Vegan jambalaya recipe

I’ve never really been one for southern food – to me it always seemed a bit too meaty, a bit too fried. However, the actual spices and flavors they use in the south ARE delicious, which I’m sure you’ll discover with this vegan jambalaya.

Jambalaya is a new favorite in my house (I’m making it about once a week at the moment). The spicy dish is incredibly filling, while still being healthy; I use brown rice instead of white, and load up the chopped veggies to mix into the rice. I also like to serve it with a side of steamed or sautéed green veg. It’s also a really easy meal to make – one that’s perfect for a midweek dinner when you don’t want to worry about spending ages over the stove and then the subsequent cleaning up.

I like to serve the jambalaya with vegan sausages, which you can either mix up into the rice or serve on top. There are plenty of great brands out there including Linda McCartney sausages which can be found at most major supermarket chains.

This recipe makes a big batch of rice so it’s ideal for leftovers the next day 🙂

Jambalaya with vegan sausages
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 160g brown rice
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 vegan sausages (optional)

Directions

1. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil over high heat. Rinse the rice thoroughly and add to the vegetable stock, cooking according to the instructions on your packet.
2. Cook the sausages according to the instructions.
3. In a large pan, add the oil over medium heat. Then add the onion with a pinch of salt, stirring until it starts to soften and go translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and sautee for a further 1-2 minutes. Then add the vegetables, tomato paste, seasonings and a splash of water. Mix well.
5. Lower the heat to low/medium and cover. Cook the veggies for around 10-12 minutes until they have started to soften. Make sure to stir every few minutes and add more water if the mixture begins to stick.
6. Once the rice is done cooking, drain and add to the pan with the veggies. Mix well and add a splash of water to loosen the mixture if needed. Heat through for a couple minutes, season to taste and serve immediately with your choice of sausage.
7. Enjoy!

Yum