Vegan Jambalaya

Total Time

Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min.

Makes

6 servings

Updated: Aug. 24, 2023
This flavorful entree won’t leave you hungry since it uses convenient canned beans in place of meat. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
  • 1 can (16 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (16 ounces) red beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the green pepper, onion and celery; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
  2. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil; stir in rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in beans; heat through.
Vegan Jambalaya Tips

How can you make vegan jambalaya your own?

A natural addition to this vegan jambalaya is vegan sausage. Not only will it add flavor when you get a bite with the sausage, but it will also impart flavor throughout the dish. Here are some plant-based meat brands to look for at the grocery store.

For the vegetables, try switching up the type of diced tomatoes and use fire-roasted, zesty, or diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano for an extra boost of flavor. Red or yellow bell peppers would add more sweetness if swapped for the green pepper. You can also sub in other beans, like black beans or kidney beans.

What do you serve with vegan jambalaya?

Bake up one of our melt-in-your-mouth cornbread recipes to serve with vegan jambalaya. Or, have you ever wanted to make your own hush puppies? They would go great with jambalaya! So would biscuits, collard greens or Swiss chard.

How do you store leftover vegan jambalaya?

Store leftover vegan jambalaya in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Jambalaya doesn't freeze well because the rice gets extra soft after thawing and reheating.

—Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor

Nutrition Facts

1-1/3 cups: 281 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 796mg sodium, 56g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 9g fiber), 11g protein.