Jammin' Jambalaya

Jammin' Jambalaya

This vegan jammin' jambalaya is the kind of one-pan wonder that makes a Tuesday feel like a proper occasion. We've packed in smoky plant-based sausage, pulled jackfruit, two kinds of bell pepper, and a hit of cayenne that builds just enough heat to keep you going back for more. The cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes give it real depth, and the smoked paprika ties everything together in a way that feels genuinely Southern. It's ready in 25 minutes, so there's absolutely no excuse not to make it tonight.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Large saucepan

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 plant-based sausages
  • 1 x 400g can(s) of jackfruit
  • 4 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
  • 1 onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 celery stick
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 10 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 x 250g bag(s) of microwavable brown basmati rice
  • 1 lime
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 x 400g can cherry tomatoes
  • 200ml water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 spring onions
  • 5g fresh parsley leaves
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1

First, prep the ingredients

  • Place the vegan sausages on the lined baking tray, put the tray in the oven and cook for 20 minutes
  • Drain the jackfruit, rinse under a cold tap and pat dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper, then roughly chop
  • Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes
  • Peel and finely dice the onion
  • Trim, halve and core the peppers and cut them into 2.5cm chunks
  • Trim and thinly slice the celery
  • Peel and grate the garlic
  • Remove the thyme leaves from the sprigs
2

For the rice

  • Cook the rice following the packet instructions
  • Cut the lime in half
3

Fire up the hob and start cooking

  • Warm the sun-dried tomato oil in the large saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes
  • Add the celery and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the pepper chunks and stir for 2–3 minutes
4

Start combining the jambalaya

  • Add the smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper and oregano to the pan and stir for 1 minute to coat
  • Add the jackfruit and stir gently for 3–4 minutes
  • Add the tomato purée and stir for 1 minute
  • Stir in the tinned tomatoes
  • Add the water to the empty tomato tin and add it to the pan
  • Add the bay leaf, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
5

Now, make the finishing touches and serve

  • Take the sausages out of the oven and cut them into 2cm-thick slices
  • Add the sausage slices and hot sauce to the pan and gently fold them into the jambalaya
  • Add the rice to the pan and fold it into the sauce
  • Thinly slice the spring onions and add half of them to the pan
  • Squeeze in the lime juice and fold the juice and the spring onions into the jambalaya
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt and lots of pepper
  • Plate up the jambalaya, garnish with the remaining spring onions and the parsley

Tips & Variations

  • Get colour on the sausage first: Don't rush this step. A proper sear on the plant-based sausage adds a smokiness that runs through the whole dish.
  • Jackfruit needs shredding: Pull the jackfruit apart with two forks before it goes in so it mimics that pulled texture and soaks up the sauce properly.
  • Squeeze the lime at the end: Don't skip it. A squeeze of lime right before serving lifts the whole thing and cuts through the richness of the tomatoes.

Why This Works

Cooking the sausage and jackfruit together in the sun-dried tomato oil is the move here. It gives the whole dish a smoky, slightly caramelised base before anything else goes in. The microwavable brown basmati rice is not a shortcut we're embarrassed about, it genuinely absorbs all that spiced tomato broth beautifully.