Description
Spanish Rice And Beans is a hearty one-pot meal made with fluffy rice, kidney beans, salsa, and smoky spices. This easy recipe delivers bold flavor with simple pantry ingredients and is perfect for busy weeknight dinners, meal prep, or a comforting plant-based meal.
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil (or vegetable broth for oil-free cooking)
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups white rice, uncooked
1 ¼ cups vegetable broth (more depending on rice variety)
1 ¼ cups salsa
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup green olives, halved (optional)
Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
Add the rice to a bowl with cold or lukewarm water and let it soak for at least 10 minutes (30 minutes if possible). Drain the water and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and chopped red bell pepper. Sauté for about 3 minutes until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, sweet paprika, oregano, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the soaked rice, salsa, and vegetable broth to the skillet. Stir gently and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Do not lift the lid or stir while the rice cooks.
Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Stir in the kidney beans and optional green olives.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve warm.
Notes
If using brown rice, increase cooking time to about 35–40 minutes and add extra broth if needed.
Use your favorite salsa for the best flavor. Mild, medium, or spicy all work well.
For extra brightness, squeeze fresh lime juice over the dish before serving.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: One-Pot / Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish / Latin Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (¼ recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg