Black Beans & Rice Recipe | Mexican Rice | Spanish Rice Recipe
This Black Beans & Rice recipe is a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish combining tender black beans with fragrant jasmine rice, spiced with cumin, garlic, and fresh jalapeno, finished with a hint of heat from cayenne and hot sauce. Perfect as a wholesome vegetarian meal or a hearty side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 4 hours soaking time for dried beans)
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (plus soaking time if using dried beans)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Beans
- 1 can Black beans (or ½ cup dried beans)
Rice
- 1 cup Jasmine rice (or basmati rice)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil or butter, divided
- Salt, to taste
- 1 ½ cups Water
Seasonings & Vegetables
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium Tomato, chopped
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Cayenne powder or Red chile powder (optional)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Hot sauce, adjust to taste
- 1 Jalapeno, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup Cilantro or Coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the black beans: If using dried black beans, soak ½ cup in water for 4 hours or overnight and drain. Add the soaked beans with 2 cups of water into a pressure cooker and cook until two whistles if using an Indian cooker, or pressure cook on HIGH in an Instant Pot for 20 to 25 minutes depending on desired firmness. Allow the pressure to release naturally before using the beans.
- Cook the rice: In a pan over medium to low heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil or butter. Add 1 cup of jasmine rice and sauté until the rice develops some color and gives off a nutty aroma. Add 1 ½ cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked through. Set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, chopped onion, and garlic cloves. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Add tomatoes and spices: Add the chopped tomato and cayenne powder to the pan and cook until the tomato softens and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Incorporate heat and seasoning: Stir in the hot sauce, salt to taste, and chopped jalapeno if using. Mix well to combine all the flavors.
- Combine rice, beans, and herbs: Add the cooked rice, black beans, and chopped cilantro to the pan. Gently mix everything together and heat through until evenly warm.
Notes
- If you prefer to avoid pressure cooking, soaked beans can be boiled on the stovetop for 1 to 1.5 hours until tender, though this will increase cooking time.
- Adjust the cayenne and hot sauce levels according to your preferred spice level.
- Fresh jalapeno adds extra heat and texture but can be omitted for a milder dish.
- For additional flavor, you may substitute vegetable broth for water when cooking the rice.
- This recipe is naturally vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by using olive oil instead of butter.
Keywords: black beans, rice, Mexican rice, Spanish rice, vegetarian, spicy rice, cumin, jalapeno, cilantro
