Easy Cajun Style Vegan Jambalaya Recipe (One Pot)
Today we are making a One Pot, Easy Cajun Style Vegan Jambalaya Recipe! I had first heard about Jambalaya with respect to Louisiana Creole cuisine (which is where it originated). This cuisine is heavily influenced by French, Spanish, and African cooking, and today’s recipe is no exception! Jambalaya is a dish that uses a mix of rice, meat, and vegetables, with the meats being some sort of sausage combined with chicken/pork, and then a seafood, such as shrimp. For our vegan purposes, I’ve used a lentil meat and soya chunks to substitute for two different “meaty” textures!
I was about to add tofu for that third type of meat, but I held off because I didn’t want the tofu to become soggy. You know, if you guys meal prepped this and kept it in the fridge for a week. I guess I could’ve baked the tofu to crisp it up first and get the moisture out, but nah. It would be too much work for the everyday folk who prefer quicker recipes, including myself. But not to worry, this recipe tastes amazing as it is! Aside from the meats, there is a mixture of vegetables known as the “holy trinity” or “mirepoix” in Creole cooking. This refers to diced onions, celery, and bell pepper, which lend their flavors to many of the dishes from this part of the world, thus getting their own label. Traditionally, this mix of vegetables uses equal measures of all three ingredients.
Origins of Jambalaya
Now before we get to the recipe, here’s some background on the origins of this dish. As I mentioned earlier, it has influences from around the world, and that goes back to when New Orleans began to see a variety of cultures in the 18th century. The technique for this recipe was taken from the Spanish, West African slaves had brought their knowledge of rice cultivation with them to the area, German immigrants had brought their sausage-making skills to Louisiana, and the holy trinity of spices came from the French.
Pretty cool, right? There are different types of jambalaya out there, depending on the geographic region. Red Jambalaya is more likely to be found in New Orleans, and it’s brown counterpart will be found in rural parts of Southern Louisiana. This is due to the addition of tomatoes – in rural areas, tomatoes and other ingredients are not as easy to come by. So today’s recipe is a red jambalaya – however, both types are delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Cajun Style Vegan Jambalaya Recipe
Hearty, Bold Flavors Without the Meat: You won’t miss the traditional sausage or seafood in this Cajun-style vegan jambalaya. The combination of Cajun spices, smoky paprika, and a mix of hearty vegetables creates deep, savory flavors that are just as bold and satisfying as the original. Plant-based proteins like textured vegetable protein (TVP) and lentils, add a chewy, meaty texture without compromising on taste. It’s perfect for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Southern flavors while sticking to a plant-based diet. Plus, it’s naturally packed with wholesome, fiber-rich ingredients that are great for your health!
Simple, One-Pot Wonder: This vegan jambalaya is the ultimate weeknight dinner hero. Everything comes together in just one pot (and a skillet, but the main dish is in one pot), making it a fuss-free, easy-to-follow recipe. With fewer dishes to wash, you can spend more time enjoying your meal and less time in the kitchen cleaning up.
Substitutions
Rice: For that classic jambalaya feel, I used parboiled rice, which is partially pre-cooked.
This takes less time to cook overall, and holds its shape well. You can also use another long-grain rice like basmati or jasmine, which will take longer to cook as it’s not pre-cooked at all like parboiled is.
Avoid short-grain rice, as it tends to get too sticky. Brown rice works well too but may require a longer cooking time and more broth, similar to another long-grain rice.
Pasta Sauce: I used a pasta sauce that did not contain any animal products, like a tomato-garlic-basil sauce. Check the ingredient label when choosing your sauce. I recommend pasta sauce over regular tomato sauce, because it has a lot more flavor added to begin with.
TVP: This is Textured Vegetable Protein, which is a type of dehydrated soy product. If you don’t have TVP on hand, you can replace it with extra-firm tofu (crumbled).
Vegetable Broth: Cooking in broth adds much more flavor than cooking in water. Look for a veggie-based broth – either pre-made liquid, or broth cubes that you can add to hot water.
Vegan Jambalaya Recipe Notes
- Feel free to mix in your favorite veggies! Bell peppers, onions, celery, and tomatoes are classic ingredients, but you can also toss in mushrooms, zucchini, or spinach for extra nutrition and texture.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this Easy Cajun Style Vegan Jambalaya Recipe (One Pot), then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Easy Cajun Style Vegan Jambalaya Recipe (One Pot)
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
For the Lentils
- ½ cup brown lentils uncooked
- 2 cups water to boil the lentils
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- ½ medium white onion diced
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp pink salt
- ⅛ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ cup water
For the Rest of the Dish
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- ½ medium white onion diced
- 1½ medium bell pepper diced
- ½ large carrot diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ cup TVP uncooked
- 1 medium bay leaf
- ½ tsp pink salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups vegan pasta sauce
- ¾ cup parboiled rice uncooked
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
Boil the Lentils
- Boil 2 cups of water in a pot over medium heat. Once the water is boiling, add in the uncooked lentils, and let them cook on low heat, without a cover, for about 20 minutes.
Make the Lentil Seasoning
- When there are 10 minutes left for the lentils to cook, heat a skillet with the 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Once heated, add the onions and garlic, and stir them for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and tender.
- Add in the rest of the lentil ingredients, and cook until the ¼ cup water is absorbed.
- When the lentils in the other pot are cooked, they should be tender, not falling apart – cook for another few minutes if needed. Then drain the water out and add them to the skillet.
- Cook the lentils for two minutes in the skillet. Then remove from heat, take 1 cup of this mixture and set it aside from the jambalaya.
- Let the rest of it cool down, then store it in the fridge for use as a meat substitute (burgers, tacos or stir fry, for example).
Prepare the Rest of the Dish
- Empty out the lentil pot. Then heat 2 tbsp avocado oil in it over medium heat. Add in the garlic and onions, and saute until tender – about 5 minutes.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients, up to and including the black pepper.
- Add in the pasta sauce, rice and broth. Turn the heat to high, and let this come to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer, covered partially with a lid for 30 minutes. Stir it around every 5 minutes – if there is not enough liquid to cook the rice in and they seem dry, add in 1/2 cup more vegetable stock and keep cooking it for another 5 or so minutes.
- Once all the liquid is absorbed and the rice are fluffy, stir in the lentil meat that was made at the beginning.
- Transfer to 4 serving bowls. One delicious way to serve is with vegan yogurt, fresh cilantro and chopped tomatoes on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
