Black Beans and Rice
on Jun 04, 2024, Updated Feb 27, 2025
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Black beans and rice is a simple side dish to serve with your next southwest or Mexican inspired meal! It’s flavored with onion, garlic, cumin, cilantro, and lime juice and ready to eat in 30 minutes.
Looking for a main dish recipe that uses black beans and rice? Make this popular southwest sweet potato, black bean and rice skillet.
Why you’ll love it
One pot recipe – The great thing about this rice and beans side dish, besides how good it tastes, is that it’s all made in one pot. I’m all for quick and easy clean-up and I’m sure you are too.
Ready to eat in 30 minutes – The prep for this recipe only takes about 5 minutes, while the rest of the time it will be cooking. While the rice and beans cook, it’s the perfect amount of time to grill or cook your favorite protein to serve with them. Try serving them with these grilled chicken fajita skewers.
Versatile – Not only is this a great side dish, but you could also add in chicken, ground beef or ground turkey and turn it into a complete meal. If you want to keep it vegetarian, sauté some zucchini, tomatoes, and corn to mix in and then use it as a filling for tacos.
The ingredients
- Onion and garlic – The aromatics that give the rice lots of flavor.
- Rice – I like to use Jasmine rice for this recipe, but Basmati and long grain white rice work well too.
- Ground cumin – Cumin adds a delicious earthy and slightly citrusy flavor to the beans and rice.
- Salt – Fine sea salt or kosher salt are my recommendations.
- Chicken broth – Low sodium broth should be used. Swap chicken broth with vegetable broth to make it vegetarian/vegan.
- Lime – Squeeze fresh juice from a lime for the best flavor.
- Black beans – Be sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the cooked rice.
- Cilantro – A fresh and flavorful herb used frequently in Mexican cooking.
How to make black beans and rice
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Add olive oil to a large saucepan. Add in the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, cumin, and rice and sauté for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the chicken broth, stir, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer and cook the rice for 15 minutes or until it’s tender. Turn off the heat.
Stir in the beans and cilantro and then cover with the lid again and it steam for another 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, taste for seasoning, and serve.
Optional add-ins
- When you saute the onion, add in a diced red bell pepper so a hint of sweetness.
- Add 1-2 bay leaves in when you pour in the broth. Remove them once the rice is cooked.
- Green chiles and corn. Stir them in at the same time you add the beans.
- Stir in 1 chopped chipotle chile and a couple teaspoons of the adobo sauce when you add in the beans.
- Jalapeño or pickled jalapeñosh can be added in when you saute the onion for a spicy kick.
- Cheese such as cotija, queso fresco, or cheddar can be stirred in after the rice is cooked or sprinkled on top.
What to Serve with Black Beans and Rice
Black beans and rice is a great side dish to serve alongside and Mexican or southwest inspired meal. It’s also an easy side dish to make with any grilled protein. Here are some of my favorite recipes to serve it with.
Storage and reheating
Storage – Black beans and rice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating – You can either reheat the leftover in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove top.
Freezing – Black beans and rice can be frozen! Let them cool completely and then store them in the freezer in a freezer bag or other airtight container for 2-3 months.
Can brown rice be used?
Yes. If you are using brown rice adjust the amount of chicken broth and the cooking time to what is listed on the back of the package of rice.
Can I Use Dry Black Beans?
Yes, but you will need to plan on cooking the beans ahead of time. Dry black beans need to be soaked overnight. Plan on them taking 1-2 hours to cook and if they aren’t fresh, longer.
More delicious side dishes
If you’re sticking with southwest flavors, try this Southwestern Bean Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salsa Salad, and Tomato Corn Pasta Salad. They’re great to serve anytime of year, but I especially love them for summer barbecues.
These popular Balsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and this gluten-free Wild Rice Stuffing are perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.
Need a new way to prepare cauliflower? Try this crispy Parmesan Pesto Roasted Cauliflower!
Did you make this black beans and rice? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Black Beans and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 cup uncooked Jasmine rice, or other long grain white rice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher or sea salt
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Juice of a lime
- 15 ounce can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a skillet or pot that has a lid. Heat over medium-high heat and then add in the onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then add in the garlic, cumin, salt, and rice. Sauté another 30 seconds and then pour in the chicken broth.
- Bring it to a boil, stir, cover with the lid, and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the black beans and cilantro. Cover again with the lid and let it steam for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze the lime juice into the rice and beans and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
