Coconut Rice & Peas (Jamaican‑Style)

Name: Coconut Rice & Peas (Jamaican‑Style)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: About 8 cups (serves 6)
Ingredients: Long‑grain white rice: ≈370 g (2 cups) — rinsed until water runs mostly clear; well‑drained; Full‑fat coconut milk: 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) — shake well; Water or low‑sodium chicken stock: 480 ml (2 cups); Red kidney beans (canned): 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) — drained and rinsed (≈240 g beans); Scallions: 2 — smashed; Fresh thyme sprigs: 2 — or 1/2 tsp dried; Garlic: 2 cloves — lightly crushed; Allspice berries: 4–6 — or 1/4 tsp ground; Kosher salt: 2.8 g (1 tsp Diamond Crystal); Whole Scotch bonnet: 1 — optional, pricked once for aroma; remove before serving; Unsalted butter: 14 g (1 Tbsp) — optional, to finish

Yield

Servings: 6
Serving size: ≈1 1/3 cups (≈250 g cooked)
Total yield: About 8 cups (serves 6)

Time

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min

Active: 15 min
Inactive: 10 min

Ingredients

Rice & peas

Long‑grain white rice: ≈370 g (2 cups) — rinsed until water runs mostly clear; well‑drained
Full‑fat coconut milk: 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) — shake well
Water or low‑sodium chicken stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
Red kidney beans (canned): 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) — drained and rinsed (≈240 g beans)
Scallions: 2 — smashed
Fresh thyme sprigs: 2 — or 1/2 tsp dried
Garlic: 2 cloves — lightly crushed
Allspice berries: 4–6 — or 1/4 tsp ground
Kosher salt: 2.8 g (1 tsp Diamond Crystal)
Whole Scotch bonnet: 1 — optional, pricked once for aroma; remove before serving
Unsalted butter: 14 g (1 Tbsp) — optional, to finish

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice

Place rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swish, and drain. Repeat until water is mostly clear. Drain thoroughly in a sieve.

2. Combine and bring to a boil

In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk, water/stock, beans, scallions, thyme, garlic, allspice, salt, and optional Scotch bonnet. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.

3. Add rice and simmer

Stir in rice once to distribute. Return to a gentle boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15–18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

4. Rest and finish

Remove from heat; keep covered 10 minutes. Remove aromatics (scallions, thyme, garlic, pepper, allspice). Fluff with a fork; stir in butter if using. Adjust salt.

Notes / Make-ahead / Variations

Beans: Substitute pigeon peas (gungo peas) for kidney beans.
Coconut level: For richer rice, use 1¼ cans coconut milk and reduce water by the same amount.
Rice cooker: Combine all ingredients in the cooker bowl (omit step 2’s stovetop boil). Run the white‑rice cycle; rest 10 minutes, then fluff and remove aromatics.
Texture control: If rice seems wet, uncover and steam off moisture over very low heat 1–2 minutes; if too dry before tender, splash in 2–3 Tbsp hot water and continue on low.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat covered with a splash of water on the stovetop or in the microwave. For best texture, fluff halfway through reheating.

Nutrition

Nutrient	Full Recipe	Per Serving (≈1 1/3 cups (≈250 g cooked))
Calories	2280	380
Protein	54 g	9 g
Fat	66 g	11 g
Carbs	360 g	60 g
Fiber	24 g	4 g
Sugars	12 g	2 g
Sodium	1800 mg	300 mg