The Best Baked Rice and Beans
This Spanish-style baked beans and rice dish is incredibly delicious. Due to certain worldwide events, I've been getting many requests for easy, hearty recipes that can be made using basic dry and canned goods. This recipe is all that and more. You'll also see a fantastic, foolproof way of making perfect rice every time. Garnish with Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro, if you like.
Ingredients
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 15 ounce cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 16 ounce jar tomato salsa
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Pour rice into a casserole dish; season with chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Pour in olive oil and stir until rice is thoroughly coated. Add beans, salsa, and broth; stir until evenly combined. Cover very tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until rice is tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove the foil; taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Fluff with a fork and serve hot.
Notes
Chef's Notes
You can use any long-grain white rice for basmati, paprika for chili powder, melted butter for olive oil, water for chicken broth, and any type of canned beans — pintos would be great, as would black beans.
Once you unwrap the dish from the oven, make sure the rice is fully cooked before fluffing it with a fork. If it's not, re-cover and continue baking until tender.