Mexican Black Beans and Rice Recipe
When you need a simple, hearty, and delicious side dish for taco night, this black beans and rice recipe is the answer. With a combination of fluffy brown rice, hearty black beans, and plenty of melty cheese, this casserole brings the bold flavors of Tex-Mex right to your table.
I developed this recipe years ago to give myself a healthy vegetarian option for when I want to go meatless, but that my whole family would enjoy. Plus, it's easy to make, budget-friendly, and packed with protein and fiber.
And the result? Well, let's just say that leftovers are never a problem!
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Absolutely delicious! The whole family has been learning to be healthier cooks during the pandemic and this dish is not only tasty, but because it is brown rice, you really stay full a lot longer! Thank you so much for this recipe!
- Meg
Ingredients for Rice and Black Beans
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Salsa
- Corn (I use frozen)
- Taco seasoning
- Cumin
- Salt
- Shredded cheese
How to make Rice and Beans
How to cook brown rice
I know that sometimes cooking rice can seem intimidating. If you don't get it just right, you can end up with a burned and/or gooey mess sticking to the bottom of your pot. Well, a long time ago, my mother taught me a super shortcut for cooking rice that I have been using for over 30 years. It does not require a rice cooker or any special measuring. The trick is to basically cook the rice just like pasta-boil it in water and drain when done. When my mother taught me this, I was using white rice, so it needed to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Brown rice takes longer, so be prepared to cook it for 35 minutes. Of course, if you already have a tried and true method to make your rice, by all means use it!
Mix together and bake
Once you have the rice cooked, this dish comes together very quickly, and then bakes in the oven, which gives you time to whip up a(nother) batch of margaritas.
First, mix all ingredients together and place in a casserole dish. I mix them right in the casserole dish, less cleanup!
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Reserve ¼ cup of the cheese to sprinkle on top, then cover and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375°F.
Remove the casserole from the oven, it should be hot all the way through with bubbly edges. It's ready to serve right away.
Brown Rice and Bean Bake makes the perfect side for your Tex-Mex favorites! I recently made this with some fajita stuffed chicken and it made a wonderful and satisfying meal!
And if you love the rice and beans combination, you might want to try costa rican casado for another delicious meal idea!
Rice and Black Beans Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan: this recipe is vegetarian as-is, but if you use a cheese substitute you can make it vegan friendly.
- Spice it up: use a spicier salsa to increase the heat in this casserole, plus you could also add a small can of diced chilis or jalapenos(drained). Think of all the fun possibilities!
- Swap the beans: if you don't have any black beans, you can use a can of pinto or kidney beans instead.
- Up the protein: if keeping it vegetarian isn't important, feel free to add in some meat for another layer of flavor. Taco meat or salsa chicken would both be excellent choices.
- Make it cheesy - yes, it's already cheesy but just in case you love cheese as much as I do, I don't think it'll hurt a thing to add a little extra if you're in the mood!
Tips for making Brown Rice and Beans
Be sure to drain the black beans and rinse well to get rid of excess salt. I try to buy low sodium beans when I can.
How to serve Mexican Black Beans and Rice
- Serve this as a side for a traditional "taco night" meal. Some might want to use it as a filling for their corn tortillas - yum!
- I love it with a green salad and sliced avocado. It's very satisfying and full of nutrition!
- Try serving with some guacamole or pico de gallo to round out the flavors on your plate.
Storing Rice and Black Beans
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. This casserole reheats quickly in the microwave, and makes a great lunch for the workweek!
📖 Recipe
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Brown Rice and Beans Bake
Video
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- ¾ c rice, brown, long grained about 2 c cooked
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, dry
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
- ¾ c salsa
- 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
- ¾ c corn I use frozen
- 1 c cheese, shredded, cheddar or 4-cheese Mexican
Instructions
- If you have leftover brown rice from another meal, feel free to use it here!
- Otherwise, cook the rice first by filling a large pot with water. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, bring back to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium, to keep the water simmering. Cook for 35 minutes, and then drain the rice in a colander, but do not rinse.¾ c rice, brown, long grained, 1 teaspoon salt
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a two- to three-quart casserole dish, combine the cooked rice with the beans, salsa, corn and seasonings, plus ¾ cup of the shredded cheese. Use the rest of the cheese to sprinkle over the top of the dish. Cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.1 teaspoon taco seasoning, dry, ¼ - ½ teaspoon cumin, ground, ¾ c salsa, 1 can black beans, ¾ c corn, 1 c cheese, shredded, cheddar or 4-cheese Mexican
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Leftovers are not a problem! In fact, you might want to save a little to make a Stuffed Sweet Potato.
Meg
Absolutely delicious! The whole family has been learning to be healthier cooks during the pandemic and this dish in not only tasty, but because it is brown rice, you really stay full a lot longer! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I would like to ask about your (and your mum's) method for cooking brown rice like pasta. Do I treble the water and cook for the 35 minutes? I love this idea as brown rice can be either somewhat crunchy or mushy so you directions would be much appreciated.
Stay safe in these historic times!
Sula
Hi Meg, thanks for stopping by! I'm so glad you like the recipe. As for cooking brown rice, I don't measure the water. Just make sure it's enough that there's still some left to drain when the time is up. So for a cup of rice I'll usually use a 3 quart saucepan and mostly fill it with water, get that boiling, then add the rice and start the timer. If you're picky about your texture, you might need to try it with a couple different times to get it just perfect. For me, not having to scrape burned rice from the bottom of a pot is reward enough! LOL
Enjoy!
Jenaleigh | Naughty Kitchen
Every time I go on your site to look at your recipes, you make me hungry LOL.
Sula
LOL thank you
Big Trouble
I LOVE this recipe because it is so easy to make and can be dressed up in many ways (sour cream, salsa, cilantro, corn, etc.)!
Sula
Agreed - you can never go wrong with sour cream and salsa!
Texasgirl
Love the tip on cooking rice! I think this will be on my menu soon
Vincit Omnia
This is your best yet!
Sula
Thank you!