🍚🫘 My Mexican Rice and Black Beans Medley is hearty enough to be a meal or makes a FANTASTIC side dish with loads of textures in every bite! It’s a super FLEXIBLE recipe that’s HEALTHY and makes a big batch for planned leftovers!
Quick Black Beans and Mexican Rice Medley
Different from Spanish rice, this Mexican rice and black beans recipe is truly unique. Here’s why I love it and you will, too:
- There are so many layers of flavors and textures going on in every single bite of this medley with Mexican-inspired ingredients that’s so easy and ready in 30 minutes.
- There’s rice, hearty black beans, crunchy bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, corn, a bit of heat from a serrano chile, along with plenty of cilantro, cumin, garlic, and red onions for flavor galore.
- The recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free, although you’d never guess it because it has enough heartiness to keep you satisfied.
- Serve the medley warm, at room temperature, or cold. It tastes great no matter what!
Amazing! Made exactly as written. My daughter (a vegetarian) just asked me to make it again. She said it’s definitely better cold than warm. This will be in our regular rotation!
Michelle
Ingredients and Notes
This recipe for Mexican black beans and rice is very flexible, so feel free to swap out any ingredients you don’t like or don’t have on hand.
Here’s what I used in this recipe with notations for substitutions or additions in parentheses:
- Red onion (yellow or white are okay)
- Garlic
- White rice and quinoa (all rice or all quinoa is also okay)
- Black beans (garbanzo, pinto beans, kidney beans, or your favorite beans are okay)
- Corn (I used canned; fresh, frozen, or grilled would be great)
- Tomatoes (I used Roma, cherry, grape, heirloom are fine)
- Yellow bell pepper (another color may be substituted)
- Serrano chile (adds heat but for flavoring this big of a batch of food, I felt it was necessary; try jalapeño peppers for less heat, or omit if you’re heat-adverse)
- Cumin (I used ample amounts for flavor, adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper
- Cilantro
- Lime juice (brightens the overall dish)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
Ingredient Substitutions
Aside from the ingredients I used, you can also include or swap in:
- Avocado
- Zucchini
- Yellow squash
- Mushrooms
- Green onions
- Leftover chicken (bonus if it’s grilled chicken or even poached chicken!)
- Or just about anything in your produce drawer that needs to be used or you enjoy the flavor of!
How to Make Mexican Rice and Black Beans
Black beans and Mexican rice is one of the simplest recipes you can make! It’s a quick, one-skillet recipe that comes together in about 30 minutes.
Here’s an overview of the recipe steps:
- Sauté an onion in a large pot, Dutch oven, or deep skillet on the stovetop before adding garlic, rice, quinoa, and water (or vegetable broth)
- Cook covered over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting the cooking time until all the water has absorbed and the grains are tender. No need to boil.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, optional serrano chile for more heat, or a jalapeño, salt, pepper, cilantro, and lime juice). For even more flavor, feel free to include oregano, paprika, or any spices you like best.
- Remove the pan from the stove, fluff the rice with a fork, and gently stir to combine. Dig in, or transfer to an airtight container for later!
What to Serve with Mexican Rice and Black Beans
Mexican Rice and Black Beans Medley
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1 large or extra-large red onion, diced small
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 cup dry rice and quinoa medley, all rice or all quinoa is okay
- 3 cups water, or as directed on the package to cook 1 cup dry grains
- one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (I used low-salt)
- one 14-ounce can corn, drained and rinsed (fresh or frozen may be substituted)
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, diced small (cherry, grape, or heirloom may be substituted)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced small (another color pepper may be substituted)
- ½ to 1 serrano chile, seeded and diced micro tiny; optional and to taste (jalapeno may be substituted for less heat)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cumin, not teaspoons, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ⅓ cup finely minced fresh cilantro, or to taste
- 1 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large and fairly deep skillet, add the olive oil, onions, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and just begin to lightly caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stirring nearly constantly.
- Add the rice and quinoa and stir it into the onion mixture and let it toast for about 30 seconds.
- Add 3 cups water, or what the package instructs you to add if you’re cooking 1 cup dry rice/quinoa.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until all the water has absorbed and the rice and quinoa are tender. Check at 10 minutes, stir, and cook for additional time as necessary. All grains cook at slightly different rates. Tip – Drizzle in another 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil into the water. This helps prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When tender, add the beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, optional serrano chile (if you are sensitive to heat, start with 1/4 of the chile and work up from there; or use a jalapeno which are less spicy; or omit), cumin (tablespoons is not a typo for teaspoons, but you can start with 1 or 2 teaspoons, and work up from there as desired), and stir to combine. If necessary to avoid dryness, drizzle in more olive oil at any time, to taste.
- Add the salt, pepper, stir to combine, and taste. Depending on your preference for heat, you may want to add more serrano or jalapeno. Or additional cumin, salt, and/or pepper for more developed flavor. This is a fairly large batch of vegan food and in order to taste good, my advice is not to be shy with seasoning it.
- Add the cilantro and lime juice to taste, stir to combine, and serve immediately. Medley can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled. Will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Amazing! Made exactly as written. My daughter (a vegetarian) just asked me to make it again. She said it’s definitely better cold than warm. This will be in our regular rotation!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Michelle, and glad your daughter asked you to make it again and that she even likes it cold, and that it’ll be in your rotation! Wonderful!
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