Spicy Vegan Jambalaya Recipe

In the mood for some vibrant flavors of the South? We've got the dish for you — our vegan jambalaya recipe captures the essence of traditional Creole cuisine just perfect for your next meatless Monday. Bursting with aromatic spices, colorful vegetables, and hearty rice, this wholesome dish is a one-pot wonder that will satisfy even non-vegans. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I've never been to New Orleans, but I sure do love the food. This dish checks off a lot of boxes. It's full of healthy vegetables. It's quick and easy to make. It's full of flavor, and it's great as leftovers." 

Whether it's a family gathering, a Mardi Gras celebration, or a casual get-together, this jambalaya can be a centerpiece dish that gathers people around the table and gives off festive vibes. Read on to learn how to make this delicious meal in a little over 30 minutes.

To make this recipe, you can head to the produce aisle and grab a red onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic. If you want a little greenery on your finished dish, also grab some fresh parsley for topping. 

For the core ingredients for this recipe, grab some vegan sausage, rice, kidney beans, and canned diced tomatoes. "There are many brands of vegan sausage on the market these days. I like to use a spicy Italian vegan sausage. Make sure to buy the type in link form because we'll be slicing it instead of using it ground up," Hahn explains. 

To deliver the flavor in our spicy dish, pick up some soy sauce, oregano, dried basil, Cajun seasoning, salt, smoked paprika, Tobasco, and oil for sauteing it all together.

Since we have a fair amount of chopping to do, let's start there. Pull out a cutting board and chop the red onion and celery, dice the red pepper, and mince the garlic. 

While you're in cutting mode, slice up the sausage into coins, keeping the casing on. "Sometimes sausage can be hard to slice when it is soft, so my tip for making this easier is to pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so before slicing it up. This firms it up just enough to make the slicing easier," Hahn explains.

Now that the veggies are all cut up, let's get them going in a frying pan. Add the oil to a large pan and bring the heat to medium-high. Cook the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Then add the celery, red pepper, and sausage. Cook for about 10-15 minutes stirring frequently. The aromatics will fill your kitchen with a fabulous aroma.

Now it's time to finish off the dish with the final ingredients. Stir in the rice, kidney beans, tomatoes, soy sauce, oregano, basil, Cajun seasoning, salt, smoked paprika, and Tabasco. "If you want to tame the spice, you can reduce the amount of Cajun seasoning and omit the Tabasco," Hahn shares. Let this simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. 

After the dish has simmered we are close to digging in!  Top the jambalaya with chopped parsley if desired and you've got yourself a delicious, complete meal in under 30 minutes. If you feel like serving a side dish, it pairs nicely with a fresh green salad. Oh, and no need to even mention it's vegan to your meat-eating friends — they'll never know!