Calypso Rice Recipe
This colorful Calypso rice is an easy way to switch up plain white rice. It’s tossed with crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, onion, and garlic for a quick and flavorful Caribbean side dish.
We eat a lot of rice with our food, so I like having different ways to prepare it before plain white rice starts feeling a little too regular.
Calypso rice is one of those easy variations. The colorful vegetables add a little crunch, while the garlic, onion, thyme, and butter give the rice plenty of flavor without adding a lot of extra work.
If you’re looking for more ways to switch up your rice, try my rice and peas, saffron rice, or ochro rice.
What is calypso rice
Calypso rice is a colorful Caribbean rice dish made by tossing cooked rice with sautéed vegetables, aromatics, and fresh herbs. My version uses red and green bell peppers, carrots, onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and pimento peppers when I have them.
And what does Calypso have to do with rice? Calypso music originated in Trinidad and Tobago and is an important part of our culture, especially around Carnival.
I’ve always thought the name fits this rice perfectly. With all those bright colors mixed through the rice, it brings some of that same lively Caribbean energy to the plate.
And what do we hear during Carnival? Calypso, of course.
No boring rice over here.
Ingredients for calypso rice
You only need a few vegetables, fresh aromatics, and cooked rice to make this colorful side dish.
- Rice: I usually use parboiled rice, especially Ben’s Original, because it’s the rice I grew up cooking with and still use for many of my rice dishes. Jasmine rice also works well for this recipe.
- Vegetables: Red and green bell peppers, carrots, onion, and scallions give the rice its color and a little crunch. I also add pimento peppers when I have them. You can add green peas or corn if you want some extra vegetables.
- Fresh herbs and aromatics: Garlic and fresh thyme add flavor while everything sautés, and I finish the rice with chopped cilantro.
- Butter: I start the vegetables in butter and add a little more when mixing in the rice. If the rice seems dry, I sometimes add a little coconut oil instead.
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper are all you need. I also salt the water when cooking the rice.
How to make calypso rice
- Cook the rice: Cook the rice in salted water according to your usual method until it is fully cooked the way you like it. Drain if needed and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
- Sauté the aromatics: Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and pimento peppers, if using. Sauté until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the vegetables: Add the carrots and red and green bell peppers. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened but still have a little bite and crunch.
- Mix in the rice: Add half of the cooked rice and gently mix it with the vegetables. Add the remaining rice and continue mixing until the vegetables are evenly distributed.
- Finish and season: Add the remaining butter and season with black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
If the rice seems a little dry, mix in a little more butter or coconut oil. Finish with chopped cilantro and serve.
Tips and substitutions
- Use fully cooked rice. Cook the rice exactly how you like it before adding it to the vegetables. It only spends a short time in the pan afterward, so don’t leave it undercooked expecting it to finish cooking there.
- Keep some crunch in the vegetables. Sauté the carrots and bell peppers until softened but still slightly crisp. You don’t want them cooked down until they’re completely soft.
- Try jasmine rice. Parboiled rice is my usual choice, but cooked jasmine rice also works well.
- Add more vegetables. Green peas or corn are easy additions if you want a little more color and texture.
- Fresh is best, but use what you have. I prefer fresh garlic, onion, and thyme, but garlic powder, onion powder, or dried thyme can work in a pinch. Add a little at a time and adjust to taste.
- Add a little extra fat if needed. If the rice seems dry after everything is mixed, add a little more butter or coconut oil.
What to serve with Calypso rice
Calypso rice works especially well with saucy Caribbean dishes because the rice soaks up all that extra gravy while the vegetables add a little color and crunch to the plate.
Try it with my curry chicken, curry stew chicken, or curry fish. It also makes an easy side for baked or stewed chicken when you want something a little more colorful than plain white rice.
How to store and reheat Calypso rice
Let leftover Calypso rice cool and refrigerate it promptly in an airtight container. Properly stored, it will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
For longer storage, portion the cooled rice into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat it from frozen if needed.
To reheat Calypso rice in the microwave, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and break up any clumps. Add a small splash of water and cover with a damp paper towel, then heat in short intervals, stirring as needed, until the rice is steaming hot throughout. I sometimes add a little butter while reheating, too.
Calypso rice brings the vibes, just like the music. Colorful, flavorful, and an easy way to make plain rice a little more exciting.
Tried it? Let me know how it turned out in the comments and what you served it with. I’d love to hear how you made it your own!
Recipe
Calypso Rice
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the rice in salted water according to your usual method until fully cooked. Drain if needed and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, scallion, thyme, and pimento peppers, if using. Sauté until the onion begins to soften.
- Add the carrots and red and green bell peppers. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but still have a little bite.
- Add half of the cooked rice and mix with the vegetables. Add the remaining rice and mix until the vegetables are evenly distributed throughout.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and black pepper. Taste and add salt if needed.
- If the rice seems dry, add a little more butter or coconut oil and mix well.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Parboiled rice is my preferred rice for this recipe. I usually use Ben’s Original because it is the rice I grew up using. Jasmine rice also works well.
- Green peas or corn can be added for extra color and texture.
- Fresh garlic, onion, and thyme are preferred, but garlic powder, onion powder, or dried thyme can be used in a pinch. Add a little at a time and adjust to taste.
- Cook the rice fully before adding it to the vegetables. It only cooks briefly in the pan once everything is combined. For the best texture, sauté the carrots and bell peppers until softened but still slightly crisp.
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
