Although everyone enjoys eating the dish, so many people don’t know how to prepare Jollof rice, and we don’t have to shy away from saying it because it’s not a crime.

Yes, it is not a crime to have poor cooking skills but it becomes odd when you are comfortable with the said deficiency. Preparing Jollof rice might not be difficult, but what is difficult is preparing it in a way that will delight everyone who might come in contact with your dish.

In this guide, Chefsbase has outlined an achievable procedure for preparing Jollof rice. With these steps, you will definitively make a palatable dish for yourself and your family members.

How to Prepare Your Jollof Rice

Here is a detailed approach to how to prepare jollof rice:

1. Firstly, blend the bell peppers, plum tomatoes, scotch bonnet, and brown onion. *Place a pot on heat, put oil into the pot, then add in sliced onions. Sautee the onions until they are fragrant and translucent. This should take about 2 minutes.

2. Furthermore, add in the tomato puree/tomato paste. Fry for 5-10 minutes until reduced in quantity and doesn’t taste tart. 


3. Add the blended peppers, curry powder, dried thyme, stock cubes, bay leaves, and salt. Fry until it is dark red and no longer raw. It will be reduced in quantity, thick and the oil floats to the top of the sauce. This takes up to 10 – 15 minutes.

4. Then add in the chicken broth, and boiling water. Stir, and add in the parboiled rice. Cover the pot tightly and cook the rice on low heat until it’s almost tender. (About 25 minutes).

5. Put the remaining sliced red onion, tomato, and butter. Cover the pot and continue to steam the rice until it’s tender. *Stir the rice and take it off the fire. Your delicious dish is ready to be served and enjoyed.

What are the Ingredients of Jollof Rice?

You must have read about some ingredients of jollof rice in our precious articles, but if you have missed some of the points or you are not satisfied with what you have discovered there, here is an opportunity for you to get acquainted with some of the necessary ingredients.

Ingredients are many and they act differently. Some of them are regarded as primary ingredients in that without them, your dish’s taste will not be fully felt.

Some are secondary ingredients because their absence in Jollof rice will not affect the taste of the dish. Whether primary or secondary, here are the ingredients of Jollof rice:

1. 400g basmati rice

2. 3 red peppers, halved and deseeded

3. 1 white onion, halved

4. 2 garlic cloves

5. 1 tbsp grated ginger, or ginger purée

6. 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded if you prefer less heat (optional)

7. 5 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

8. 100g tomato purée

9. 2 bay leaves

10. 1 tbsp dried thyme

11. 2tsp curry powder (we used hot madras)

12. ½ tsp ground white pepper

13. 600ml hot chicken stock, made with 2 stock cubes

What Gives Jollof Rice its Color?

Tomatoes make jollof rice uniquely reddish. Fresh tomatoes are best used to prepare large quantities of jollof rice as they are more affordable than processed purees.

Apart from tomatoes, scotch bonnet also contributes to the colour of the rice.

Is Jollof Rice Difficult to Cook?

Yes, it is quite easy to make excellent jollof rice at home. Begin by blending the tomatoes, peppers, chilis, chopped onions, and 2 cups of broth, then cook the mixture in a large pot until it reduces.

In another pan, fry the onions, then add the bay leaves, curry powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.

How Do You Make Jollof Rice Without Burning it?

It is easy to make delicious Jollof rice without burning it. Many might not understand the process but it is quite simple.

To avoid your Jollof rice from burning, kindly adhere to the guide below:

1. Pour the chicken stock and the tomato stew into a sizeable pot and allow it to boil.

2. Add the drained parboiled rice, curry powder, salt and pepper to taste. The water level has to be the same as the rice.

3. Cover the pot and allow to cook on low to medium heat.

The steps and procedures above are all you need to produce jollof rice. Kindly follow the guide above.