Easy Tomato Rice and Beans on the Stove Top
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An easy, flavorful one-pot dish, Tomato Rice and Beans is a delicious side dish to tacos or grilled chicken, as a filling for burritos and quesadillas, or as a main dish. This simple recipe, made with black beans and canned tomatoes, is also naturally vegetarian and vegan.
I used to buy boxes of Mexican Rice or Spanish rice, always to be disappointed. It never tasted as good as what I could get at a Mexican restaurant and was full of shelf-stabilizing ingredients I couldn’t pronounce.
So I went through my pantry, and found that staple ingredients like rice, canned beans and canned tomatoes could join together to make something better than those boxed rice mixes.
This tomato rice and beans recipe skips the instant pot or other pressure cooker options in favor of the stove top and a good pot. It comes together in 30 minutes, making it one of my favorite easy solutions for dinner on a busy night.
I love combining this dish with my easy bean dip and serving both as a side dish to these pineapple pork tacos. The tacos are made in the slow cooker, so dinner comes together really easily.
Tomato Rice and Beans also makes a large quantity using low cost ingredients, so it’s also a great way to stretch your grocery budget.
This recipe is also good for meal prep, as it freezes well (see my notes below) and can be quickly thawed out for any time you need a delicious side dish or quick meal.
Ingredients
- Long-grain white rice or brown rice – My family prefers white rice in this recipe, but it’s been tested with brown rice and that works as well.
- Canned, diced tomatoes – I like petite diced tomatoes in this recipe because it gives me smaller pieces of tomato in the dish.
- Canned black beans – Regular or low sodium works. Feel free to substitute pinto for black beans if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.
- Cilantro – I love the flavor of cilantro and what it brings to this recipe. If you think cilantro tastes like soap, just leave it out!
- An onion – I use yellow onions because that’s what I keep on hand, but white onion or Spanish onion works too.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt – Pantry staple spices that pack a lot of flavor. Adjust the salt to taste or leave it out for lower sodium.
- Olive oil – Whatever type of olive oil that you have on hand will work. You can substitute avocado oil or grape seed oil if you prefer.
How to Make Tomato Rice and Beans
Drain all liquid from the can of tomatoes into a measuring cup. Add enough water to yield 2 cups of liquid. Pour the liquid into a medium pot. Add spices and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add rice. Stir to combine. Let mixture return to a boil, then reduce heat until the liquid is just simmering. Cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed into the rice.
While rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a high sided, large skillet over medium heat. Add onion.
Add garlic and cook until the onion is translucent. Reduce heat to low and add the black beans and tomatoes to the pan.
Warm the beans and tomatoes through. Remove skillet from heat. Once rice is cooked, fluff the rice and add it to the skillet with the bean mixture.
Stir everything together to combine. Fold in the cilantro, if using. Serve warm.
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Tomato Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 15 oz diced tomatoes, canned
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt, can reduce to 0.5 tsp if desired
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 15 oz black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Drain all liquid from the can of tomatoes into a measuring cup. Add enough water or low sodium broth to yield 2 cups of liquid.15 oz diced tomatoes
- Pour into a small pot.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine.1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt
- Bring to a boil. Add rice. Stir to combine.1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- Let mixture return to a boil, then reduce heat until the liquid is just simmering.
- Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed into the rice.
- While rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large, high sided skillet over medium heat.1 Tbsp olive oil
- Add onion, cook 2-3 minutes.1 small onion
- Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.2 cloves garlic
- Reduce heat to low and add the black beans and tomatoes to the pan.15 oz black beans, canned
- Warm the beans and tomatoes through.
- Remove skillet from heat and wait for the rice to finish cooking.
- Once rice is cooked, fluff the rice with a fork before adding it to the skillet with the beans, tomatoes, garlic and onions.
- Stir everything together to combine. Fold in the cilantro.¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- Serve warm.
Recipe Tips
Be sure to use cooked black beans. Because this is a quick, stove top recipe, you need black beans that are already cooked – either store-bought canned beans or homemade black beans that have been soaked and cooked ahead of time. Do not use dry black beans in this recipe.
Add on the toppings. I love adding shredded cheese, diced green pepper or red bell pepper, and a big dollop of sour cream when serving Tomato Rice and Beans, especially if I’m using it as an easy dinner on a busy weeknight. Add some homemade tortilla chips or warm tortillas on the side for a delicious main course.
Up the veggie factor. Stir in up to 1 cup of cooked sweet corn (or thawed, frozen corn) when adding in the black beans.
Add in some meat. You can serve this recipe as a side dish to grilled chicken or stir in some cooked, shredded chicken, turkey, or seasoned ground beef at the end of the recipe to add more protein to the dish.
Adjust the salt to taste. You can leave the salt out completely, or reduce the amount down to your taste preference or dietary needs.
Can I Freeze Tomato Rice and Beans?
Yes! This recipe makes a large amount and freezes great! Make it completely – including the cilantro – and let it cool slightly. I freeze 1 ½ – 2 cup portions in ziptop bags, with the rice pressed down flat. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour in a sink of cold water, if you’re in a hurry. Reheat in the microwave.
What to Serve with Tomato Rice and Beans
Two of my favorite recipes to serve tomato rice and beans alongside are my avocado corn salsa and 5 minute bean dip.
Cocktails Pairings for Tomato Rice and Beans
A refreshing tequila cocktail pairs well with tomato rice and beans. Try a classic Ranch Water or my Paloma for a delicious grapefruit cocktail. Or shake up an elderflower margarita or spicy pineapple margarita for a delicious twist on a classic cocktail.
Could leftovers be frozen?
Yes! I do this often. I freeze the leftovers in ziptop bags with as much air squeezed out as possible. Thaw in overnight in the fridge or place the bag in a bowl of cold water for an hour or two. Reheat in a pot on the stove. The texture of the rice can change when it’s frozen, so if it’s too dry just add a tablespoon or two of water once you reheat it.
The recipe was easy to follow, fairly quick to make, and really good. I substituted Quinoa for the rice and added a little ground beef. It was a tasty filling meal.
Those substitutions sound delicious! So glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
OMG….So easy and FULL OF FLAVOR!! Topped off a bowl with sour cream and shredded cheese. I WILL be making this again 🙌🏻
Yay!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
I just made this and it’s great, but does not need 1 tsp of salt in with the rice. Next time I’ll back off to 1/2 tsp if that- if using broth can probably skip it altogether!
Glad you liked the recipe. And yes, always adjust the salt to taste!