Caribbean Rice And Beans (with coconut milk)
This recipe for Caribbean Rice and Beans is an easy-to-make side dish that's packed with flavor and so easy to make. I'm going to show you a few key tricks to getting that authentic Caribbean flavor with coconut milk and tropical spices.
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This is a Caribbean-style rice recipe that I learned to make in Jamaica, where it's more commonly called Rice and Peas. A few years later in culinary school, my Jamaican classmate taught me a few secrets to make this dish even better. Lucky for you, she's given me permission to spill the beans!
Jamaican rice and peas is typically made with pigeon peas, which are small, dark brown dried legumes, but I use black beans instead because they're easier to find.
The difference between this style of rice and beans and others is the addition of coconut milk and distinct Caribbean spices like allspice (called pimento in Jamaica) and Scotch bonnet peppers.
The coconut milk adds a richness and nutty flavor that's almost a little bit sweet, but thyme, scallions and bay leaves keep it plenty savory.
The secret to making a great pot of rice and beans is to toast the spices and the rice in coconut oil before adding the beans and liquid. This will bloom the spices and develop their flavor, while giving the rice the perfect tender, separated texture.
For more great rice recipes, try this flavor packed Cheesy Baked Corn and Poblano Rice or this classic Italian recipe for Wild Mushroom Risotto.
Why This Recipe Works
- Only 20 minutes of cooking time.
- Made with mostly pantry ingredients.
- Easy side dish with protein.
Cooking oil - Coconut oil will add to the coconut flavor, but you can also use avocado or vegetable oil.
Scotch bonnet pepper - I use a Scotch bonnet pepper, which is quite spicy. I leave it whole with a small piercing to infuse just enough spice. If you can't find a Scotch bonnet pepper, use a habanero pepper. If you like extra spice, cut the pepper in half.
White rice - Use jasmine rice, white basmati rice or another long grain rice. Don't use brown rice or a short grain rice for this recipe as they will require a change in cooking methods.
Black beans - Canned beans are easy and convenient, prefer to make your own from dried beans, go for it. Red kidney beans or pinto beans, or even black lentils would also work well.
Coconut milk - Use canned coconut milk. Full fat is best but low-fat also works. The coconut cream and coconut water are usually separated a bit and need to be shaken or stirred it really well to mix. You'll be able to hear it shaking in the can. If you don't hear anything, soak the can in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes, then try shaking again.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
Saucepan - You'll need a good saucepan for cooking rice and beans. You could also use a small to medium size Dutch oven.
Wooden spoon - A wooden spoon will help with sauteing the onions and stirring.
How to make coconut rice and beans: Step by Step Instructions
Create the Flavor Base
- Heat oil in a small-medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the allspice, thyme and bay leaf, then stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper and rice, then stir until every grain of rice is coated in the oil and seasonings.
Simmer the Rice and Beans
- Add the black beans, coconut milk and water, then season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture up to a boil, then cover and turn the heat all the way down to low. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pot sit, undisturbed, for another 10 minutes.
Fluff and Garnish
- Remove the lid, then fish out the bay leaf, thyme sprig and Scotch Bonnet (leave in for more heat) and discard.
- Fluff rice and beans with a fork, then sprinkle with scallions (or green onions). Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- For less spice, don't pierce the chili. For more spice, slice it in half. For even more heat, dice the chili and sauté with the onion. You can omit the pepper altogether, but you will be missing a key flavor.
- For a little added flavor, you can use chicken stock or vegetable broth in place of the water.
What to serve with Caribbean rice and beans
I love to keep with the Jamaican / Caribbean theme and serve this with jerked chicken, jerked shrimp or this Jerked Fish with Grilled Pineapple Salsa. It's great with grilled meats and seafood, tacos, fried fish, smothered pork chops, etc. Really, anywhere you would normally serve rice or beans, you can serve Caribbean rice and beans.
It's a great side dish to just about anything and is an excellent choice when you need an easy side dish for Chicken Enchiladas or some easy Chicken Carnitas Tacos.
One of my favorite ways to eat Coconut Rice and Beans is actually leftover the next day! I eat it with some grilled or roasted vegetables and a crispy fried egg on top. Then top it all with a spicy Jalapeno Hot Sauce.
FAQ about coconut rice and beans
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze, but the texture won't be quite the same when you thaw and reheat.
Scotch bonnet peppers are very spicy chili peppers that are native to the Caribbean. They're similar to Habaneros, which are more common here in the US, so I use them interchangeably. Scotch Bonnets are very spicy - far spicier than your average jalapeño. However, they also have an incredible fruity flavor that can be imparted into dishes without overwhelming them with spice.
In this recipe, the whole pepper is added to the pot with the rice and beans as they cook to infuse it with flavor. If you just leave the pepper whole, it really won't add much spice at all. I like to make a small incision on one side of the pepper so that it can release more of its flavor and a little bit of its spice into the dish. You can also split the pepper in half if you want lots of heat.
If you are very opposed to heat and cannot tolerate any, or if you simply cannot find Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chilies, you can leave them out altogether. You can also look for a chili called "Aji Dulce," which has a similar fruity flavor to a Scotch Bonnet without the intense heat. Aji Dulce are not commonly found in grocery stores, but you can often find them at Latin markets.
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Caribbean Rice And Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero chili pierced with a knife *See note
- 1 cup jasmine rice or long grain rice
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned coconut milk shaken or stirred well (full fat is best but low-fat also works)
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small-medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the allspice, thyme and bay leaf, then stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper and rice, then stir until every grain of rice is coated in the oil and seasonings.
- Add the black beans, coconut milk and water, then season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture up to a boil, then cover and turn the heat all the way down to low. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pot sit, undisturbed, for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, then fish out the bay leaf, thyme sprig and Scotch Bonnet (leave in for more heat) and discard. Fluff the rice and beans with a fork, then sprinkle with scallions. Serve immediately.
Notes
- *For less spice, don't pierce the chili. For more spice, slice it in half. For even more heat, dice the chili and sauté with the onion.
- For a little added flavor, you can use chicken stock or vegetable broth in place of the water.
I was going to make this today, curious because I have brown jasmine rice. Do I need to do anything differently?
You can use brown rice but it will need longer to cook - at least 10 minutes but maybe more. Check it to test and adjust as needed. If it's dry and still not cooked through, add 1/4 cup more water and continue cooking until the rice is tender.
I made this recipe but I used pigeon peas like you said you had in Jamaica. I used a frozen scotchey and a few aji dulce peppers. I followed everything else just used a lot more fresh thyme than you suggested. I really liked the recipe. Super simple and tasty on it's own!
SO glad you loved the recipe!
I just made this for the first time. It was very good. I look forward to pairing it with a jerk protein & a Mango or Pineapple salsa. A couple of comments/questions::
- I love the no fuss rice technique. I didn’t want to take the pot lid off, but wish I would have stirred it after 10 min. I think I used too big of a pot, so some of the top layer of rice wasn’t fully cooked. The rest turned out amazing. Lesson learned.
- I slit the habanero on 4 sides, and didn’t de-seed it, but left it intact. It was a nice slow burn.
-Question: maybe b/c of the heat, I felt like it was a little bland. I like bold flavors. Should I add more allspice & thyme? Another ingredient?
Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it Dan! Absolutely add some more allspice and thyme if you want more flavor. You can also add some garlic and more onion if you wish, and add lots of scallions at the end.
I hope you, Chaser, Phoebe, and your families are hanging in there. Beans, coconut milk, and rice were at the top of my stocking up list. I used to make something similar to this with mango. Actually, I thought that scotch bonnet was a little mango at first because I'm stuck wearing old contacts right now. I'll be making this on my instagram story one night soon.
Thanks Danielle! I actually make this as a side whenever I cook seafood with mango salsa - it's a perfect combo! Hope you're able to get some new contacts soon - I only have a few pairs left in stock and trying to make them last. Stay safe!!