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Mexican Rice and Black Beans Medley
4.4 from 54 votes

Mexican Rice and Black Beans Medley

This Mexican Rice and Black Beans Medley blends rice and quinoa toasted with onions and garlic, then cooked until tender. It’s mixed with black beans, corn, tomato, bell pepper, and serrano chile, seasoned with cumin, salt, pepper, cilantro, and lime juice for a vibrant, balanced dish with hearty textures and a hint of heat.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 229 kcal
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed
  • 1 red onion diced small, large or extra-large
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
  • 1 cup rice all rice or all quinoa is okay, dry medley
  • 1 cup quinoa all rice or all quinoa is okay, dry medley
  • 3 cups water or as directed on the package to cook 1 cup dry grains
  • black beans drained and rinsed (I used low-salt, canned
  • corn drained and rinsed (fresh or frozen may be substituted, one 14-ounce can
  • 2 Roma tomato diced small (cherry, grape, or heirloom may be substituted, medium
  • 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and diced small (another color pepper may be substituted, medium
  • 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 black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
  • ⅓ cup cilantro or to taste, finely minced; fresh
  • 1 to 4 tablespoons lime juice or to taste, freshly squeezed

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stirring nearly constantly.
  3. Add the rice and quinoa and stir it into the onion mixture and let it toast for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add 3 cups water, or what the package instructs you to add if you're cooking 1 cup dry rice/quinoa.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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

  • Prepare and chop vegetables while grains cook to streamline the process.
  • Drizzle extra olive oil into cooking liquid to avoid sticking and add flavor.
  • Adjust serrano chile amount or substitute jalapeño to control heat.
  • Fresh cilantro and lime juice added last brighten the dish with fresh herbal and citrus notes.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 229kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 33g (11%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g (41%) Sodium 552mg (23%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 4g (8%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 229

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 229kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 33g 11%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Sodium 552mg 23%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 4g 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.