Vegetable Jambalaya

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Why we love it:

Jambalaya recipes invoke passionate arguments about ingredients, procedures, and taste - perhaps because it’s a melting pot dish inspired by so many places. Our version is vegetarian, which definitely is not classic, but we’re borrowing and have come up with a delicious and satisfying one pot meal. It’s impressive enough for a dinner party but still easy enough for a Tuesday.

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Ingredients

1 Onion (chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
3 ribs Celery
2 Carrots
1 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
1 Bell Pepper (Orange, Yellow or Red) (chopped)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
¹⁄₂ teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (optional, if you don’t have this in you cabinet, use 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon paprika)
4 ounces Veggie Sausages (sliced)
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 15-ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
1 cup Basmati Rice (White)
2 cups Vegetable Stock

Cooking Instructions

1. VEGETABLES

Dice the onion in small squares. Mince the garlic. Slice the celery. Dice the carrots. Slice both bell peppers in small squares.
2. SAUTÉ

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper, oregano, and Old Bay.
3. SAUSAGE

Slice the sausage in thin slices and add it to the pot. Cook for about 4 minutes.
4. TOMATOES

Add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
5. RICE

Add the rice and stir until well coated.

Add the stock, and bring to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, stir the pot well to make sure nothing is sticking, then reduce the heat to medium low, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is almost absorbed. During this time, open the lid and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan at least once and perhaps twice.
6. SERVING

When the rice is tender, gently give everything a final stir and plate in large bowls. Put some sausages or peppers on top for a nice presentation. Garnish with lots of celery leaves.

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Substitutions

PESCATARIAN:

great time to add shrimp! At the end, after the rice has cooked for 20 minutes, nestle 1 pound medium shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on, about 36/40 or 41/50 size) into the pan and cover. Steam for a final 5 minutes until they’re pink then serve
VEGGIE SAUSAGE:

you can omit, or use your favorite kind here, sliced or crumbly. Tempeh would be nice too
PROTEIN:

worried about protein here? Add sliced mushrooms or a can of drained kidney beans to the rice. Crispy tofu or tempeh would be great too
STOCK:

you could use water, but since the dish is simple, a good stock will go a long way. If you only use half a box, be sure to freeze it for next time
KIDS CORNER:

could just be a presentation issue here for some kids, cook everything the same but serve the vegetables separate from the rice. Or, if it’s everything, keep the components they’ll eat separate and sauté them in a pan (i.e. some carrots, some onion, a few bits of pepper) and serve them a plain little stir fry, with or without rice. If they’ll eat broccoli or asparagus you could steam some on top or on the side