Rice and Peas
Rice and Peas is a beloved Jamaican staple, often served as a side dish with meat, fish, or stew. Despite its name, it traditionally uses kidney beans (called 'peas' locally) cooked with rice, coconut milk, and a blend of aromatic seasonings like thyme, scallion, and Scotch bonnet pepper.
🍳 View the full Rice and Peas recipe →
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is primarily a source of complex carbohydrates and plant-based protein from the beans and rice. A typical serving provides a good amount of fiber, iron, and B vitamins, with a calorie range of approximately 300-400 per cup, depending on the amount of coconut milk used.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 310 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbs | 52 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
| Iron | 3.5 mg |
| Potassium | 400 mg |
| Magnesium | 60 mg |
| Folate | 120 mcg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.5 mg |
| Zinc | 2.0 mg |
| Phosphorus | 180 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
The dish is a cornerstone of Jamaican Sunday dinners and national identity, with its rich, savory flavor profile coming from the coconut milk infusion. Nutritionally, combining rice and beans creates a complete protein, making it a particularly valuable meal component in many diets.
