Easy One Pot Rice and Beans (Budget-Friendly)

Make One Pot Rice and Beans with common pantry staples for a nutritious and flavorful meal. This simple recipe yields an inexpensive entree or filling side dish all made in one pot!

You can also use this recipe as a filling for burritos, tacos, and more. Delicious on its own, you can also add your choice of protein for an even more filling result.

Jump to:

• 💚 About This Recipe
• 🧂 Ingredients Needed
• 🔪 Instructions
• ❔ FAQs
• 💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
• 💡 Substitutions and Variations
• 🥫 Storage and Reheating
• 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
• ✔️ More One Pot Recipes You'll Love
• 📋 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

💚 About This Recipe

If you need a fast, healthy, and affordable meal, you'll love this beans and rice recipe! Prepared with pantry staples, this is a cost-effective dish that's got the perfect amount of flavor and nutrition.

Best of all, it's all prepared in the same pot, which means minimal prep and cleanup! The whole family will love this filling rice and black beans meal, and the ingredients are easy to stock up on and keep around for as long as you need.

Just like my One Pot Chicken and Rice, this is a simple meal that's sure to satisfy as an easy dinner any night of the week!

Love rice and beans? Check out this authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice recipe! It's a meaty, rich, hearty dish that your family will love.

🧂 Ingredients Needed

• onion and bell pepper strips - I prefer to use frozen and pre-chopped onion and pepper for super easy prep. You can chop your own fresh veggies if you prefer.
• minced garlic - buying jarred minced garlic is a great way to cut down on prep time, but fresh garlic can be used as well.
• cumin - for a bit of extra warm flavor.
• diced tomatoes - I recommend the Rotel brand that comes with green chilies as well for a bit of extra flavor.
• brown rice - healthy and filling, you can substitute brown rice for any rice of your choosing.
• broth - vegetable broth and chicken broth both work well here.
• black beans - canned black beans are typically cheap, are readily available, and will last for long periods of time in your pantry.
• fresh cilantro - this optional garnish is a great way to add a pop of flavor and color.

🔪 Instructions

1. Saute the onion and pepper strips in a pot until they begin to thaw.
2. Add garlic, cumin, and tomatoes, then cook another 5 minutes or so.
3. Pour in the broth and rice, stir the mixture, and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until rice is tender.

5. Stir in black beans and chopped cilantro.
6. Remove from heat, then allow the mixture to sit for a moment and serve.

❔ FAQs

💭 Expert Tips and Tricks

• Use a large pot to ensure even cooking for this beans and rice recipe.
• This can be served all on its own, or with toppings like sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, salsa, or cheese.
• You can also use this as an additional topping or mix-in for burrito bowls, tacos, and more.
• Rice and beans is perfect as a hearty side dish, but can also be eaten as a main dish.
• Make this easy rice and black beans in large quantities and save for quick and easy meals later in the week.
• Scoop up your rice and beans with tortilla chips for a healthy snack.

📌 The tasty combination of black beans and brown rice is so easy to make in one pot! With the addition of veggies, this is a healthy and flavorful dish that won't break the bank.

💡 Substitutions and Variations

• Add more seasonings like smoked paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and more for additional flavor.
• You can also top with some hot sauce or a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• If you want to give this meal a bit of a heartier feel, add some protein like chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
• Instead of the frozen vegetables, you could cut up some fresh yellow onion and red and green bell pepper.
• Substitute white rice, long-grain rice, or your favorite rice.
• This dish can also be made with pinto beans, kidney beans, red beans, and more.
• Use even more veggies for added nutrition! Carrots, broccoli, green onions, celery, and corn are all great options, but feel free to experiment.
• Water can be used instead of broth, but you may have to add more seasoning to make up for the lost flavor.

🥫 Storage and Reheating

Keep your one pot rice and beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat, pop it in the microwave and heat for a minute or so at a time until heated through. You could also transfer to a pot and heat up on the stove top.

Rice and black beans can also be frozen for 6 months or more. To reheat from frozen, allow your leftovers to thaw in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight if possible) and then reheat as normal.

🍴 What To Serve With This Dish

Serve black beans and brown rice as a side dish with a Corn Dog Casserole or these Simple Turkey Burger Sliders, or pair it with Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables or a Chipotle Lime Edamame Side Dish for even more veggie goodness with your main course!

If you're interested in more ways to stretch your grocery dollar without sacrificing flavor, check out my article on creating amazing budget bean meals!

📋 Recipe Card