Vegan Dirty Rice & Black-Eyed Peas
Author -Yields: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 batch crispy tempeh bacon (substitute 4-6 slices store-bought vegan bacon of choice)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced minced
- 1 cup long-grain white or brown rice (180g)
- 2 3/4 cups water (650ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (240g, or one 15-ounce / 425g can, drained and rinsed)
- Optional: steamed collard green ribbons, broccoli florets, or another cooked leafy green vegetable, as an accompaniment for the rice
Instructions
- Chop the tempeh bacon (or your favorite store-bought vegan bacon) into small pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and bacon. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often, or until the garlic is fragrant. If the mixture starts to stick, add a few tablespoons of water along the way.
- Add the rice, water, both paprikas, thyme, salt, and both types of pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes for white rice or 35-40 minutes for brown rice, until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove the rice from heat and allow it to sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the black-eyed peas, then taste the rice and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Serve with steamed greens and other accompaniments of choice.
Notes
*You can use water to sauté the vegetables if you prefer a no-oil option.