West African Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Thieboudienne
Senegal's national dish — fish and vegetables nestled into tomato-stained broken rice, slow-cooked in one pot until every grain absorbs the sea-kissed, spiced broth.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Prepare the Rof (Marinade): Blend parsley, garlic, half an onion, and a scotch bonnet. Stuff this mixture into deep slits cut into the fish steaks. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- 2
Fry the Fish: Heat the peanut oil in a large heavy pot. Sear the fish steaks until golden brown on both sides. Remove the fish and set aside.
- 3
Build the Sauce: In the same oil, sauté the remaining chopped onions. Add the tomato paste and fry for 5-7 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil.
- 4
Cook Vegetables and Fish: Add the peeled, whole vegetables (cabbage, carrots, eggplant, cassava) and return the fish to the pot. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the fish and vegetables so they don't break apart; set aside.
- 5
Cook the Rice: Wash the broken rice thoroughly. Stir the rice into the remaining flavorful broth (adjust liquid level if needed). Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 40 minutes. Serve the rice topped with the arranged vegetables and fish.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
55/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving1085
Calories
13 g
Protein
134 g
Carbs
56 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Thieboudienne, often shortened to ceebu jen, is the national dish of Senegal and the ancestor of jollof rice, a one-pot of fish, rice, and vegetables simmered in a rich tomato base. Its name literally means rice and fish in Wolof, and it was developed in the coastal city of Saint-Louis. The dish is built around stuffed fish, a deeply reduced tomato sauce, and rice cooked in that liquid until it gains a prized toasted bottom layer called xoon.
Listahan note
This version stuffs the fish with an herb paste (rof) and cooks the rice in the strained fish-and-tomato broth so every grain is loaded with flavor. It leans into the full vegetable medley that defines an authentic ceebu jen.
Technique cues
- Stuff the fish with the parsley-garlic-pepper rof and brown it first, since that herb paste and the seared fish flavor the whole pot.
- Cook the vegetables in the tomato broth and remove them before the rice goes in so they stay intact rather than disintegrating.
- Cook the rice in the reduced, strained broth and let the bottom toast undisturbed to develop the prized xoon layer.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Pound the rof and cut all the vegetables while the tomato base fries down, so each component is ready to go into the pot in order.
- Make-ahead
- Make the rof paste and chop the vegetables a day ahead so the long one-pot assembly moves quickly on serving day.
- Leftover move
- Flake leftover fish and stir into the rice with a little broth for a quick reheated bowl the next day.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the heavy pot right after serving so the toasted xoon layer lifts off easily instead of baking on.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
firm white fish
the protein centerpiece
Purpose: Whole or thick-cut firm fish stands up to the long simmer and carries the herb stuffing that flavors the dish.
Handling: Slit and stuff with the rof paste, then brown before adding to the broth.
Adaptation: Grouper, snapper, or cod steaks; the dish is fish-forward by definition (note seafood allergen).
broken or long-grain rice
the base grain
Purpose: Broken rice is traditional and soaks up the tomato-fish broth while forming the toasted bottom layer.
Handling: Rinse and cook in the strained, seasoned broth until tender with a crust beneath.
Adaptation: Long-grain or parboiled rice if broken rice is unavailable.
tomato paste and fresh tomato
the rich base
Purpose: Concentrated tomato fried into the oil builds the deep red, savory broth that defines the dish.
Handling: Fry the paste until it darkens, then add fresh tomato and the fish liquid.
Adaptation: Canned crushed tomatoes plus extra paste for body.
rof (parsley, garlic, scotch bonnet paste)
the herb stuffing
Purpose: This pounded green paste stuffed into the fish gives ceebu jen its signature herbal, garlicky aroma.
Handling: Pound parsley, garlic, scotch bonnet, and seasoning into a paste and pack into the fish.
Adaptation: Cilantro can join or replace some parsley for a different herb note.
assorted vegetables (cassava, carrot, cabbage, eggplant)
the vegetable medley
Purpose: A generous mix of root and garden vegetables simmered in the broth is essential to an authentic plate.
Handling: Cook in the broth until just tender, then remove and reserve to top the rice.
Adaptation: Use what is in season; sweet potato, turnip, or okra all fit the spirit.
tamarind or lime
souring note
Purpose: A touch of tamarind brightens the rich tomato base and balances the dish.
Handling: Stir tamarind pulp into the broth or finish with a squeeze of lime.
Adaptation: Lime juice if tamarind is unavailable.
Technique notes
- Strain the broth before cooking the rice so the grains cook clean and evenly without stray solids burning.
- Resist stirring the rice as it cooks so the bottom forms the crisp xoon layer prized in Senegal.
- Arrange the fish and vegetables over the rice at the end for the traditional communal presentation on one platter.
Ingredient swaps
- Seafood-free direction
- Build the broth with a robust vegetable or chicken stock and use chicken or extra vegetables in place of fish for those avoiding seafood.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use fish fillets instead of whole stuffed fish and a quick blended tomato base to shorten the build.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use unsalted stock and season with the rof and tamarind, going light on bouillon.
Serve alongside
- extra simmered cassava and carrot
- a fresh onion and lime relish
- fried plantain
- a simple green salad
- chilled bissap (hibiscus) juice
- ginger juice (gnamakoudji)
- cold lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to three days, keeping fish and rice together. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the rice. The rice and broth freeze for up to two months, though cooked fish is best eaten fresh.
Equipment
- large heavy pot or Dutch oven
- mortar and pestle or small blender for the rof
- fine strainer for the broth
- wide platter for serving
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