This Vegan Ackee dinner is an example of honoring cultural heritage while maintaining a whole food, plant-based nutrition plan. This healthy and satisfying meal is gluten-free, oil-free, and loaded with flavor.
Oh, ackee…how I love thee. I was in Jamaica a couple of years ago to visit my grandmother and family, and I swear I ate ackee every day for the first week I was there. Ackee is nostalgic for me just like rice and peas. I remember my mom making ackee for a special breakfast during the holidays. It has always been one of my favorite things to eat growing up. So, when I’m in Jamaica and eat fresh ackee from my family’s property. Eating fresh ackee from the tree is such a treat, as it is only sold in the can back home here in the States.
This fruit cooked and simmered with onions, tomatoes, peppers, and the scotch bonnet pepper delights the soul. Although ackee is not indigenous to Jamaica, it is at the heart of Jamaican culture and cuisine. It is the national dish of Jamaica, served with saltfish. If ever in Jamaica, you can’t leave the island without trying ackee.
This Vegan Ackee recipe has 11 key ingredients.
- Ackee
- Peppers
- Onions
- Garlic
- Scotch bonnet pepper
- Thyme
- Tomatoes
- Scallions
- Quinoa (or brown rice)
- Plantain
- Spinach
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This scrumptious Vegan Ackee meal is filling and rich in several micronutrients, including Vitamins A, C, E, and K, the B-Vitamins Thiamin, Riboflavin, B6, and Folic Acid, as well as the minerals iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and zinc.
For other culturally-influenced whole food, plant-based meals, check out the North African Chickpea Soup and Sweet and Smoky Black Eyed Peas and Greens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ackee is a tropical fruit native to West Africa. It is the national fruit of Jamaica and is known for its unique appearance and creamy texture when cooked.
Unripe ackee contains high-level amounts of a toxin, hypoglycin A. Exposure to this toxin can result in vomiting, hypoglycemia, weakness, coma, and even death. Once the fruit fully ripens, the level of hypoglycin A toxin diminishes to negligible levels. However, the rind and seeds still have high levels of this toxin and should not be eaten. The FDA monitors canned and frozen ackee. Approved suppliers are put on a Green List of importers allowed to ship canned and frozen ackee to the United States.
It's reminiscent of an avocado, another fruit high in healthy plant fats, but with a soft, subtle, savory, and nutty flavor. Ackee has a creamy texture and takes on the flavors of the seasonings and other ingredients it is cooked with. It looks like scrambled eggs on the plate. Check out this taste test conducted by a writer for The Paris Review.
Ackee is rich in omega-six fatty acids, a healthy plant fat. Ackee also contains niacin, Vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, protein, and fiber.
We hope you love this vegan ackee recipe. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see our creation!
Vegan Ackee
Ingredients
Ackee
- 1 ackee (in the can)
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 scallions chopped
- ¼ to ½ scotch bonnet pepper seed removed or ½ to 1 teaspoon of scotch bonnet pepper sauce
- ¾ cup low sodium vegetable broth divided
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 stalks of fresh thyme stems removed
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ to ½ avocado optional
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
Plantain
- 1 plantain peeled and sliced
Spinach
- 2 Tbsp vegetable broth or water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound fresh spinach 2 large bunches
Instructions
Ackee
- Open the ackee can and pour it into a strainer. Lightly rinse for a few seconds with water and let drain.
- Pour ¼ cup of vegetable broth into the pan to sauté onions, garlic, and thyme until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the tomato, sweet peppers, scotch bonnet, scallions and cook for about 3-4 minutes; add more vegetable broth as needed.
- Add ackee to the pan and add a little more veggie broth to give it a little moisture.
- Stir the ackee VERY GENTLY, may only with about a few stirs.
- Turn down the pot to low and let simmer for about 5 minutes with minimal stirring; add a little veggie broth if getting dry.
- Remove from stove, sprinkle with black pepper and salt (optional) to taste.
Quinoa
- In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed by the quinoa (about 15 minutes). Turn off heat, let sit it for 2 to 3 minutes, and fluff with a fork.
Spinach
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and 2 tablespoons vegetable broth or water to keep the garlic from sticking to the pan—cook for a minute. Add fresh spinach, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Notes
EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Can opener
- Strainer
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Saute pan
- Medium pot with lid
Carter Bengal says
Absolutely loved this .
Gigi & Sersie says
Thanks Carter! We're so glad you love it. 🙂 So healthy too.
Judy says
This was the first time I tried ackee and it was delicious! I'm ordering some more cans to make it again. I love the plantains with it as well as the spinach. I did, however, use brown rice instead of quinoa. The scotch bonnet sauce had a great kick and plan to use it on some other recipes. Thanks for this!
Karen says
Thanks for the recipe ladies. Believe it or not I have never used Scotch bonnet pepper in my Ackee before. Used it this morning for my Sunday breakfast and it was so aromatic and delicious. Next time I will post a pic of my plate. Keep those recipes coming ladies.
Gigi & Sersie says
Thanks Karen! We're so glad you enjoyed the Ackee and the Scotch bonnet pepper too. Yum!