Skip to Content

Vegan Jambalaya in the Instant Pot (White or Brown Rice)

Vegan jambalaya in the Instant Pot has long been our family’s favorite Creole-style dish. Today I’m sharing my recipe for making it both in the Instant Pot (or whatever brand of electric pressure cooker you may have) and on stovetop.

Vegan jambalaya recipe in the Instant Pot

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through my blog, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

This vegetarian jambalaya makes a great one-pot meal that’s perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras, or enjoying any time of the year.

My easy vegan jambalaya takes only about 40 minutes to cook, which makes it an easy meal for busy weeknights or whenever you’re pressed for time.

I’ve never made jambalaya myself before going vegan, but after our family switched to a plant-based diet, I’ve tried at least 3 or 4 vegan versions of jambalaya recipes from various blogs and cookbooks.

From my experience, I found out that vegetarian jambalaya can be easy to cook, but also quite easy to ruin.

Forget to check how spicy your brand of Cajun seasoning is, and your jambalaya can turn out hotter than fire.

Forget to stir the rice as it’s cooking, and it can stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

This last part recently got me thinking that if I made my vegan Creole jambalaya in the Instant Pot, the need for stirring would be eliminated.

Plus, who doesn’t like the convenience of putting everything in the pot, setting the timer, and walking away to do whatever you want while the dinner is cooking?

So this is how my Instant Pot vegan jambalaya recipe was born. It’s really easy and quick to make: sauté some veggies, add the rest of the ingredients, set the pressure cooker timer for 4 minutes, and let the magic happen on its own!

Instant Pot Jambalaya - a vegan dinner recipe

See the vegan Instant Pot jambalaya web story over here.

As in many (most?) Louisiana-style dishes, my simple vegan jambalaya recipe uses the Holy Trinity as its base.

I’m talking about the mixture of chopped onions, celery and green bell peppers that traditional jambalaya can’t happen without.

You realize where the name “Holy Trinity” comes from when just a few minutes into cooking your house fills up with a truly divine aroma.

When using the Holy Trinity vegetables in combination with traditional Creole spices, you’re helping your cooking creations develop amazing flavors that any Louisiana native will approve.

Check out my other Instant Pot recipes with the Holy Trinity: vegan Instant Pot black eyed peas, and Instant Pot vegan black eyed peas and collard greens.

By the way, this is one of the 15 kid friendly vegan recipes from the blog that have been approved by my 2 year-old toddler.

I like that I can make the whole dish in my Instant Pot start to finish thanks to the sauté function that lets me cook the onions, celery and bell peppers.

If you have a different pressure cooker brand that doesn’t come with a sauté function, you can pre-cook the vegetables separately on the stovetop, then transfer them to your pressure cooker along with the rest of the ingredients.

Are you an Instant Pot newbie? See my easy-to-follow guide to using an Instant Pot that will get any beginner up to speed on pressure cooking.

Instant Pot Vegan Jambalaya Ingredients

  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 3 ribs celery
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 cup long-grain rice, white or brown
  • 1 15 oz can small diced tomatoes
  • 1-2 Tbsp salt-free Cajun seasoning
  • Smoked paprika
  • Plant based sausage (I prefer 2 Chipotle Field Roast sausages)
  • Vegetable broth or water
  • Salt, black pepper to taste
  • Avocado oil/additional veggie broth, as needed for sautéing the vegetables
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Below I’d like to answer a few common questions about cooking vegan jambalaya.

What’s the Difference Between Cajun and Creole Jambalaya?

Both terms are often used interchangeably, but Cajun and Creole style cooking aren’t exactly the same.

The most notable difference is that Creole cuisine uses tomatoes while Cajun does not.

By that extent, Creole jambalaya looks red thanks to the use of tomatoes, and Cajun jambalaya looks brown, having gotten its color from browned meat and vegetables.

As for the Cajun and Creole seasoning, the difference is that Creole uses a few additional herbs and spices (like thyme, oregano, and paprika) while Cajun sticks to a simplified spice combination (garlic and onion powder, black and Cayenne pepper). Find out more over here.

From my experience, Cajun seasoning is easier to come by at grocery stores, that’s why I’m using it in this recipe. If you can find a jar of Creole seasoning, feel free to use it instead.

What Brand of Cajun Seasoning is Used in Vegan Jambalaya?

There are a lot of brands of Cajun seasoning (also known as Creole seasoning) on the market. Some of them are spicier than others.

Some contain salt while others don’t. Some seasonings with salt also contain MSG, but be aware that it isn’t always disclosed on the package.

I recommend using salt-free Cajun seasoning blend to avoid MSG. A big plus if the ingredients are organic. However, organic spice brands tend to run more expensive.

How to make Vegan Instant Pot Jambalaya

How to Make Vegan Instant Pot Jambalaya with White or Brown Rice

I’ve made jambalaya recipes that called for short grain and long grain white rice, as well as brown rice.

From my experience, long grain white rice like basmati makes the best jambalaya, especially in this Instant Pot recipe. I got great results from using extra-long white basmati rice that I’ve only been able to find in one store (the bulk section of WinCo here in the Pacific Northwest).

Cooking Time for Instant Pot Vegan Jambalaya:

With WHITE rice: 4 minutes at pressure, then 10 minutes natural release.
With BROWN rice: 23 minutes at pressure, then 10 minutes natural release.

(Big thanks to blog reader Shonta who tested this recipe with brown rice and shared her results in the comments!)

How to Replace Shrimp, Sausage, and Chicken to Make this Instant Pot Jambalaya Vegan

My favorite vegan way to add a meaty component to my jambalaya is by using plant-based sausage.

Chipotle-flavored Field Roast sausage is my go-to choice for this recipe.

Before the jambalaya purists shake their heads and tell me that chipotle flavor is an abomination in the classic Creole jambalaya, I’ll say that it mellows out quite a bit during cooking, and enhances the final dish with a delicious spicy and smoky flavor.

If you aren’t a fan of fake vegan meats, or would rather keep your jambalaya entirely whole food plant based, skip the Field Roast sausage completely, or add some hearty beans like cooked chickpeas or red kidney beans instead.

Is Vegan Jambalaya Gluten-free?

All of the ingredients of this jambalaya recipe are gluten-free except for the Field Roast sausage. To make this jambalaya gluten-free, omit the sausage completely, or add cooked chickpeas or kidney beans.

If you’re using store-bought Cajun/Creole seasoning, make sure that it’s also gluten-free.

Instant Pot Vegan Jambalaya Recipe

How to Make Vegan Jambalaya (Instant Pot Instructions)

(See ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card below.)

Press the Sauté button of your Instant Pot (medium heat setting). Add 2-3 tablespoons of avocado or olive oil (or water/vegetable broth for oil-free).

Once hot, add diced onions, green bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Add unrinsed long grain rice (white or brown), mix it into the vegetables, allowing the rice to toast slightly for about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, cut the Field Roast sausages lengthwise, then chop them into 1/4 inch-thick half-moons.

Add drained canned chopped tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning (start with the smaller amount if your seasoning brand is very spicy), smoked paprika, chopped chipotle Field Roast sausages, vegetable stock or water, and salt and pepper.

Press the Cancel button on your Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place.

Press the Manual button and set the timer: 4 minutes at high pressure for white rice, 23 minutes for brown rice.

Once the time is up and your Instant Pot beeps, follow 10-minute natural release opening method: let the timer reach 10 minutes, then press the Cancel button and carefully turn the pressure knob to release steam.

Remove the lid, fluff up the rice and adjust the seasoning or add extra spices if needed. Mix in fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Vegan Jambalaya Recipe - made in the Instant Pot

How to Make Vegan Jambalaya (Stovetop Instructions)

This vegan jambalaya can easily be made without an Instant Pot.

Here’s how you can make this recipe on the stovetop.

To do that, sauté the Holy Trinity vegetables (onions, celery and green bell pepper) in a large pot over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic. Add dry unrinsed rice and let it toast with the veggies for a minute.

Add the remaining ingredients except for parsley. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the rice cooks through and the liquid is absorbed.

Stir frequently to prevent sticking. If the liquid disappears before the rice is done, add a bit more to keep things moist. After the jambalaya is done, mix in chopped parsley. That’s it!

This recipe is a part of my collection of healthy vegan recipes made with easy to find non-perishable ingredients you most likely have in your pantry right now.

Yield: 6 servings

BEST Vegan Jambalaya in the Instant Pot

Vegan jambalaya Instant Pot recipe

This Instant Pot vegan jambalaya is surprisingly easy to make, yet it tastes like something you've put a lot of effort into making. No oil is added during the cooking process. Chipotle Field Roast sausages make a great substitute for the traditional Andouille sausage. Make sure to scale the amount of Cajun seasoning if you don't want your jambalaya to be over the top spicy.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Press the Sauté button of your Instant Pot (medium heat setting). Add 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil OR water/vegetable broth. Once the liquid starts bubbling, add diced onions, bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking and adding more liquid if needed.
  2. Add unrinsed white or brown long-grain rice, mix it into the vegetables, allowing the rice to toast slightly for about 1 minute. Meanwhile, cut the Field Roast sausages lengthwise, then chop them into 1/4 inch-thick half-moons.
  3. Add drained canned tomatoes, Cajun seasoning (start with the smaller amount if your seasoning brand is very spicy), smoked paprika, chopped chipotle Field Roast sausages, vegetable broth or water, and salt and pepper.
  4. Press the Cancel button on your Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place, making sure that the vent lever is set to pressure. Press the Manual button and set the timer: 4 minutes for white rice, 23 minutes for brown rice. Once the time is up and your Instant Pot beeps, follow 10-minute natural release opening method: let the timer reach 10 minutes, then press Cancel and carefully turn the pressure knob to release steam - be careful not to burn yourself when the steam starts coming out!
  5. Remove the lid, fluff up the rice and adjust the seasoning if needed. Mix in fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

*I usually use long grain white or brown basmati rice with great results.

**I like the flavor and texture of the spicy chipotle Field Roast sausages in this recipe, but feel free to use a different brand of spicy vegan sausage if you'd like. However, I can't guarantee that sausages from other brands will have the right texture when cooked in the Instant Pot.

**For a fake meat-free/gluten-free version, omit the sausage completely, or add 1 can of drained and rinsed canned chickpeas or kidney beans.

Recommended Products

This recipe contains affiliate links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through affiliate links on my blog, I receive a very small commission that helps me run this blog, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 bowl

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 8g

Please note that the provided nutritional information data is approximate.

Follow Vegan Runner Eats on Pinterest for more recipes!

If you want to Pin this recipe, click on the round pin button at the top of this card.

I hope you enjoy my Instant Pot vegan jambalaya recipe as much as we do in our family!

If you’ve enjoyed this post, share it with your friends on social media! And stick around for more awesomeness – subscribe to Vegan Runner Eats to receive the latest posts (I’ll send you a free copy of my vegan dinner recipe e-book as a thank you), or follow the blog on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

author avatar
Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats
Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.
Click here to cancel reply.

Jill

Friday 5th of August 2022

Hi, I'd like to make this for my 3yo. But I am wondering about the cajun seasoning, it looks spicy. How does your toddler deal with the spice?

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Monday 8th of August 2022

When she was little, she used to be OK with the spiciness of this jambalaya. Lately, however, she's in her "everything plain, with no flavor" phase, so not that many things get her approval ?

Emily

Saturday 5th of June 2021

Sounds delicious!

If I double this recipe, would I need to adjust the cooking/venting time?

Thank you!

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Monday 7th of June 2021

Hi Emily! You don't need to increase the time when doubling this recipe. One of the readers did this successfully and shared how she did this in a comment below - you can see it over here.

Cindy

Wednesday 10th of March 2021

Made this several times-very easy. Love the flavor of this recipe but wish it was a little less mushy. I used 2 1/2 c broth instead of 3c and drained the tomatoes, used basmati rice-any suggestions on how to fix this?

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Friday 12th of March 2021

Hi Cindy, glad to hear that you like this jambalaya recipe! From my experience (and lots of feedback from blog readers) I made a conclusion that things will widely depend on the rice. E.g. two batches of basmati rice can "behave" differently if one batch was grown in state A, and the other - in state B.

One trick that could help get rid of the extra moisture: once the jambalaya is done, turn off the pressure cooker, open the lid, mix lightly, and cover with a cloth kitchen towel folded in half. Then put the lid back on - obviously it won't cover the pot as tightly as it did without the towel, so just try to cover the best you can. Leave the pot covered for 10-15 min with the lid on. The towel will absorb the extra moisture. This is an old-timey trick my mom taught me years ago. (I know I need to update the recipe post with this info too!).

Hope this helps!

Sally

Thursday 4th of March 2021

This turned out perfect! Used Jasmine rice. Added smoked turkey sausage & frozen chopped okra.

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Monday 8th of March 2021

Thanks Sally!

Erica

Friday 18th of September 2020

How can I cook this not in the instant pot?

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Monday 21st of September 2020

Hi Erica! I have a section about that in the post just above the recipe card - if you scroll up, you'll see it under "HOW DO I MAKE THIS JAMBALAYA WITHOUT AN INSTANT POT?"

Skip to Recipe