You might also like my other Louisiana-inspired recipes, like vegan gumbo, vegan red beans and rice, and vegan dirty rice. If you’re wondering what to make for dinner tonight, bring the flavors of New Orleans into your home with this vegan jambalaya. It’s a dish so vibrant and colorful, it’s like Mardi Gras in a pot. And just one pot, at that. There’s a reason why a jambalaya is so delicious: this unique dish traces its origins to three cuisines that, during the course of history, converged in New Orleans - French, Spanish and West African. Each of these cuisines is delicious in its own right, and when they come together in this distinctly New Orleans dish they create one massive flavor explosion. There are different kinds of jambalaya, chiefly Cajun jambalaya and Creole jambalaya. A Creole jambalaya usually includes tomatoes, like this recipe, while a Cajun jambalaya does not. I not only use tomatoes, but also some tomato paste to deepen the flavors. One of the reasons I personally love this vegan jambalaya so much is that it is gorgeous to look at, with all of those colorful veggies and beans. In fact, there’s nothing in this recipe that’s not super great for you.
Replacing meat and fish in jambalaya
It is said that in Louisiana, there are as many recipes for jambalaya as there are cooks, but one common denominator in all recipes, besides the rice, is meat of some kind, usually ham or pork. And since it is Louisiana, there’s often fish in there too, like shrimp. When veganizing recipes that contain meat, it’s important to not just toss in vegetables to substitute for the meat and fish. Meat and fish are strong flavor agents and they add that all-important factor - umami - to a dish. So to avoid a bland vegan jambalaya you need to pack the flavor into this plant-based dish. Ingredients I use to add umami to this vegan jambalaya include dried mushrooms and the stock from reconstituting them (which is loaded with umami), tomato paste, and tamari. You could skip the tamari if you want to keep this recipe soy-free. This recipe makes 10 servings, so you’ll have plenty of food to go around for a party. And if you make it just for yourself, leftovers are delicious! Check to get new recipe updates by email.
Tips for success
Cooking a jambalaya always begins with the “holy trinity” of Louisiana cooking, which is onions, celery and bell peppers. This combination is key to building a strong flavor base. After adding rice to the pot, taste the stock and make sure it tastes a little saltier and has a bit more seasoning than you’d like in your final dish. It will be much harder to add salt and seasoning once the rice has cooked. Once the jambalaya has finished cooking, don’t peek. Wait at least 10 minutes before opening the lid. The rice will continue to steam after you’ve turned off the heat and if you open the lid too soon you will stop that process.
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