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Smoked Fish Jollof Rice with Garden Vegetables

Name: Smoked Fish Jollof Rice with Garden Vegetables
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 cups long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed and drained; 4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped; 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped; 1 scotch bonnet pepper; 1 medium onion, diced, divided; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 200 g smoked mackerel fillet, flaked; 1 cup green beans, chopped; 1 cup carrots, diced; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp curry powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; to taste salt

Parboiled rice simmered in a deep tomato-pepper base with flaked smoked mackerel, carrots, and green beans for a lighter one-pot jollof.

Servings

4 servings

Prep

20 min

Cook

45 min

Jollof rice is the dish most West African kitchens build a Sunday around, and this version keeps the smoky depth people love while trimming back the oil. The tomato-pepper base still gets its long, slow simmer so the flavor concentrates properly, but instead of a heavy meat stock, flaked smoked mackerel folds in right at the end, carrying its own richness into every spoonful.

Green beans and carrots go in during the last stretch of cooking, so they keep some bite and color rather than turning to mush. This is a heart-healthy plate: the fish brings omega-3s, the oil is measured rather than poured freely, and the vegetables add volume without adding much sodium.

It's also a genuinely high-protein take on jollof, since the flaked fish does real work in the bowl rather than sitting on top as garnish. Serve it hot, straight from the pot, the way it's meant to be eaten.

Ingredients

1.5 cups long-grain parboiled rice, rinsed and drained
4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper — adjust to taste
1 medium onion, diced, divided
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
200 g smoked mackerel fillet, flaked — bones removed
1 cup green beans, chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp dried thyme
to taste salt

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Where to find these ingredients

Most ingredients here are everyday market staples across West Africa. A handful of specialty items may be easiest to find at a local open-air market or an African grocery store if you're elsewhere.

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