Grab a bowl and get ready for our new comforting and cozy dish! Easy to make and filled with aromatic spices and nourishing veggies, this Healthy Vegan Jambalaya is delicious soul food in a bowl. Tasty fire roasted tomatoes, green bell peppers, celery, carrots, garlic, and onions coupled with hearty kidney beans and rice makes for a soul-satisfying dinner that will have the whole family running to the dinner table.
Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients, and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
Cajun or Creole? Jambalaya lies somewhere in between these two cuisines. This plant based dish is a nod to both the Cajun and Creole cuisines. Our much healthier version is packed with tons of flavor and is completely delicious. This Louisiana one-pot dish has been around forever with its Spanish and French influences, a signature New Orleans dish.
We love our spices!
Don’t let the impressive list of spices intimidate you. Spices are the name of the game when it comes to Whole Food Plant Based cooking. Mom and I spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect blend of spices for our dishes. It “a’int” always easy and sometimes requires numerous kitchen tests to get it just right, but totally worth it! You can’t beat dishes bursting with flavor – YUM!
One of our all-time favorites places to get spices is Penzeys Spices; we just can’t get enough of their goodness. We typically place a huge Penzeys order about every other month. We go through a lot of spices!
Their spices are beautiful and bursting with bright flavors. I won’t go on and on about Penzeys; however, if you ever have an opportunity to visit a Penzeys store, I can almost guarantee you will walk out of there with “something” because the place is like a Christmas wonderland for me and Mom. LOL The closest one to us is about an hour away, so we order ours online, probably a good thing!
Special Side Note
Their China Cinnamon (Tung Hing) is to DIE FOR! We can’t live without it. Yes, it is that good, and no, this is not a sponsored ad. Ohhh, and by the way their bay leaves, yes bay leaves, are beyond AH-MAZING! Weird right? . . . that I am going on and on about bay leaves, but I just love to smell them. Ooohhh I can’t forget, their French Thyme leaves is killer! Sorry, I digress, totally got side-tracked with plugging Penzeys simply because I love them so much and want our Readers to taste and personally experience the difference in your food creations.
I’ll let Mom tell you more.
This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.
Hi! Robin here.
Don’t get me started on Penzeys, I could write a love sonnet to Penzeys:
Penzeys, my Penzeys, I love you so,
More than you will ever know.
Your Cinnamon, Paprika, Ground Mustard and French Thyme,
Fill me with joy that makes me burst into rhyme.
Your stores are filled with aromatic spices galore,
That I giggle with anticipation of always wanting to buy more.
Okay, Okay, I know I am being goofy, but at least I hope you had a chuckle reading my sonnet to Penzeys!
WFPB Jambalaya
Monkey really knocked this one out of the park, it is utterly and completely delicious. We all scarfed it down. TP absolutely loved it! Plus, it is super easy and simple to make, and you just can’t beat that, right?
We hope you give this deliciousness a try! We just know you are going to love it!
If you try it, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
Products used:
- Large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven or similar large stock pot with a tight-fitting lid
Healthy Vegan Jambalaya
- Prep Time: 13 Minutes
- Cook Time: 32 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 4-5 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Cajun, Creole
Description
Grab a bowl and get ready for our new comforting and cozy dish! Easy to make and filled with aromatic spices and nourishing veggies, this Healthy Vegan Jambalaya is delicious soul food in a bowl. Tasty fire roasted tomatoes, green bell peppers, celery, carrots, garlic, and onions coupled with hearty kidney beans and rice makes for a soul-satisfying dinner that will have the whole family running to the dinner table.
Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients, and gluten free.
Ingredients
Ingredient:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 green bell pepper, fine dice
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 celery ribs, fine dice
- 1 heaping tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 – 14.5 oz. can fire roasted petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth *(see notes for amount ratio)
- 2 cups water (or more broth)
- 1 –15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 cup to 1 ½ cups cooked rice of choice (or more if desired) *(See notes for amount ratio)
Seasonings/Spices:
- 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small bay leaves)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika *
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika *
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onion flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried crushed thyme*
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano *
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed *
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (+/- to taste) *
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/- to taste) *
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/- to taste)
Other Optional Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 cups fresh baby spinach
Optional Toppings:
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- In a large ceramic/enamel-lined Dutch oven or similar stock pot, add the finely minced onion, green bell pepper, carrot and celery; sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes.Add a tablespoon or so of water if the veggies start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, add the dry spices (smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried minced onion flakes, thyme, oregano, dill weed, cayenne pepper, sea salt and black pepper) except the bay leaf and sauté to release their fragrance, about 30 seconds to one minute.
- Then add the fire roasted petite diced tomatoes, veggie broth, water, and bay leaf, bring to boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, add the kidney beans and liquid smoke, simmer for 5 more minutes, then discard the bay leaf.
- Test the flavors, add more spices, if necessary to achieve the level of flavor you desire. Add the cooked rice and baby spinach (optional) and cook for a few minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
*Soup versus Stew: This recipe has more broth than a traditional jambalaya. If you would like less broth, then use less vegetable broth/water. Also, the type of rice selected for this recipe will also play a role in how much liquid is absorbed, adjust rice accordingly.
*Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
*Rice: Jambalaya traditionally has little to no broth; however, we really enjoyed having some broth, so we used less cooked rice. Since the rice is already cooked it is very easy to adjust the amount simply by adding more cooked rice to the dish.
*Dried Crushed Thyme: We like to use dried crushed thyme leaves versus ground thyme. If you use ground thyme, use ½ of the amount indicated in the recipe.
*Spices: The spices tend to mellow over the cooking process. Ramp up any spices as needed near the end of the cooking time to achieve the level of spice desired. We suggest starting on the low end for the cayenne pepper as certain brands pack more heat than others.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Makes: 4 – 5 servings
*Storage: Refrigerate, use within 5 days.
This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.
My husband(who was a tugboat captain on the Mississippi, and knows about Jambalaya), took a spoonful, and asked me where I got the recipe. We loved it. And this is without a 24 hour period for the flavors to meld. I used the food processor for the vegetables; sauteed the vegetables in the Instant Pot; then pressure cooked the broth and water, spices and vegetables for 5 minutes; then after adding the beans, I sauteed/slow cooked the stew for about 15 minutes. Added the spinach and stirred til it wilted. This recipe will be repeated.
Hi there Alexandra 🙂
WOO HOO! We are so thrilled that you and your husband loved this dish! And it is such an honor to have your husband, who knows good Jambalaya, enjoy this dish! We love how your made this dish your own, and appreciate taking the time to write you method for cooking via Instant Pot! Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! We truly appreciate you and your support.
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Wow! Just made this tonight and absolutely loved it. Perfect blend of flavours and my hubby insists it goes into our regular rotation. I can always tell when I’ve found a “keeper” recipe because he had 3 helpings lol! Keep up the good work – you make WFPB interesting and easy.
Hi there Tracy 🙂
Yaaayy! So thrilled that you and your husband loved this dish and excited to hear it will be a part of your regular rotation! Thank you so much for your kind words and wonderful feedback! We truly appreciate you and taking the time to write <3
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
I just can’t tell you how happy I am that I found your blog. It’s a visual as well as a culinary feast — which is really important. The beautiful dishes are so inspiring!! You’ve re-awakened and reinvigorated my interest in healthy cooking. I’ve prepared numerous recipes from the blog so far and they’ve all been delicious! I have one wee request….would you consider adding a note about whether a recipe is ‘Freezer Friendly”? I’m a single gal, and rely on batch cooking and freezing to keep on track. It would be super helpful, so I just thought I’d throw… Read more »
Hi there Gwendolyn 🙂
Yaaayyy, your heart-felt message truly means SO much to us! We are so thrilled that you found us, and you’re enjoying our blog, photography, and recipes. We appreciate you taking the time to write such wonderful feedback and support. We can definitely add “Freeze Friendly” to future recipes and appreciate your helpful suggestions to making reader experience even better. Wishing you a wonderful day!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Absolutely delicious tonight and we are already looking forward to the leftovers! I hope to remember the spinach cause it didn’t make it in tonight! Thank you for creating this healthy recipe and sharing it with us!
Hi there Donna 🙂
Woo hoo!!! We are so excited that you enjoyed this recipe! We truly appreciate your wonderful feedback and taking the time to write <3
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Delicious! I made this tonight as my vegan part of the family ribs, coleslaw, baked beans and potato salad barbecue. Since it was a last minute thing, I used Rotel and a bit of tomato sauce instead of the fire roasted tomatoes. I added 2 cans of beans-black and canellini, instead of the one can of kidney, and added 2 cups of cooked rice. I added only one cup of water as I didn’t want a soupy texture. So good. Everyone enjoyed, to the point where I got nervous that there wouldn’t be leftovers for my lunch this week. I… Read more »
Hi there Pam 🙂
Yaaayy!! We are so thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe, and we love how you made it your own! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome adjustments – sounds delicious! We appreciate your taking the time to write such wonderful feedback!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Made this today as dinner prep for later in the week (I try to prep and/or batch cook on Sundays to make the week easier), and it is delicious! Makes the house smell so good, too! I threw in some cauliflower and zucchini because I had them on hand and, well, you can’t have too many veggies! I also crumbled up some tempeh and added it to the mix. Wonderful recipe – thank you!
Hi there Lynn 🙂
Yaaaayy!! We are so thrilled you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it. We completely agree – the more veggies the better! Love the idea of some tasty cauliflower and zucchini swimming around in that tasty broth – YUM! Plus, can’t go wrong with delicious hearty tempeh! Thank you so much for sharing all the delicious ways you’ve made this recipe your own. We appreciate your awesome feedback!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
I’ve always liked making jambalaya with meat and seafood, but this is the best one I’ve ever made! The seasoning blend is just perfect. I’ve only recently taken on the challenge to try a plant-based diet and I’m happy to have found your site and look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Hi there Patti 🙂
Yaayyy!! We are so thrilled to hear this is the best Jambalaya you’ve made! We are so excited to be on this plant based journey with you and happy that your found us too! Thank you so much for your awesome feedback!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Excellent recipe!
Hi there Colleen 🙂
Woooot! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! We appreciate your wonderful feedback and for taking the time to write!
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
This sounds delicious, cant wait to try it! I dont have a dutch oven, but could I use a crock pot instead? Would it still work to put everything in a crock pot for a couple hours before serving?
Hi there Mikayla 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words and for reaching out to us. We have not tried this dish in a crockpot, but we think that it would work well. However, there is some sautéing of the vegetables that would still need to happen. Additionally, the liquid would need to be adjusted depending on the temperature and time that you plan to cook the dish. Unfortunately, since we haven’t tried it in a crockpot we don’t have any recommendations for you.
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
This was absolutely delicious! Tastes like it’s straight out of NOLA with all that flavor! I thawed some turkey stock from our last smoked turkey (so no longer vegan) and man it was so good! Thanks for sharing!
Hi there Amy 🙂
Yaaaay!!! We are so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. We appreciate you sharing your awesome feedback and for taking the time to write.
-Ameera and Robin 🙂
Made last night. Just wow. We really needed something different but not too complex. This just plain hit the spot. This is going into the monthly dinner rotation without a doubt. Great, easy recipe.
BTW… we added Swiss chard in place of spinach since we have it fresh from the garden.
Hi there Drake 🙂
Woo hoo!!! We are SO glad that you enjoyed this recipe and it hit the spot. We appreciate you sharing your awesome feedback and for taking the time to write.
-Ameera and Robin 🙂