Spanish Rice With Beans Recipe

Rich and flavorful Spanish rice with beans, the perfect weeknight dinner for vegetarians & vegans alike. Also, a tasty side dish for meat-eaters or pescetarians! Easy to make in one pot, with all the aspects of a supreme comfort food. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and a great source of complete proteins.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil use veggie broth if you avoid oil

1 medium onion diced

1 medium red bell pepper chopped

3-4 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt & black pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups white rice uncooked (*see notes)

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/4 cups salsa

One 15 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed (*see notes)

1/2 cup green olives halved (optional)

Fresh herbs to garnish, e.g. cilantro or parsley

Instructions:

Add rice to a bowl with cold or lukewarm water and let it soak for about 10 minutes, then discard the water. Meanwhile, chop the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and prep the other ingredients.

Heat oil in a large skillet or pot, add onion and bell pepper. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and all spices and sauté for a further one minute.

Add the rice, salsa & veggie broth and bring the mixture to a boil.

Cover the skillet or pot and let simmer on the lowest heat setting for about 15-20 minutes. Do not uncover the lid, and do not stir while cooking! The cooking time depends on the rice variety (check the package instructions). Jasmine rice or Basmati rice cook much faster than e.g. brown rice.

Turn off the heat, remove the lid and taste it. Adjust seasonings if needed, adding more salt, black pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, etc. to taste. Stir in beans & olives (optional) and garnish with fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley) to taste. Store leftovers uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.