Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice are very comforting, full of flavor and pretty easy to make. You can serve them as is or use them to fill burritos. I love them.

This is my way of making red beans and rice. I use bottled salsa and cilantro which gives it a Tex-Mex flavor. There are many different ways to make this dish.

You can make this recipe in a slow cooker which makes it great for week night meals. Sometimes I will go ahead and mix the cooked rice with the beans and sometimes I will serve them on top of rice. I guess it depends on my mood. I also like making a simple tomato salad with tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro to serve on top. This is optional but it really adds a lot to your meal.

Please note that I use brown rice for this recipe. You can easily use white if you prefer. You can also use canned beans instead of dried ones. If you do go ahead and drain and rinse them before you use them. Make sure to adjust the cooking times on a slow cooker if you are using canned beans.

This is a low fat, high protein, high calcium, high iron and high fiber healthy meal that packs very well in a lunchbox for school or work.

Here is what you are going to need for this easy and delicious red beans and rice recipe:

Serves eight
12 oz. red beans, soaked overnight
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
16 oz. mild salsa
½ bunch cilantro, tied with kitchen twine
1 large jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and cut in half
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dry oregano
½ teaspoon coriander
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and Pepper
2 cups of brown or white rice

Place first nine ingredients in a large pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 4 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally.

While the beans are cooking, prepare 2 cups of brown rice per package instructions.

When beans are cooked, remove the kitchen twine and the jalapeño pieces.

Mix the beans and rice together.

Make a salad of chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt.

Serve beans and rice topped with tomato salad.

Enjoy!

CALORIES 365.46; FAT 1.80 grs (sat 0.42; mono 0.41; poly 0.64); PROTEIN 14.63 grs ; FIBER 11.23 grs; CARBS 78.25 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 5.03 mg; SODIUM 759.47 mg; CALCIUM 103.52 mg

Print the Red Beans and Rice Recipe Here!

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