Vegan Black Beans and Rice
on Mar 31, 2020, Updated Sep 10, 2024
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Vegan black beans and rice is a classic dish that’s easy to make, healthy, filling and versatile. Enjoy as is, served with avocado and salsa or added to tacos, salads and burritos.
If you already have cooked rice on hand, this recipe comes together in about 15 minutes. It’s vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and easily customizable based on whatever you have available.
You could use this recipe in Vegan Taco Salad, Roasted Cauliflower Burrito Bowls, Brown Rice Burrito Bowl or Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls. It’s also delicious paired with avocado and sour cream in a rice and bean burrito or piled into corn tortillas and with your favorite taco fillings.
For toppings, try serving it with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce, tortilla chips, salsa, avocado, or pickled red onions.
Ingredient Notes
- Use any kind of beans. The recipe is for black beans but you can also use small red beans, kidney beans or pinto beans. Canned beans or beans cooked from scratch both work well.
- Use white or brown rice. I like this recipe best with short-grain brown rice but any kind of rice works!
- Customize the veggies. This recipe is easily adjustable to whatever fresh or frozen veggies you have on hand. Some good choices include zucchini, any colour of bell peppers, any onion variety, jalapeno, tomato and corn.
- Adjust the spices. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes. For a smoky flavor, add a pinch of chipotle powder or smoked paprika. For Cajun-inspired rice and beans, use a Cajun seasoning mix.
- Add more protein. Try mixing in chopped vegan sausage or tempeh crumbles for extra protein.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: If you don’t already have cooked rice on hand, start by getting that going. White rice takes 5-15 minutes to cook and brown rice may take up to 45 minutes, depending on the variety you use.
Step 2: While the rice is cooking, start sauteing the onion, garlic, bell peppers and jalapeno. Once they’re soft and fragrant, stir in the herbs and spices.
I used cumin, chili powder, and oregano but if you’re missing once, just add what you have. Paprika works well if you’re missing chili powder, however, I’d reduce it to 1/2 tsp.
Quick Tip: If you don’t have any jalapeno on hand, try canned green chilis or add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne for some heat.
Step 3: Add the beans and vegetable broth. You can use black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans or small red beans. I like black beans and kidney beans best. A mixture of beans works too!
If you’re using canned beans, drain them and give them a good rinse before using in the recipe.
Quick Tip: No vegetable broth on hand? Water works just fine. You can always add a little extra salt and pepper at the end, if needed.
Let the beans, veggies and broth simmer for 5-6 minutes then stir in the cooked rice. Mix it up and then let it sit in the pan for a few minutes so it browns a little on the bottom. Scrape the browned bits back into the mix….yum!
Step 4: Add the cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, season with salt and pepper and enjoy!
More Easy Recipes
- Instant Pot Refried Black Beans
- Vegan Black Bean Burritos
- Spicy Vegan Black Bean Soup
- Vegan Lentil Tacos
- Black Bean Corn Salad
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Vegan Black Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced (approx. 1.5 cups or 170 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 3 tbsp minced or 25 g)
- 2 bell peppers, diced (I used one red and one green, approx. 2 cups diced)
- 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and minced (approx. 3 tbsp minced)
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 cups cooked white or brown rice, approx. 1 cup uncooked rice
- 2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed (approx. 3 cups, sub kidney beans, pinto beans or small red beans)
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- juice from 1 lime
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If you don't have cooked rice on hand, cook now according to package instructions. White basmati rice is suggested.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and bell peppers to the pan. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the veggies are soft and fragrant.
- Add the cumin, oregano and chili powder and stir to combine. Add another 1-2 tbsp of water if the pan is drying out. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the beans and vegetable broth and stir to combine. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
- Add the rice, stir to combine and cook for a few more minutes until heated through and starting to brown on the bottom.
- Stir in the cilantro and season with salt, pepper and lime juice, to taste. Serve right away topped with avocado, crushed tortilla chips, salsa and/or vegan sour cream or use in tacos, burritos or salads.
So delicious and simple to make! I added about a cup of frozen rice kernels and some cut spinach(I ran out of cilantro!😲) when I added the brown rice to the pan. Otherwise I followed the recipe as written. Thanks so much for such a fabulous recipe!
Amazing as usual… Thank you so much Deryn!!
I’d be lost without your site for inspo! 🤗
Thank is incredibly kind to say! Thanks! I’m glad you liked the recipe.
This was really delicious. I served it as a base for taco salad along with salsa, lettuce, and tofu sour cream. Thank you!
I have a tin of kidney beans in a chilli sauce. Would I have to rinse the sauce off or could I use a bit of it while cooking?
I’ve never used those before but if you like the flavour then I guess you could add the sauce, sure. You may want to reduce the broth amount a bit depending on how much of the sauce you add.
Love this recipe! Make it all the times for either burrito bowls or tacos!
It’s perfect for burrito bowls and tacos! So glad you enjoy it, Katie.
Another 5 star recipe from Deryn! Beans and rice, along with the spice are oh, so nice!
Glad you enjoyed it, Robin!
This recipe for black beans and rice is the best! Like so many recipes at this site, Deryn’s beans and rice have become a staple for me. At the start of the shutdown for the virus, I had to buy canned goods for back up when I couldn’t get out. I found you can buy a jar of diced jalapeños peppers. This has made making spicy dishes easier when stuck at home. Of course you can always adjust how much spicy heat you use. Make this recipe and then head over to her Spicy Chickpea Burgers recipe. They are great too and freeze well. You won’t miss restaurant food again!
Thanks so much, Julia!
This is one of the first ones I started with.
Absolutely yummy Deryn. My husband really liked it too so I will be making it again for sure.
Do you rinse and drain the canned beans first?
Yes, drain and rinse. Enjoy!