Vegan Jambalaya (One-Pot Recipe, 30 Minutes) (2024)

This easy vegan jambalaya recipe is ready in 30 minutes in one bowl. It’s a delicious southern-style comforting family dinner with sticky tomato rice cooked with a medley of soft beans, vegan sausages, and Cajun flavors.

Table of contents

I love making vegan version of classic dishes, like my Crispy Orange Tofu, Szechuan Tofu, or Tofu Red Curry. It’s very easy to turn most classic recipes into plant-based alternatives, even the ones that contain meat, eggs, or dairy.

What’s A Vegan Jambalaya?

A vegan jambalaya recipe is a flavorsome tomato rice dish slowly cooked with beans, vegetables, and Cajun spices.

It has a rich and creamy texture similar to risotto recipes. The rice is creamy and packed with vegetables and beans.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The ingredients you need to make this simple recipe are:

• Long-Grain Rice – You can use brown rice, white basmati rice, and quinoa. Don’t use short-grain rice or risotto rice as the vegan jambalaya would become too sticky.
• Tomato Paste – Tomato paste needs to be made solely with tomatoes. The only other ingredients can be salt and olive oil, nothing else.
• Canned Diced Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes come in their juice and should only include water. Don’t use a can of seasoned diced tomatoes, as it can alter the taste of the recipe.
• Vegetable Stock – Classic vegetable stock, preferably with organic ingredients and minimal food additives.
• Red Kidney Beans – Red kidney beans are legumes very rich in protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin B6.
• Chickpeas – Chickpeas are another protein-rich ingredient that brings a delicious taste.
• Bell Pepper – I like to use a combination of red and green for a good balance of flavors and colors.
• Celery – Celery is a vegetable rich in vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C) and minerals (Potassium) and it brings minimal carbs while adding a tangy taste.
• Onion – You can use either white, yellow, or red onions in the dish.
• Olive Oil – I prefer using locally-sourced extra-virgin olive oil.
• Herbs and Spices – Garlic, Paprika, Oregano, Basil, and Cajun Seasoning.
• Vegan Sausage – This is optional, but it adds a boost of flavors, protein, and texture that mimic the authentic jambalaya recipe.

How To Make Vegan Jambalaya

The key to making a flavorsome vegan jambalaya recipe is to use many spices. It looks like many ingredients, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. The recipe is pretty simple and straightforward. This vegan jambalaya recipe is a one-pot recipe ready in 30 minutes.

1. First, heat olive oil in a large cast-iron casserole or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, bell peppers, salt, and pepper.
2. Reduce heat and cook the vegetables for 3 minutes until tender. Feel free to add jalapeno slices if you love your dish spicy.

3. Then, add tomato paste, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, paprika, and Cajun seasoning.

4. Stir fry the rice and tomato paste into the cooked vegetable for 1 minute.

5. Now, add crushed canned tomatoes, and vegetable broth.

6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover the casserole. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. You know it’s cooked when the rice is tender.
7. Don’t forget to open the casserole and stir every 2 to 3 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the casserole.

8. Meanwhile, cook the vegan sausage in a BBQ or non-stick pan on all sides. Then, slice into thick chunks.
9. Now that the rice is cooked through and thick, stir in chickpeas and kidney beans, plus the optional vegan sausage chunks.
10. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until all the ingredients are warm and fragrant.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this vegan jambalaya recipe hot with some finely chopped parsley, slices of jalapeno, or a drizzle of hot sauce.

I love to serve my vegan jambalaya with a side of Vegan Cornbread, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes, and Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower.

Then for desserts, I like to serve French-inspired desserts like my Vegan Madeleines or Vegan Beignets.

Recipe Variations

This vegan jambalaya recipe is a comforting gluten-free dinner full of plant-based proteins.

• Rice option – you can add the rice you like to this recipe. For example, you can increase fiber and decrease net carbs per serving by using long-grain brown rice. It will take a little bit longer to cook – around 20-22 minutes.
• Vegan sausage – there is a variety of vegan sausage available on the market, from tofu Italian sausage often flavored with Italian herbs like rosemary to pea-based sausages. However, tofu sausages tend to crumble into this dish, and I prefer to use Beyond Meat sausages or the Alternative Meat Co. sausages. These two options taste very similar to chorizo and add a similar meaty texture and spicy flavor as you used to eat in an authentic jambalaya. They also hold shape very well even if you rewarm the dish.
• Beans – play with the sort of beans, swap kidney beans for cannellini beans, or chickpeas for peas! All these options are very tasty and flavorsome.
• Spices – this recipe uses Cajun seasoning, but for a creole version, swap for creole seasoning.

Storage Instructions

This dish can be stored for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can rewarm the dish in the microwave or a non-stick saucepan.

The jambalaya freezes very well too. Thaw in the fridge the day before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Meal Recipes

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