For a quick and easy meal, this vegan jambalaya recipe is ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. Vegan jambalaya is loaded with veggies, brown rice, and beans. It all goes in one pot, so clean-up is a breeze.
When looking for a quick and easy dinner, I always try to make a one-pot meal. Vegan Jambalaya, for example, is a simple one-pot recipe that is made in 30 minutes or less, which is my kind of recipe.
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To make an authentic vegan jambalaya, I chose vegetables known as the “holy trinity” in Creole and Cajun cooking.
Even though vegetarian Jambalaya is quick, easy, and made in one pot, it is loaded with vegetables, beans, brown rice, and tons of flavor.
What is Jambalaya?
Jambalaya, a Louisiana rice dish, originated in Spain and France. Although traditionally meat-based, this vegan Jambalaya recipe quickly transforms into a plant-based dish, maintaining the essence of the flavors and heat of typical Jambalaya.
Despite its reputation for being hot, vegan Jambalaya has a slightly spicy creole flavor, rather than using a hot cajun seasoning. And you can always turn the heat up or down to meet individual spice preferences.
Vegan Jambalaya Ingredients
- Yellow Onion: Yellow onion is strong yet sweet when sautéed.
- Garlic: I prefer using fresh garnish whenever possible.
- Red Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper gives the recipes sweetness and vibrant color.
- Celery: Celery is part of the trinity that gives the vegan jambalaya recipe a crunchy, fresh taste.
- Mushrooms: I used cremini mushrooms, ut any type or combination of mushrooms can be used.
- Jalapeno: One jalapeno is used in the jambalaya, while the remaining jalapeno is used as a garnish.
- Rotel Tomatoes: Rotel tomatoes are fire-roasted and smokey. For a milder spice, choose diced tomatoes without spice.
- Uncooked Brown Rice: I used short-grain organic brown rice. If using long grain rice, you MUST cook as long as directed on the package.
- Vegetable Broth: I prefer the low-sodium vegetable broth. I buy organic broth at Costco in bulk because I use it so often.
- Dark Red Kidney Beans: Dark kidney beans are hearty and protein-rich.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: I prefer Amy’s or Wizard brand Vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning includes dried basil, dried oregano, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and dried marjoram, but several variations also feature additions like dried sage, fennel seeds, or even spices like garlic powder or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Creole Seasoning: I like Old Bay brand, but any Creole seasoning works.
- Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika has a smoky and spicy flavor with hints of sweetness. Mildly hot smoked paprika does not have much sweetness but has some heat in the flavor. Hot or spicy smoked paprika has more heat than mildly hot sauce.
Vegan Jambalaya Ingredient Substitutions
- White onion is close in flavor and sweetness to yellow onions.
- Minced garlic: Use ½ teaspoon of jarred minced garlic in place of each clove.
- Garlic flakes: Also called dehydrated (or dried) minced garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic flakes in place of each clove.
- Instead of red bell peppers, try baby bell peppers or green pepper.
- Use any preferred uncooked rice. Regardless of the rice you choose, the rice must cook for the indicated on the rice package.
- Light red kidney bans are similar to dark red kidney beans or choose your favorite beans.
- Liquid aminos or soy sauce are substitutes for Worcestershire sauce.
- Make your own Italian seasoning blend.
- f you find yourself in a bind, any Cajun seasoning blend will be a perfect substitute for Creole seasoning, as it has a similar flavor profile of spice mixes and dried herbs.
- Choose sweet paprika for a milder flavor.
How to Make Vegan Jambalaya
- Saute garlic, onion, celery, and mushrooms in a saute pan until the onions are translucent.
- Then, add diced red bell pepper and jalapeno.
Cooking quick and easy one-pot Jambalaya
- Saute garlic, onion, celery, and mushrooms in a saute pan until the onions are translucent.
- Then, add diced red bell pepper and jalapeno
- Add Rotel tomatoes and stir (if you prefer it less spicy use a can of diced tomatoes without added heat)
- Include the red kidney beans, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and seasoning.
- Next, add 4 cups of vegetable broth.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add 2 cups of uncooked brown rice.
- Again, bring to a boil and stir.
- Reduce to simmer, and cover, cooking for 25 minutes. See notes; some rice takes longer to cook than others. If the bag of rice suggests longer coking time, follow that time frame).
- OPTIONAL: While the vegan jambalaya cooks, heat the cut vegan sausage in a skillet or grill the whole field roast sausages on medium heat, rotating until done.
- If you grill the sausage, cut the two sausages into bite-sized pieces after they cool.
- You can also sauté the pieces in a pan if more convenient.
- Cool sausages slightly.
- When vegan jambalaya is done, stir, and add sausage for those who wish to eat the vegan sausage
However, this recipe’s best part is that it cooks in one pot in under 30 minutes. You can walk away once everything is in the pan and the vegetarian Jambalaya is simmering. And let’s not forget you will only have one pan to wash, which is a bonus!
Recipe Variations
If you want to include vegan sausage in the whole dish, saute the sausage, onions, and garlic first before adding the other ingredients.
If you are like me, and you don’t want the vegan sausage in vegetarian Jambalaya, I suggest grilling it or adding it to the top before serving. Or, saute the bite-sized sausage pieces and add them to the vegan Jambalaya before serving.
As a result, you make a one-pot meal that gives you multiple meals during the week. Not a fan of leftovers? Vegan Jambalaya can be frozen, thawed, and reheated easily.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this boxed jambalaya mix is vegan.
Gumbo is a soup or stew that is served over rice. Jambalaya is made with rice cooked into the dish.
Cajun and creole are the two different types of jambalaya.
Tips
- Spice level and preference are easily adjusted in this recipe. Always start with a small amount of any spicy ingredient and add until your desired preference.
- One way to lessen the spice level is to swap the Rotel tomatoes for plain diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Rotel tomatoes come in mild, medium, and hot. Choose your favorite spice level.
- Removing the seeds and veins from the jalapenos reduces the heat level of the dish.
- Subsequently, adding jalapeno seeds elevated the heat of the jambalaya.
- Cook the sausage separately and add if desired or leave it out.
- Some people enjoy hot sauce served on the side.
- Vegan Cornbread is a great side dish to serve with jambalaya.
- You must cook the dish longer, according to the packaged rice instructions if you use long-grain brown rice.
- Short-grain rice takes less time to cook than long-grain rice.
Try this quick and easy one-pot vegan jambalaya recipe for a delicious meal!
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Jambalaya
For a quick and easy meal, vegan jambalaya is ready in 30 minutes from start to finish. Vegan jambalaya is loaded with veggies, brown rice, and beans. It all goes in one pot, so clean-up is a breeze.
Ingredients
Alternative Meat Addition (optional)
Instructions
Saute garlic, onion, celery, and mushrooms in a soup pan until the onions are translucent.
Then, add diced red bell pepper and jalapeno.
Add Rotel tomatoes and stir (if you prefer it less spicy use a can of diced tomatoes without added heat)
Add red kidney beans, Worchestershire sauce, and herbs and seasoning.
Next, add 4 cups of vegetable broth.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add 2 cups of uncooked short-grain brown rice.
Again, bring the mixture to a boil and stir.
Reduce to simmer, and cover, cooking for 25 minutes. See notes; some rice takes longer to cook than others. If the bag of rice suggests longer coking time, follow that time frame).
OPTIONAL: While the vegan jambalaya cooks, grill the whole field roast sausages on medium heat, rotating until done. If you grill the sausage, cut the two sausages into bite-sized pieces after they cool. You can also sauté the pieces in a pan if more convenient.
Cool sausages slightly.
When vegan jambalaya is done, stir, and add sausage for those who wish to eat the vegan sausage.
Notes
- Spice level and preference are easily adjusted in this recipe. Always start with a small amount of any spicy ingredient and add until your desired preference.
- One way to lessen the spice level is to swap the Rotel tomatoes for plain diced or fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Rotel tomatoes come in mild, medium, and hot. Choose your favorite spice level.
- Removing the seeds and veins from the jalapenos reduces the heat level of the dish.
- Subsequently, adding jalapeno seeds elevated the heat of the jambalaya.
- Cook the sausage separately and add if desired or leave it out.
- Some people enjoy hot sauce served on the side.
- Vegan Cornbread is a great side dish to serve with jambalaya.
- You must cook the dish longer, according to the packaged rice instructions, if you use long-grain brown rice.
- Short-grain rice takes less time to cook than long-grain rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 13gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 740mgPotassium: 904mgFiber: 10gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1645IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 5mg
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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