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This Jamaican Pumpkin rice recipe is just as tasty as the famous Rice & Peas. It serves as a much more exciting side dish than boring white rice. Add some spice to your life and try something new to serve with your main entree for dinner tonight.
Learn to make authentic and mouth watering Jamaican Rice and Peas.
What is Jamaican Pumpkin rice?
Pumpkin rice is a tasty and unique side dish served in Jamaica almost anytime of the year. However, the sweet undertones of the pumpkin and added coconut milk make for a warming treat during fall/winter time in the states.
In Jamaica we have a green skin pumpkin (with a beautiful peach/orange inside) as opposed to the orange in the United States. If you cannot find a pumpkin like this, head to an Asian or Hispanic grocery store and they’ll surely have another just as good quality slice of pumpkin.
What you’ll need
This recipe is quite simple and does not require complex ingredients. However, the most important ingredient and star of the show is certainly the pumpkin so be sure to chose one of high quality.
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- Pumpkin – We’re not using canned pumpkin puree for this. Head to your nearest asian or hispanic grocery store to get your hands on a good quality pumpkin slice.
- Rice– Any rice works fine in this recipe. I like to use brown rice as it provides more nutrition and does not mash out easily. I did however use white jasmine for the pictures and it held up pretty well.
- Bell Peppers
- Scallion
- Onion
- Scotch Bonnet- Do not cut or burst this. Scotch bonnets are very spicy and can make a dish unbearably hot if too many seeds are added. It simple adds a nice subtle flavour when left whole.
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Carrot
- Thyme
Seasonings
- No Salt Seasoning – Mrs. Dash (not salt seasoning) is an absolute staple in my kitchen for low salt recipes. Grab a bottle here.
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Jamaican All Purpose Powder – All Purpose is a must for all Jamaican recipes in my opinion. Grab a bottle of Authentic Jamaican All Purpose here.
- Sea Salt
How to make Jamaican Pumpkin rice
If you like your rice super pumpkin-y feel free to add 2 cups. I however adjusted the recipe for 1.5 cups of chopped chunks to not overbear the rice. Be sure to chop your pumpkin into very small pieces so they cook well.
1. Wash and chop the fresh produce into small pieces. Leave the thyme and scotch bonnet whole. Wash the rice until the water runs clean.
2. Fry the scallion, bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme and scotch bonnet in hot oil for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
3. Add in the pumpkin/carrot and dry spices stir until all ingredients are well combine. Let sit for about 2 minutes.
4. Add in the coconut milk and washed rice of choice. Cover and allow to cook for in between 15-120 minutes depending on the rice cooking time.
5. The rice is ready once all the liquid has disappeared and is slightly dry. Enjoy as a side or eat alone as is.
What to eat with Jamaican Pumpkin rice
This recipe is a side dish but can be eaten as is because its filled with flavour. I typically enjoy paring a savoury kale salad with this rice. The flavours combine so nicely.
A decadent and spice filled entree I love to pair with pumpkin rice is Jamaican style Chickpea curry. Surprisingly, the taste from the pumpkin rice doesn’t distract from other main portions on your dinner plate. All the more reason to this new authentic Jamaican classic!
How to store Jamaican Pumpkin rice
The sooner you use the pumpkin from purchase date, the longer this dish can be stored. Pumpkin slice tends to do bad in the fridge after about 2.5 weeks. Jamaican Pumpkin rice can usually last comfortably in the refrigerator for about 5 days. If you need the rice for longer, feel to freeze in plastic baggies and it should defrost easily on the stove with a little bit of water.
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