Yes, you can reheat jambalaya, once. Refrigerate it within an hour or so of cooking, eat it within a day, and reheat it until it’s steaming hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C). A splash of stock keeps the rice from drying out.
Why it needs a bit of care
Jambalaya is mostly rice, and rice is the leftover to be most careful with. Uncooked rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking. If the cooked rice sits warm, they grow and produce toxins that reheating doesn’t destroy. UK food safety guidance says to keep cooked rice in the fridge no more than one day and to never reheat it more than once. Can You Reheat Rice Twice? has the details.
If your jambalaya has shrimp, that’s another reason to eat it soon. Shrimp gets rubbery with every reheat.
How to store it
- Don’t leave the pot on the stove to cool.
- Spread the leftovers in shallow containers so they cool fast, then refrigerate them within about an hour.
- Eat them the next day.
How to reheat it
On the stove (best):
- Put it in a pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of stock or water per portion.
- Cover and heat it over medium-low for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Uncover it for the last minute. Make sure the sausage and chicken are steaming hot in the middle.
In the microwave: sprinkle it with water, cover it loosely and heat it in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until it’s steaming throughout.
In the oven (for a crowd): put it in a dish with a splash of stock, cover it tightly with foil, and heat it at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Reheat only what you’ll eat, and throw away anything left on the plate.
Can you freeze jambalaya?
Yes. Freeze it in portions within an hour of cooking. It’s best frozen before adding shrimp, which you can cook fresh when reheating. Reheat it from frozen or thaw it in the fridge, and eat it right away.
Sources: GOV.UK, Home food fact checker (rice section); USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety.