Jewelled Rice & Black Beans

You’re going to love this satisfying vegetarian rice and black beans dish! Indian influenced spices turn fragrant basmati rice, onions, peppers and black beans into a warm bowl of deliciousness.

A rice and black bean dish with a subtle Indian influence made with fragrant basmati rice that turns a beautiful golden-orange colour when turmeric and other spices are added. Protein-rich black beans add important nutrients while the red and green bell peppers pop out like colourful jewels. A sprinkle of fresh green cilantro completes this warm bowl of deliciousness.

How this recipe came to be

I dreamt up this recipe a while back. Bored with the typical plain rice dishes I was serving I knew there could be so many other creative ways to serve rice. That’s when I decided to experiment and threw together onions, garlic, rice, beans, spices and added some red and green peppers and cilantro. The end result was this beautiful dish full of rich and aromatic spices which my family loved. I served the rice as a side dish, but it’s also hearty enough to serve as a one-pot vegetarian main meal which works well in our family since one of my daughters is a vegetarian. I can feel good knowing she will have a complete meal. It’s no wonder this recipe became a keeper and a popular go to one for our family!

I called my new recipe Rice & Black Beans. That seemed boring since this distinctly special dish looks like it’s studded with jewels. That’s when I decided to add “Jewelled” to the name.

Quick, easy & vegetarian

Easy and quick to prepare, this recipe is super versatile. It makes an ideal main dish meal for a vegetarian providing a long-lasting source of energy, or a perfect side dish for a crowd that’s that can be served with many types of meals. Whichever way – it’s filled with flavour!

Not only is it a satisfying and filling dish bursting with beautiful colour, but it’s also extremely healthy, low fat, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan! It’s the kind of recipe that appeals to everyone for so many reasons. You may find yourself keeping the kitchen stocked with rice, canned black beans, and spices so you can make this rice dish all the time!

This recipe makes a generous amount serving 8 or more as a side dish or 4 or more as a main course. Leftovers are ideal for lunch the next day or save them for another dinner and wrap them up in a soft tortilla with some cheese and make a burrito. Just saying!

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Jewelled Rice & Black Beans

A side dish with basmati rice aromatic spices, black beans, red and green bell peppers. It’s a one-pot vegetarian dish that will provide a long-lasting source of energy.

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

• ¾ cup basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ cups diced onion (about 1 medium)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 540mL tin black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook the rice in a medium saucepan. Add it to 1 ½ cups of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and reduce heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 13 - 15 minutes. Keep rice covered and warm.

2. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a large 12” skillet. Add onions, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, and turmeric, stir to combine and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add red and green peppers and cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 2 minutes.

3. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and fold it into the skillet with sautéed onions and peppers. Reduce heat to low and stir until rice is combined and evenly turns a golden-yellow colour. Add black beans and ¼ cup water, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine well.

4. Cook over low heat until the black beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro.