Jamaican Pumpkin Rice Recipe
Jamaican pumpkin rice is a flavorful side dish made with rice, chunks of Caribbean pumpkin, fresh herbs, and seasonings cooked together in one pot. It’s an easy way to switch up plain white rice and makes a delicious addition to Sunday dinner, holiday meals, or just about any Caribbean-style meal.
One thing about Caribbean people is that we eat a lot of rice. A lot. So when plain white rice gets a little boring, that’s when all the seasoned rice variations come out.
There’s rice and peas, saltfish and rice, okra and rice, yellow rice, and, of course, pumpkin rice.
Jamaican pumpkin rice combines chunks of pumpkin with rice, fresh herbs, Scotch bonnet pepper, and seasonings for a simple but flavorful side dish. It’s especially good alongside the stewed and curried meats you’d find on a Caribbean Sunday dinner table.
What is Jamaican pumpkin rice?
Jamaican pumpkin rice is a seasoned rice dish made by cooking rice with chunks of pumpkin, fresh herbs, Scotch bonnet pepper, and seasonings. As the pumpkin cooks, some of it softens into the rice while some pieces remain intact, giving the dish its color, flavor, and texture.
It’s one of the many Jamaican variations of seasoned rice that can be served instead of plain white rice alongside Sunday dinner, stewed meats, curries, or other Caribbean dishes.
For this recipe, I use calabaza, the type of pumpkin commonly used throughout the Caribbean. You may also see it sold as Caribbean pumpkin, Jamaican pumpkin, or Cuban squash. It has orange flesh, thick skin, and a slightly sweet flavor that works really well in savory dishes like this one.
If you’re not familiar with it, check out my guide to calabaza pumpkin to learn more about what it tastes like, how to choose and prepare it, and other ways to use it.
Ingredients for Jamaican Pumpkin Rice
You don’t need anything complicated to make Jamaican pumpkin rice. Most of the ingredients are everyday Caribbean pantry staples, with fresh pumpkin doing most of the heavy lifting.
- Pumpkin: I use Caribbean pumpkin, also called calabaza pumpkin, Jamaican pumpkin, or Cuban squash. You can buy a piece and peel and cube it yourself, or sometimes find it already cut into chunks in Caribbean markets.
- Rice: I prefer long grain parboiled rice for this recipe because it holds its shape well while cooking and is less likely to become too soft as the pumpkin cooks.
- Fresh herbs: Scallions and thyme add plenty of flavor to the rice. Fresh thyme is my preference, but dried thyme can work if that’s what you have.
- Onion and garlic: These form the aromatic base of the rice and are sautéed in butter before adding the other ingredients.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: I leave the pepper whole so it adds its distinctive flavor without making the rice overly spicy. Habanero can be substituted if Scotch bonnet isn’t available.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, and pumpkin soup seasoning. The pumpkin soup seasoning is optional but adds another layer of flavor.
- Vegetable stock or water: Either works. Vegetable stock gives the rice additional flavor, or you can use a combination of stock and water.
- Butter: I like butter for sautéing the aromatics and adding richness to the rice. Coconut oil or olive oil can also be used. If you’re using salted butter or broth, keep an eye on the amount of additional salt you add.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Peel and cut the pumpkin into small, evenly sized pieces so they cook at roughly the same rate. Chop the scallions, onion, and garlic. Keep the Scotch bonnet pepper whole.
- Sauté the aromatics and pumpkin. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and pumpkin. Sauté until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent.
- Add the pumpkin and rice. Add the pumpkin cubes and rice to the pot and stir everything together. Let the rice cook for a minute or two, stirring gently, to lightly toast the grains and coat them with the butter and seasonings.
- Add the liquid and seasonings. Pour in the water or vegetable stock, then add the remaining seasonings and the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Keeping the pepper whole gives the rice its flavor without adding too much heat. If you prefer your pumpkin rice spicy, you can cut or pierce the pepper before adding it. Stir, taste the liquid for salt, and adjust if needed.
- Bring to a boil. Allow the liquid to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot tightly and let the rice cook and steam for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Check the rice. Try not to repeatedly lift the lid while the rice cooks, since you want to keep the steam inside the pot. Near the end of the cooking time, check the rice. If the grains are still firm but the liquid has been absorbed, add about 1/4 cup of water, cover again, and continue steaming until tender.
- Fluff and serve. Remove the pot from the heat and gently fluff the rice with a fork, being careful not to break the Scotch bonnet pepper. Remove the pepper and thyme stems before serving.
Tips for the best Jamaican pumpkin rice
- Rinse the rice first. I recommend rinsing the rice until the water is mostly clear. This removes some of the excess surface starch and helps keep the finished rice from becoming too sticky.
- Cut the pumpkin evenly. Keep the pumpkin pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Some of the pumpkin will naturally soften into the rice, but you still want some pieces to hold their shape.
- Don’t use too much liquid. Pumpkin releases moisture as it cooks, so avoid adding extra water too early. If the rice is still firm once most of the liquid has been absorbed, add more water about 1/4 cup at a time.
- Keep the lid on. A tight-fitting lid traps the steam needed to cook the rice evenly. Try not to keep opening the pot while it cooks. If your lid doesn’t seal well, cover the pot tightly with foil before adding the lid.
- Keep the Scotch bonnet whole for flavor. Adding a whole Scotch bonnet gives the rice its distinctive pepper flavor without making it very spicy. For more heat, add a small amount of sliced Scotch bonnet instead.
- Fluff gently. Once the rice is cooked, use a fork to fluff it rather than vigorously stirring. This helps keep the grains and pieces of pumpkin from getting mashed together.
What to eat with pumpkin rice
Jamaican pumpkin rice works with just about anything you’d normally serve with rice. I especially like it with saucy stewed or curried meats and fish, so all that gravy can get into the rice.
Try it with:
Additions & Substitions
- Can’t find Caribbean pumpkin? Butternut squash is a good substitute. The flavor and texture won’t be the same, but it works well in this rice.
- Try another type of rice: I use parboiled rice because it holds up well as the pumpkin cooks, but you can use jasmine, basmati, or brown rice. Keep in mind that different types of rice require different amounts of liquid and cooking times, so you’ll need to adjust accordingly.
- Use broth instead of water: Vegetable broth adds another layer of flavor to the rice. You can use all broth or a combination of broth and water. If your broth is salted, taste before adding additional salt.
- Add vegetables: Green peas are an easy addition if you want a little something extra in your pumpkin rice.
Can I make Jamaican pumpkin rice with coconut milk?
Yes. Coconut milk works really well with pumpkin and gives the rice a richer flavor. To make Jamaican pumpkin rice with coconut milk, replace one cup of the water with one cup of coconut milk and prepare the rest of the recipe as written.
Keep the total amount of liquid the same. Adding coconut milk in addition to all of the water can make the rice too wet.
How to store and reheat pumpkin rice
Store leftover pumpkin rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, add a small splash of water to help keep the rice from drying out, then warm it in the microwave or in a covered pot over low heat until heated through.
You can also freeze pumpkin rice in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Caribbean pumpkin, also called calabaza, west indian pumpkin, Jamaican pumpkin, or Cuban squash, is my preferred pumpkin for this recipe. It has firm orange flesh and a slightly sweet flavor that works especially well in savory Caribbean dishes. If you can’t find it, butternut squash is a good substitute.
Too much liquid, overcooking, or stirring the rice too much can make pumpkin rice mushy. Remember that pumpkin releases some moisture as it cooks, so start with the recommended amount of liquid and only add more if the rice is still firm after most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Yes. For a richer coconut flavor, replace about one cup of the cooking water with coconut milk. Keep the total amount of liquid the same so you don’t accidentally make the rice too wet.
More pumpkin recipes
Got some pumpkin left? Try one of these other Caribbean pumpkin recipes.
Recipe
Jamaican Pumpkin Rice
Ingredients
Method
- In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the coconut oil, if using.
- Add the onion, garlic, scallion, thyme, and pumpkin. Sauté until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent.
- Add the rice and black pepper. Stir and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in the water, then add the salt, pumpkin soup mix, if using, and the whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot tightly and let the rice cook and steam for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Avoid lifting the lid repeatedly while the rice cooks. Near the end of the cooking time, check the rice. If the liquid has been absorbed but the rice is still firm, add 1/4 cup water, cover, and continue cooking until tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and whole Scotch bonnet pepper before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
