Give Rice A Creole-Inspired Upgrade With This Canned Vegetable

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Based partially on Creole jambalaya, okra rice is what you need for a nutritious, filling side dish that's anything but boring. The jambalaya eaten in Louisiana is made in one pot and usually features meaty victuals like shrimp and sausage. It's possible to build okra rice in a similar way — more on that in a minute — but, at its basis, all you need is canned or jarred okra to jazz up what can otherwise be some uninspiring grains. Walmart currently carries a canned okra, corn, and tomato mix for less than two dollars, so this can be a thrifty method as well.

The cuisine of South Carolina's Low Country, which also gave us the creatively-named chicken bog, is rich in rice dishes because rice has long been cultivated there. Okra pilau (also called perloo or purloo) is a jambalaya-adjacent dish that also features cooked okra in various types of rice, possibly with other ingredients to round it out. We see a dish with the same name(s) in Caribbean cuisine, proving that the idea of okra and rice together has widespread cultural significance in North America.

No matter what you call it, okra and rice couldn't be easier to whip up. Some folks complain that cooked okra can get slimy, but that's not a problem when serving the veggie with rice, because the consistency is actually improved by okra's natural thickening agents. Any sort of white rice with a medium or longer grain should work for you, including basmati or jasmine (which are, in fact, different), though short-grain rice might just get sticky. Heat up your okra and stir it into your rice with a good amount of seasoning which, traditionally, often includes garlic and onion, but can also feature your favorite Creole or Caribbean spices.

By far, the most common addition we see to okra rice on social media and cooking blogs is tomatoes. Okra and tomatoes go together like PB&J, and there are even canned products featuring both in the same place. Don't feel beholden to these cans, however — if you prefer your canned or jarred okra to be separate, you can always add in some toms from our ranking of the best canned ones around. Corn is another canned superstar that shines in okra rice. The combination of corn, okra, and tomatoes is very traditional, and you will likely be thrilled by the sweetness of the corn, the tang of the tomatoes, and the fresh "green" taste of the okra all together. Another spin on okra pilau uses green peppers for extra nutrition and flavor.

If you and your loved ones are omnivores, you can bulk out your okra rice with various proteins in a way reminiscent of jambalaya. Shrimp and smoked sausage are the old-fashioned choices, but you also can't go wrong with cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken would be put to excellent use here), crispy crumbled bacon, cubed ham, or even ground beef.

And, of course, you can't forget to heap flavor on your rice! Cooking the grains in chicken stock is a fantastic way to build savory taste when you are cooking, but don't neglect some heat. For that, you can sprinkle in red pepper flakes during the cooking process or simply drizzle on your favorite hot sauce after serving.