Easy Skillet Beans & Rice
Looking for a budget-friendly side dish that doesn’t skimp on nutrition? Easy Skillet Beans & Rice is a timeless, cross-cultural favorite that creates a complete plant-based protein in a single dish. This quick and healthy recipe is an ideal option for weekly meal prepping, high-protein lunches, or a versatile side dish to pair with grilled chicken, pork chops, or steak. Beyond its impressive health benefits, this affordable dinner relies on simple, pantry staples you likely already have on hand. Master this simple skillet beans and rice recipe to upgrade your routine with an effortless weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
If you want to make this recipe even more health conscious – you can use brown rice in place of the jasmine rice. With the method of preparation that is used here, you cannot really tell that it is brown rice. Personally, I enjoy brown rice, so it’s not a “hiding it” thing for my family. But I know some people do not like the more earthy taste you get from it. But brown rice really does have some great benefits, nutritionally, over common white rices. Brown rice still has all three parts of the rice grain – making it a whole grain. Which means you are getting a great source of fiber, vitamins and lower glycemic index.
Substitutes and Variations:
As I mentioned above, you can use brown rice in place of the jasmine rice. You can also swap out the small red beans with another small bean – like the small white beans also called navy beans. If you want to make this go to the Italian realm you could swap the cumin for basil and use Mediterranean oregano.
Suggestions for Sides:
Again, as I mentioned above, this is great as a side to grilled meats. Another excellent addition to this beans & rice dish would be diced up smoked or andouille sausage that you just pan fry and then mix in when you are fluffing up the rice. To really round out the meal I would suggest some bettered corn or green beans.
Tools that may make this recipe easier:
There really isn’t any special tools for this particular recipe. You will need a 12″ skillet with a lid. A good flat wooden spatula is best for making this recipe successfully.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Easy Skillet Beans & Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Oil avocado or olive
- ½ Yellow Onion minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1½ cup Jasmine Rice or long grain rice
- 2 15oz can Small Red Beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups Broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican Oregano
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, onion and garlic. Saute for a few minutes then add rice and continue to saute for another 5 minutes.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the broth, seasoning and cornstarch.
- Reduce heat in pan to medium and add broth mixture and rinsed beans. Stir to combine. Rice should be fully submerged in liquid. Add water, if necessary. Cover pan and let cook for 20 minutes.
- Fluff rice before serving.
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Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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This dish sounds delicious!