Jamaican Seasoned Pumpkin Rice Recipe

Learn how to make Jamaican seasoned pumpkin rice with fluffy rice, sweet pumpkin, coconut milk, thyme and aromatic Caribbean seasonings Whether you're craving Caribbean-flavoured spice rice or an easy weeknight pumpkin rice, this is the best seasoned pumpkin rice for any table.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Jamaican

Keyword coconut, pumpkin rice with coconut milk, Caribbean pumpkin rice, pumpkin rice side dish, Rice dish, seasoned pumpkin rice, Vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings Servings

Calories 593kcal

Author Lesa

Ingredients

1 lb Basmati rice See Notes
12 oz Pumpkin
2 ½ cups Coconut milk See notes
1 stalk Scallion
1 small Onion
1 small Carrot
4 sprig Thyme
5 Pimento berries See notes
2 cloves Garlic
½ medium Bell pepper
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
½ tsp Himalayan salt
½ cube Vegetable stock See notes
⅔ cup Water
2 tbsp Olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove the pumpkin seed, wash, peel and chopped into small cubes. Chop the onion, garlic, scallion, carrot, bell pepper and set aside.
In a saucepan, add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and pimento berries for about three minutes before adding the chopped carrot and pumpkin. Sauté for about three more minutes.
Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock (or whatever seasoning you're using) and salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, scallion and scotch bonnet pepper.
Wash the rice and add it to the pot. If the liquid doesn't cover the rice, you could add more coconut milk or boiling water until it's about an inch above the rice. Cover the pot, and once it begins boiling, turn the heat to low and let it steam until all the water evaporates.
Make sure all the liquid evaporates and the rice is short before turning on the heat. Let the rice sit for five minutes before serving for the best result.

Notes

Rice: Though white long-grain basmati rice was used for this recipe, any rice can be used. Note that different types of rice require different amounts of liquid to cook, so take that into account if you're not using the type of rice listed. Make sure all the liquid evaporates, and the rice is short before turning on the heat. Let the rice sit for five minutes before serving for the best result.

Coconut milk: Homemade coconut milk was used for this recipe, as it gives the rice a richer, more authentic flavour. If homemade coconut milk isn't available, tinned coconut milk can be used instead and will still produce delicious results.

Vegetable stock: Most Jamaicans season their pumpkin rice with a packet of soup mix, which adds depth of flavour. You can do the same, or substitute it with a bouillon cube or your preferred stock if you prefer not to use soup mix.

Pimento (allspice): I personally do recommend using ground allspice if pimento berries aren't available.

Nutrition