Black Bean Rice Bowl (Printable Version)
Tender black beans and fluffy rice topped with avocado, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro for a satisfying meal.
# What You Need:
→ Base
01 - 1 cup long-grain white or brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Beans
04 - 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Toppings
13 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
15 - 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
18 - 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños (optional)
19 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed—15 to 18 minutes for white rice or 35 to 40 minutes for brown rice. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until softened and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the drained black beans, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and the spices are well incorporated.
03 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Spoon a generous portion of the spiced black beans over each bed of rice. Arrange cherry tomatoes, avocado slices, corn kernels, chopped cilantro, shredded red cabbage, and jalapeños on top of each bowl.
04 - Squeeze a lime wedge over each assembled bowl just before serving to brighten the flavors. Serve immediately.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- It costs almost nothing to make and feeds four people generously without feeling like you are scrimping.
- The toppings turn it into a choose your own adventure situation, which means everyone at the table ends up happy.
02 -
- Underseasoned beans are the most common mistake, so taste them before assembling and add another pinch of salt if they taste flat.
- Cooking the rice in vegetable broth instead of water is a small swap that quietly improves every bite.
03 -
- Let the beans sit off the heat for two minutes before serving so the spices settle and the texture thickens naturally.
- A pinch of salt on the avocado slices right before they go on the bowl makes them taste like they were meant to be there.