This recipe for easy black beans and rice is one you want to bring to every taco or burrito night. But this recipe is so tasty you can eat it by itself too!
I took a bit of a break from cooking because I was feeling uninspired, though, I had one night where I found enough energy for a burrito night. I wanted rice and I wanted beans but I didn’t want to make two separate dishes, so I made black beans and rice.
You could eat these black beans and rice in burritos or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken, steak, or served in quesadillas.
I served my black beans and rice alongside a spread of ground chicken, charred bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, guacamole, and charred flour tortillas. It was so delicious! The best part is that you only need one pot and you can get almost everything finished while the black beans and rice cook on the stove.
How to make black beans and rice:
The great thing about this recipe is you only need a few ingredients for big flavor.
- Butter or oil
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic
- Cumin, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne powder
- Rice
- Canned black beans
- Water or vegetable stock
First, sauté the aromatics. Start with the onion and once it softens, add the minced garlic. Next, add the spices and let them sizzle for 1 minute.
After the spices bloom, add the rice and cook for 1 minute. Next, add the black beans. Finally, pour in the water or stock and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. After the rice sits for 5 minutes, I like to add minced scallions on top and cover the pot again. The residual steam cooks them slightly without losing their color and it adds a nice aroma to the dish.
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, please tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Easy Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne more or less to taste
- 1 cup white rice
- 14.5- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2¼ cup water or vegetable stock
- 2 scallions trimmed and minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the aromatics:
- Melt the butter into a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Once bubbly, add the diced onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until it just softens.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Bloom the spices:
- Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne and cook, stirring into the aromatics, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Toast the rice:
- Add the white rice and cook for 1 minute. Add the black beans and toss to coat.
Simmer the rice:
- Pour in the water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil—season with salt. Reduce heat to low and stir the black beans and rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand for 5 minutes.
Finish the black beans and rice:
- Remove the cover from the pot and add the minced scallions. Cover once more and let stand for 5 minutes to steam the scallions.
To serve:
- Serve the black beans and rice with burritos or alongside your favorite grilled or roasted protein. Enjoy!
Delicious and easy. Flavorful, spicy, and the directions cooked it perfectly. I didn’t have scallions, I will be sure to grab some for next time. I’m sure the freshness can only elevate the dish. I have recently been trying different black bean and rice recipes, this is my favorite so far and will be returning to it.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!