Name: Jamaican vegetable soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 red onion (finely chopped); 2 stalks celery (finely chopped); 1 red pepper (deseeded and finely chopped); 200 g sweet potato (cubed); 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp minced ginger; 1 tsp minced garlic; 2 tsp paprika; 0.5 tsp ground allspice; Scotch bonnet chilli (chopped to your taste); 450 ml hot vegetable stock; 450 ml very finely chopped tomato; 4 sprigs of thyme; 450 g leftover coconut rice and peas (warm); 2 large corn on the cob; Thyme sprigs; Lime slices

overhead shot of jamaican vegetable soup in white bowl with vegetables on top

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When I say Jamaican vegetable soup, I mean a soup bursting with all the Jamaican flavours (that I loooooooove) aka the well-known rice and peas, orange sweet potato, fresh thyme, allspice, peppers and chilli. And to top it all off some hot and fresh off the grilled sweetcorn, sliced off the cob and straight into the soup.

Yeap, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the flavours that I love.

I developed this Caribbean soup recipe because I wanted a way to bring the Caribbean into my kitchen during the soon to arrive colder months. It is one of my survival tactics; stoking up the fire; putting up pictures of the best beaches I can find; playing some island beats and having a bowl or two of some warming soup. It is almost as if I am in some exotic location right here in my kitchen. Almost 🙂

I really like the textures and contrasts in this soup. Every spoonful is a burst of flavour between the creamy melt in your mouth sweet potato, the mild coconut rice and peas, the warming spices and the slightly chewy and little bit charred sweetcorn. And if you squeeze some lime over your soup, it then adds in a whole other flavour profile.

I actually meant to call this a Jamaican rice and peas soup but since it is loaded with load of other veggies too, I decided that Jamaican vegetable soup explains it sooooooooooo much better. What do you think?

Why You’ll Love This Jamaican Vegetable Soup

This recipe is a perfect way to use up any leftover rice and peas that you have in the fridge. Whilst I have used sweet potato you could easily substitute in some pumpkin or various other squashes that you have and also feel free to add in a few extra vegetables to your taste.

It is really flexible. Veggies I have added in include spinach, plantain and I have also served it with some warm toasted cornbread. It all works so test and try away.

It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free.

So guys, enough of the chat. Here is how to make this Jamaican vegetable soup. Please do try it and if you do make it, then please do tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or twitter so that I can pop over and have a look. It is really, really awesome for me when you make any one of my recipes.

For more soups why not check out my five spice sweet potato and carrot soup.

African flavours – is the spot on my blog where I share traditional Sierra Leonean recipes, African recipes and African fusion recipes.

Thank you for reading my Jamaican vegetable soup recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you.

How to Make Jamaican Vegetable Soup

5 from 7 votes

Jamaican vegetable soup

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Jamaican vegetable soup

Course: Main

Cuisine: African

Servings: 6

Calories: 393 kcal

Author: Recipes From A Pantry

Ingredients

For the soup:

1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
1 red pepper deseeded and finely chopped
200 g sweet potato cubed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp paprika
0.5 tsp ground allspice
Scotch bonnet chilli chopped to your taste
450 ml hot vegetable stock
450 ml very finely chopped tomato
4 sprigs of thyme
450 g leftover coconut rice and peas warm

For the corn:

2 large corn on the cob

To garnish:

Thyme sprigs
Lime slices

UK Measures - **Convert to US Measures**

Instructions

Make the vegetable soup base:

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add in the onion, celery, pepper, sweet potato, bay leaf and a couple of tbsp. water and sauté for about 10 mins so the onion is softened.
Mix in the ginger and garlic and stir for 30 sec until fragrant, then stir in the paprika, allspice and scotch bonnet chilli.
Then stir in the hot vegetable stock, tomato and thyme, bring to the boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 35 mins or until the sweet potato is cooked through.
Then check the seasoning before switching off the heat.

Grill the sweetcorn:

Just before the soup is done, preheat the grill to medium and grill your sweetcorn for a few mins on each side till they are starting to char. Switch of the heat, slice the corn of the cob and set aside.

Assemble the Jamaican vegetable soup: