Rice & Beans
Submitted by wbga
One-pot rice and black beans with garlic, carrots, thyme, and allspice simmered in stock. Low-fat, filling, and topped with cool yogurt and fresh parsley.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minA one-pot rice and black bean dinner that’s low-fat but still has real backbone. The rice toasts briefly with garlic, carrots, onion, thyme, and a pinch of allspice before the stock goes in, building a flavor base that plain boiled rice never delivers.
The allspice is a subtle Caribbean touch that lifts the whole dish. Just a pinch warms up the background without competing with the thyme and garlic. Black beans and diced green pepper go in near the end so the beans heat through without getting mushy and the pepper stays tender-crisp with a little snap.
A cool dollop of plain yogurt on top balances the warmth and adds a creamy contrast. Fresh parsley brightens things up at the finish.
Pro Tips
- Toast the rice with the aromatics for a full minute before adding liquid. This gives the grains a nutty flavor and helps them stay separate.
- Keep the lid on during simmering. Lifting it releases steam and leads to unevenly cooked rice.
- Drain and rinse the canned black beans well. Skipping this step makes the finished dish starchy and murky.
- The hot pepper sauce is mild at ¼ teaspoon. Adjust to your heat tolerance or pass extra at the table.
Variations
- Caribbean style: Add ½ cup coconut milk in place of some stock and use scotch bonnet pepper instead of hot sauce.
- With meat: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or diced smoked sausage with the beans.
- Grain swap: Use brown rice (increase cook time to 40 minutes and add ¼ cup more stock) for extra fiber and chew.
Ingredients
Directions
In non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic, carrots, onion, thyme and allspice for about 5 minutes or until onion is softened.
Stir in rice for 1 minute.
Stir in stock and hot pepper sauce; bring to boil.
Reduce heat to simmer; cook, covered for 20 minutes or until liquid is almost all absorbed.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse beans.
Stir into rice mixture along with green pepper; cook, covered, for 7 minutes or until beans are heated through and green pepper is tender-crisp.
Serve with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle parsley over top.
Comments
