This Mexican rice with black beans is flavor-packed, easy to make, and works great as either a main or side dish! It all comes together in one pot in about 35 minutes.
Rice and beans is one of my absolute favorite easy meals. For something so simple, it can be SO GOOD! It’s flavorful, satisfying, and super versatilie.
I have many versions or rice and beans that I cook up in my kitchen on a regular basis, and I’ve shared a few of them on this site, including my Cuban rice and beans, spicy vegan jambalaya, and of course my one-pot Spanish rice and beans.
The latter in particular has become a real reader favorite around here, so I decided to share something similar, but this time it’s Mexican rice and black beans. You’ll find the seasoning blend to be a bit different, and whereas the Spanish rice includes olives, this Mexican rice dish instead is made with sweet corn and a touch of lime.
This dish is excellent all by itself and definitely hearty enough to make a meal of, but it’s also excellent as a side, or for stuffing in tacos and burritos. And it all cooks up in one pot. So easy!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive oil. Got another high-heat oil you like to cook with? Feel free to use it!
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Spices. You’ll need a mix of ground cumin, paprika, ancho chile powder, and oregano.
- Vegetable broth.
- Long grain white rice. You can use another variety of rice, like brown rice, if preferred. But keep in mind that you may need to alter the amount of liquid going into the pot, as well as the simmer time. Brown rice in particular takes much longer to cook.
- Tomato paste.
- Canned black beans. Other types of beans will work. The dish won’t be black beans and rice, but it’ll still be delicious. If you need an alternative, try kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, or lentils.
- Frozen corn.
- Lime juice. Make sure to use freshly squeezed juice, and not bottled.
- Salt and pepper.
- Fresh cilantro.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Begin by sweating diced onion in olive oil. Cook the onion until it softens and becomes translucent, making sure to stir it every now and then.
Stir in the garlic and spices. Mix everything well, and cook the mixture for just about a minute, stirring the whole time to prevent anything from burning.
Now stir in the broth, rice, tomato paste, and beans. Bring the liquid to a boil. Make sure to stir it occasionally and scrape any rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Lower the heat and cover the pot. Let everything cook at a low simmer until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.
Tip: Avoid peeking at your rice as it cooks, as much as possible. You don’t want to let the steam escape! If you need to lift the lid towards the end of cooking, be quick. Better yet, use a pot with a clear lid.
Let the pot sit with the lid on for about five minutes when the cook time is up. Then remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and stir in some lime juice, salt and pepper, and fresh cilantro.
Your black beans and Mexican rice is ready to serve! Enjoy it by itself, or with accompaniments like sliced avocado, salsa, or hot sauce.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover Mexican rice and beans will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about four days, or in the freezer for about three months.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
One-Pot Mexican Rice & Black Beans
This Mexican rice with black beans is flavor-packed, easy to make, and works great as either a main or side dish! It all comes together in one pot in about 35 minutes.
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons
olive oil -
1
medium onion,
diced -
3
garlic cloves,
minced -
2
teaspoons
ground cumin -
1
teaspoon
sweet paprika -
1
teaspoon
ancho chile powder -
1
teaspoon
dried oregano -
2 ¼
cups
vegetable broth -
1 ½
cups
white rice -
1
tablespoon
tomato paste -
1
(15 ounce/425 gram) can
black beans,
drained and rinsed -
½
cup
frozen corn,
thawed (optional) -
2
tablespoons
lime juice -
Salt and pepper,
to taste -
¼
cup
chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
-
Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
-
Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, ancho chile powder, and oregano. Sauté everything with the onion for about 1 minute, until the mixture becomes very fragrant.
-
Add the broth, rice, tomato paste, and black beans. Stir everything well to completely dissolve the tomato paste. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil.
-
Lower the heat so that the liquid is at a low simmer, then cover the pot. Let the mixture simmer until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 16 to 18 minutes.
-
Remove the pot from heat, but leave the lid on for 5 minutes.
-
Remove the lid from the pot and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the corn (if using), lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, and fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Facts
One-Pot Mexican Rice & Black Beans
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340
Calories from Fat 54
{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7} Daily Value*
Fat 6g9{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Saturated Fat 1g5{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Sodium 386mg16{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Potassium 445mg13{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Carbohydrates 62g21{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Fiber 8g32{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Sugar 2g2{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Protein 11g22{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Vitamin A 558IU11{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Vitamin C 5mg6{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Calcium 55mg6{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
Iron 3mg17{8466e38f199acc0b56b221a7b99587ba7df7b1c007902bc779bf0ba15c186af7}
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
