Hearty Vegan Jambalaya
This delicious vegan jambalaya recipe features Cajun spices, tender rice grains, aromatic veg, meaty tempeh pieces, chunky chickpeas, and nutty cashews for a flavour-packed comfort dish that comes together in one pot.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
- 7 oz (200 g) tempeh or tofu, cut into small cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped (I used green and red)
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin tomatoes
- 1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning (shop-bought or homemade – see notes)
- 1½ tablespoons yeast extract
- 1 tablespoon vegan red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco, plus more to taste)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ cups (270 g) basmati rice (or other long-grain white rice)
- 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (70 g) raw cashews (optional)
- 3½ cups (840 ml) hot vegan stock
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Optional step: If you want to remove some of the bitterness from the tempeh, add the cubes to a wide microwaveable bowl with a small amount of water and microwave for a couple of minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Using a large pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat one tablespoon of oil on a low-medium heat. Add the tempeh pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes until lightly golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- To the same pan, add the onion and celery and soften for 5 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Add the peppers and garlic and cook for another few minutes until starting to soften.
- Once the aromatics have softened, add the tinned tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, yeast extract, red wine vinegar, dried sage, hot sauce, and bay leaves. Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes to reduce some of the tomato liquid, increasing the heat slightly if necessary.
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice and drained chickpeas together in a colander.
- Once the tomatoes have had a few minutes to cook down, add the rice, chickpeas, hot vegan stock, tempeh cubes, and cashews. Stir everything gently, bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to very low. Cook for 15 minutes and don't stir during this time.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and check quickly to make sure the rice grains are tender. Return the lid to the pan and leave to steam for another 5 minutes off the heat.
- Give the jambalaya a gentle stir, adjust the seasoning to taste, and serve with fresh parsley and hot sauce.🌱 Serving suggestions >📸 See recipe steps >📖 Table of contents >
Notes
Basic version: If you wanted to strip this recipe back, you could skip ingredients such as the tempeh, cashews, red wine vinegar, sage, and bay leaves to create a tasty chickpea jambalaya.
Microwaving tempeh: Steaming the tempeh in the microwave can help to remove any bitterness, but is not always necessary depending on your preferences or the variety you're using.
Cajun seasoning: You can either use a store-bought version or make your own simple mix with similar quantities of garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and oregano (see my recipe for homemade Cajun seasoning).
Rice: Some long-grain rice varieties may take slightly longer to cook than basmati, in which case check after 15 mins and add a little extra liquid if necessary.
Larger batches: If scaling up the amounts, note that the cooking time may need to increase slightly.
Gluten-free: To ensure this is 100% GF, use a vegan stock that is labelled as such (or just use water). You may also want to check any sides or toppings that you include.
Storage: Once cooled down, store the jambalaya in the fridge for up to three days or freezer for several months. Reheat thoroughly before eating.
See recipe testing notes and recipe FAQ sections for more info.
* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of six servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 17gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 552mgPotassium: 762mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2264IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 111mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition Facts
Hearty Vegan Jambalaya
Amount Per Serving
Calories 434
Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 0.03g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Sodium 552mg24%
Potassium 762mg22%
Carbohydrates 62g21%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 2264IU45%
Vitamin C 60mg73%
Calcium 111mg11%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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