This gluten free black beans and rice recipe has just 8 ingredients and is done in about half an hour! I love rice and beans for a quick vegetarian dinner, and make these black beans in advance often for an even faster meal-prepped dinner. If you have some extra black beans, black bean salsa is great to have around for snacks!
Weeknight vegan dinner idea, here we go! Weeknight vegan/dairy free/gluten free/BUT NOT SAD dinner, to be exact.
Free of some things people avoid, not free of joy, etc.
This! Is black beans and rice. It's one of the dishes we ate a ton growing up, and I'm not even going to pretend it's authentic to anywhere but my mama's kitchen. HOWEVER, we liked it a lot, which is a lot to say for 4 little kids.
I think the key here is Creole seasoning which is 1. salty and 2. tastes like a restaurant, and canned tomatoes, which make things always seem a little more kid-friendly, right? Just me?
The best thing about this gluten free rice and beans recipe is that it comes together FAST because we're using some already-made ingredients. Stock, canned beans and tomatoes, and the Creole seasoning (the stuff in the green can is my favorite!) all work together really well without a lot of interference from us, and I sometimes double down by chopping the onion, garlic, and green pepper in advance as part of my meal prep.
Meal prep: I get overwhelmed with life and chop half an onion and call it good. No joke.
Let's Make Black Beans and Rice
First! If I'm making this for dinner rightthisminute, I start rice FIRST, set a timer, then get to work on the black beans. I sometimes make the black beans in advance and then heat them up on the stovetop or in the microwave while I make rice and race around the house doing other things. Up to you!
Start by heating a little bit of oil in a soup pot over medium heat. A deep skillet works here too! Add the bell pepper and onion and cook them for about 5 minutes until they're soft and the onion is translucent.
After that, things move quickly! Add the garlic and Creole seasoning and stir for 30 seconds. Add everything else, and that's it!
Reduce the heat and simmer the black beans and rice for 15-20 minutes more, uncovered, to reduce the liquid just a bit. Stir every 5 minutes and taste as you go: more salt, more Creole seasoning, some hot sauce? You know what you need!
Note here that a lot of your seasoning is going to depend on the blend that you use. If it's very salty you may not need to add any, salt free obviously ½ teaspoon or more, and so on. Add and adjust until it tastes great to you!
When your rice is done and the black beans have simmered, we're good to go! Dinner in 30, free of all the things people may need to be free of, complete protein from the beans and rice, all of it.
I serve this over white rice, superior to brown rice, with green onions and lime juice for extra zing. Hot sauce for the table isn't a terrible idea either, here.
I love this. It's so cozy for fall and winter, perfect for colder, darker nights where we need to warm up from the inside out, and all around GOOD without a ton of effort on your part.
A double batch for dinner and some lunches or leftovers later in the week? Absolutely yes.
Enjoy this! It's a great weeknight staple dinner for this time of year.
Easy Black Beans and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- ½ medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning plus more as needed
- 1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained
- 1 can 15 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes
- ½ cup stock any kind!
- Cooked rice and sliced green onions optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat a medium skillet (10 inches or so) or small pot to medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until softened.
- Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning and stir for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, and stock to the pan. Let come to a bubble and reduce the heat until the mixture is bubbling but not boiling aggressively. Let simmer for about 20 minutes until reduced and thickened.
- Taste the mixture and add more Cajun seasoning, salt, or hot sauce until the black beans taste great to you. Serve over rice with green onions for garnish. Enjoy!
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