One-Pot Rice & Beans
Smoky, garlicky rice and beans from one pot — cheap, complete, and better the next day.
Ingredients
- 250 g Rice
- 1 tin Black beans
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 2 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 Lime (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water and drain it well.
- Soften the diced onion in the oil in a medium pot over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Stir the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika into the onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the rinsed rice, the beans with their liquid, plenty of water, and the salt, and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- Rest the pot off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with the lime juice and cilantro and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About One-Pot Rice & Beans
One-Pot Rice & Beans is the kind of humble, complete meal that anchors kitchens across Mexico and much of Latin America — inexpensive, nourishing, and endlessly reliable. Here it's built for ease: onion softened in oil, then cumin, garlic, and smoked paprika bloomed until fragrant before rice and black beans go in with their liquid to simmer together in one pot. Cooking the beans' own starchy liquid into the rice is what gives the dish body and that faintly creamy, cohesive texture rather than dry, separate grains. Together the rice and beans form a complete protein, which is part of why this pairing has fed people well for so long.
The flavor is smoky and garlicky with earthy warmth from the cumin, brightened at the end by lime and fresh cilantro that cut through the richness. Like many bean dishes, it genuinely improves overnight as the flavors settle, so leftovers are a feature, not a compromise. It's high in fiber, fully plant-based, and stretches easily to feed a table. Serve it on its own as a main, or use it as a base under fried eggs, roasted vegetables, or a spoonful of salsa and avocado.
One-Pot Rice & Beans: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in One-Pot Rice & Beans?
A serving has about 392 calories — 10.6g protein, 69.1g carbs, 8.1g fat, 7.1g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is One-Pot Rice & Beans gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, One-Pot Rice & Beans has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does One-Pot Rice & Beans take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 15 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make One-Pot Rice & Beans?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out smoked paprika, lime, cilantro — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does One-Pot Rice & Beans make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.