies.
Correct – in the ingredients list, you’ll notice we’ve specified vegan Worcestershire sauce for this reason.
Oh wow this sounds very tasty. I like Jambalaya, I will try this vegan option some day.
x
Made this tonight… delish! Thank you for sharing,
Oh! I added some Tofurkey sausage to it.
I’m so glad you liked it, Elizabeth – thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Hi there! I’m not sure you’ll even see this several years after you posted but I am so excited to make this tonight! I wanted to pump up the protein a little (I’m a vegan) but I’m not very experienced with cooking and swaps. Would black beans taste good in this? And hemp hearts? I’ve been throwing hemp hearts in everything lately ha! Also, for the tofu, would you recommend cooking it separately?
You could certainly try black beans (although I haven’t personally cooked with hemp hearts). I love super crispy tofu, so I’d probably cook that separately and then serve it on top of the jambalaya so it retains its texture. Hope that helps!
When would you add shrimp if you are not going for the vegan option? Thanks!
I would probably sauté the shrimp (or any other protein additions) in a separate skillet with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then toss it all together once the rice is cooked for the jambalaya! You could cook the shrimp directly in the jambalaya (add it at the same time as the rice) if you like, but that might overcook it and dry it out a bit. Hope that helps!
Add the peeled raw shrimp at the very end. Turn the heat off just tuck them in the mixture and they will turn pink in no time. Ready as soon as they turn pink. They will be very flavorful
I made this recipe this evening and it was SO GOOD! And because of the salt in the various ingredients I did not need to add any more to the dish, which was a huge plus. I used brown jasmine rice and highly recommend it. It has such a smooth texture and really complimented the jumbalaya. It’s also very spicy but I really liked it; I normally add extra red pepper flakes but it had a nice heat all on its own. I’m keeping this one!
I’m so happy you liked the recipe! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Hello Jessie, I discovered your Jambalaya recipe recently and I have made it twice already. First for my sweetie and then for a group of friends. It is absolutely delicious! Easy to make too. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I’m so happy you liked it – thank you for letting me know how it turned out!
Making it right now, as part of our thanksgiving dinner. It is coming along good so far. Prep time was probably more then 10 min with all the chopping but overall it is pretty simple to make! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thanks, Gina! I hope it was wonderful!
I made this and it came out absolutely perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’m so happy you liked it, Gina! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
I’m SO in love with this dish! Just what I need on chilly autumn evenings. Used hot paprika instead of smoked paprika and it was just fine. Made one recipe for me alone and kept it in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, it got better day after day 🙂
I live in Germany, and a great brand for vegan Worcestershire Sauce here is Sanchon.
Right now I have a new pot of this Jambalaya simmering, with smoked paprika this time.
I’m so happy you liked it – thanks for letting me know how it turned out! And I agree, the leftovers are amaaaaaazing 🙂
I made a slightly different version based on your recipe, adding diced carrots and red beans. I cooked rice and beans together in a pressure cooker and brought every thing together
Came out great!
Thanks
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
I made a batch of this for my lunches throughout the week at work. It came out fantastic! Thank you for the recipe.
I added 6 Tofurkey kielbasa to bump up the protein, and used 3 jalapenos because I like it spicy. I used whole cherry tomatoes, as you mentioned, and that was a nice addition.
I’m so happy you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out (and I love the idea of Tofurkey kielbasa!)
I’m putting this on my meal plan for next week! It looks so cozy and comforting. I’ll let you know how I like it. First time visiting your site, I’ll be back 🙂
Thank you so much, Deryn! I hope you love the jambalaya!
I made this tonight, basically following the recipe apart from using slightly less Jalapeno (the ones I buy are super hot) and adding vegan sausage and hickory salt to the mix (instead of plain salt). I also added a couple of squirts of liquid amigos and I went with sweet and smoked paprika (the real stuff, from Spain) rather the hot option. I loved the way it was hot, sweet (fruity), sour and savoury, all at once. Next time, I might add a squirt of sherry vinegar as suggested above, but not because anything was lacking, more because I have some and am interested in experimenting. I also used brown basmati (in fact my search criteria were ‘spicy brown basmati vegan recipes’). I have no idea what Jambalaya is supposed to taste like (it’s not common in Australia), but this was simply delicious and I’ve added it to my pile of ‘go to’ recipes. Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it – thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
Since regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies….is there a vegan brand/alternative?
Yup – this recipe calls for vegan Worcestershire sauce – I like the Annie’s brand vegan option, or if you’re feeling ambitious you can try this vegan homemade version! Hope that helps!
Not sure if you have Sprouts where you live, but they carry at least one brand of vegan Worcestershire sauce. I don’t remember the brand off the top of my head, but they keep it next to the regular kind and it seems like it was an Asian brand…
I added and switched around a few things, such as roasted portobello mushies cooked separately, used some rice wine vinegar and sherry vinegar at the end to wake it up a pinch, used long hots instead of jalapenos, and threw in grilled tofurky sausages, some leftover baby kale and arugula, but the end result was still exquisite. Thank you kindly for sharing.
( Also used previously soaked Himalayan basmati instead of brown rice.)
I’m so glad you liked it – I love the tweaks you made to the recipe, they all sound delicious! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
I made this dish tonight for my wife and I! What a excellent recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!
I made this tonight. I realized it’s the perfect meal for an omni & a veg*n. I had some cajun spice, so I added that, along with red pepper flakes. No cilantro for me (tastes like soap), and I used white rice. Fantastic! For my omni son, I diced up some rotisserie chicken and put it in his bowl with cilantro, which he loves. I put some red kidney beans in mine.
The flavors are different for us as we usually go for Italian or Tex-Mex, but very tasty indeed and I don’t feel like I’ve cooked another meal for him.
Thanks for letting me know how it turned out! I’m glad it was easy to customize for different diets!
Did you really mean 1.5 cups of cilantro? Seems like a lot!
What are thoughts on adding some sliced mushrooms to the vegetable mixture?
Go for it! I’m a firm believer that pretty much everything is better with mushrooms. To avoid them getting soggy, though, maybe sauté them in a separate pan and get a nice caramelized crust on them, then set aside while you cook the rest of the jambalaya and stir in the mushrooms at the last minute to maintain their texture.
Hola!I just made this delicious veggie Jambalaya. Perfect for a laid back Friday night.
Thank you for sharing,
Lorell
San Juan, Puerto Rico
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
Just made this and it is absolutely delicious! Because I was in a hurry, I used a steamable bag of brown rice, a can of diced tomatoes, and less veggie broth (about a cup). Great recipe! Yummmmmmmm.
I’m happy you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
Yummy, this looks absolutely terrific!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thank you!
Love that this is vegan Jessie!!
Thanks, Nicole!
Great recipe! I added finely diced butternut squash and the red and yellow peppers as suggested just to fill it out with more veggies. Yum! Thank you!