Equatorial Guinea | Main dish

Jollof Rice Equatoguineano

Name: Jollof Rice Equatoguineano
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa
Ingredients: 3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear; 6 medium tomatoes, blended; 2 large red bell peppers, blended; 2 large onions, one blended, one sliced; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp palm oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 whole bay leaves; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper, left whole or minced; 3 cups hot water or light stock; salt and black pepper, to taste

A smoky Equatoguinean-style tomato rice cooked with peppers, palm oil, bay leaf, and a gentle Spanish paprika accent.

Country

Equatorial Guinea

Region

Central Africa

Time

65 min

Serves

Level

medium

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Recipe overview

What to know before you cook

Use this overview to check the occasion, serving ideas, regional context, and cooking commitment before you begin.

When to cook it

Best for Parties, celebrations, Sunday meals. Plan on a medium cook and about 65 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Fried plantains, grilled fish, roast chicken, or a crisp tomato salad

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Regional lane

Equatorial Guinea national table. A structured Equatorial Guinea dish in the AfroKitchen archive.

Chef watch-outs

Adding too much liquid after the rice goes in.
Stirring too often once the grains should be steaming.
Overcooking the greens until the color and texture collapse.

How you know it is ready

The grains should be tender but still distinct, with steam carrying the seasoning upward.
Greens should be cooked through but still look alive and glossy.
The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.

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Jollof Rice Equatoguineano recipe from Equatorial Guinea — Jollof Rice Equatoguineano finished dish

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Fried plantains, grilled fish, roast chicken, or a crisp tomato salad

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Servings 6

Scale the dish before you shop, then use the checklist while you cook.

Ingredients

For 6 servings

Main dish

How to cook it

Step-by-step method

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to Equatorial Guinea

5 steps 20 min prep 45 min cook 65 min total medium

Cook the base

Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Fry the sliced onion until soft, then add tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly.

Start sauce 06:00

Reduce the sauce

Add the blended tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, bay leaves, paprika if using, and scotch bonnet. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to show.

Kitchen noteThe sauce should taste cooked before rice enters the pot.

Reduce sauce 15:00

Add rice

Stir in the rinsed rice until every grain is coated. Add hot water or stock and season with salt and black pepper.

Steam gently

Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and cook on low heat until the rice absorbs the liquid and becomes tender.

Kitchen noteKeep the lid closed so the rice steams instead of drying out.

Steam rice 30:00

Rest and serve

Turn off the heat and rest the pot for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves, fluff gently, and serve hot.

Rest 10:00

Some cooks use palm oil for a deeper color, while others use vegetable oil and keep the tomato-pepper base lighter.

Jollof Rice Equatoguineano

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