15-Minute Mexican Rice and Beans Skillet with Sausage — A FAST and EASY recipe that’s loaded with Mexican-inspired flavors and ingredients!! Break out of your chicken rut with this FLAVORFUL dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights!!
Easy Mexican Rice and Beans Skillet
I am always trying to change up our usual chicken dinners and if you’d like to do the same, this is just the recipe for you. This black beans and rice skillet is easy, ready in 15 minutes, and loaded with so many Mexican-inspired flavors and ingredients.
There are both sautéed sweet Vidalia onions and green onions for a savory punch. There are red bell peppers and corn for juicy texture and natural sweetness, black beans and rice add heartiness, and kielbasa adds a comfort food touch.
Everything is perfumed with garlic, cumin, and an optional pinch of cayenne pepper. It doesn’t make it hot but instead just adds flavor. Cilantro adds the quintessential Mexican sabor.
What’s in This Mexican Rice and Beans Skillet?
To make this easy rice and beans recipe, you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Sweet Vidalia onion
- Red bell pepper
- Pre-cooked sausage
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper
- Precooked Spanish rice
- Black beans
- Corn
- Chicken broth
- Green onions
- Fresh cilantro
How to Make a Mexican Rice and Beans Skillet
First, sauté the onions in some olive oil until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the red pepper, sausage, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the rice, beans, corn, and broth and cook just until warmed through. The green onions and cilantro are stirred in last, just before serving.
Can I Use Another Type of Sausage?
Of course! I used turkey kielbasa in this sausage, beans, and rice skillet, but you can use your favorite type of sausage or kielbasa. Just make sure you’re using a sausage that’s already been cooked rather than ‘fresh sausage’ that’s in casings that you’d need to cook — that’s not what we’re going for here.
Tips for Making Mexican Rice and Beans Skillet
If you don’t have red bell peppers on hand but have green peppers or want the heat that a jalapeno would add, go for it. Have some mushrooms or leftover shredded chicken to use? Throw them in.
I used precooked Spanish rice to both save time and add flavor but you can go with your favorite type of rice. Just make sure the rice is already cooked when adding it to the skillet.
Because I use no or low-salt products where ever possible, including the canned beans and chicken broth, I added additional salt to balance the flavor. If you’re using items that are already salted, you may wish to add less salt than I did or none at all. Taste and season as needed.
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15-Minute Mexican Sausage, Black Beans, and Rice Skillet
A FAST and EASY Mexican rice and beans recipe! Break out of your chicken rut with this FLAVORFUL dish that's perfect for busy weeknights!!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, diced small
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced small
- one 14-ounce precooked sausage (I used turkey kielbasa), sliced into thin rounds
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons cumin
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
- one 8-ounce bag precooked Spanish rice, or your favorite type of cooked rice*
- one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added)
- 3/4 cup corn (I use frozen corn straight from the freezer)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 to 3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced; or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, onions, and cook over medium-high heat until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes; stir frequently.
- Add the red pepper, sausage, garlic, cumin, optional cayenne, and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes; stir occasionally.
- Add the rice, beans, corn, broth, and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes or until everything is warmed though; stir occasionally.
- Add the green onions, cilantro, salt, pepper, stir to combine, check for seasoning balance and if desired add more salt, pepper, cumin, etc.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- *I used precooked Spanish rice to both save time and add flavor but you can go with your favorite type of rice. Just make sure the rice is already cooked when adding it to the skillet.
- Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 516Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 1176mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 18g
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This recipe was Awesome! I will definitely make it again. Only thing please lose the adds on this site, to many. Don’t want to look at any more recipes because of that.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad the recipe was awesome!
Made this…it was good. I am Mexican born and raised…we don’t cook with a lot of cumin. We use fresh/whole cumin, fresh garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and a Chile de árbol pressed in a molcajete (mortar)…This dish is more New Mexico or southwest cooking…not Mexican. We don’t put yellow corn in our foods. It isn’t grown in Mexico…just white corn…traditionally, pinto beans are used in most Mexican dishes.
A little too spicy for my taste, but way too much cumin, it dominated the whole meal. I’d make this again with less cumin next time. Maybe our measuring utensils are wonky or something, but it’s good otherwise.
We all have different preferences for spiciness, heat, certain flavors, etc. so yes by all means adjust to your tastes.
So good! I only had pork sausage on hand but it was still delicious. Don’t leave out the cayenne!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad it worked great with pork sausage and I totally agree not to leave out the cayenne!
This looks sooo good. I cannot wait to make it. Your photographs are amazing. Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks for the compliments on my photography and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yum! Jon loves smoked sausage (and anything Mexican)!
Then you are all set with this one!