Zesty Vegan Black Beans and Rice is a versatile, easy recipe that's bursting with flavor.
This simple recipe for Vegan Black Beans and Rice can be the base for so many amazing meals!
- It can be a standalone meal with your favorite toppings.
- You can stuff it into a burrito or use it as the base for a burrito bowl.
- Toss it into a casserole dish with veggies, top with cheese sauce or queso, and bake into a tasty casserole.
Truly, the sky's the limit!
How to cook the rice
When it comes to making the rice, you've got options. Below are directions for making the rice on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or (my favorite method) in your Instant Pot.
- On the stovetop, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, then add ½ cup of long grain white rice. Put the lid on the pan, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
- In a rice cooker, combine ¾ cup of water with ¾ cup of long grain white rice. Turn on the rice cooker, using the white rice function, if you have one. When the cooker is done, so is your rice.
- In the Instant Pot (or other electric pressure cooker), combine ¾ cup long grain white rice with ¾ cup water. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a 10-minute natural release.
While the rice cooks, make those easy, boozy black beans!
Making the beans
These black beans are the BUSINESS, y'all. You boil them in beer, so they get a lovely, boozy flavor. You also pile on the spices, so they pack a flavor punch!
And since you use drained, rinsed canned beans to make these, they come together in a flash!
Start by heating a little bit of oil in a saucepan. Saute up peppers, onions, and garlic until the onions soften. Now, you can add the beans, beer, bouillon cube, and plenty of deep seasonings to the pot.
Bring the beans to a boil, then simmer them for a few minutes to let the flavors come together.
That's it!
Making beans and rice fun
This is where the magic happens, y'all. Start by tossing the beans and rice together. Then, divide the beans and rice mixture into your serving bowls.
Now, it's topping time! The toppings are what transform this from a humble meal into a party in your mouth. I'll list some of my favorite toppings below, but feel free to bring your own faves to the table.
Toppings to try
You can make this a fun family meal by setting a selection of toppings and sauces out on the table, so each person can build their own perfect vegan beans and rice bowl!
- fresh or pickled jalapenos
- chopped fresh cilantro
- chopped green onion
- sliced avocado
- Pickled Jalapeno Guacamole
- vegan sour cream
- vegan cheese shreds
- my 6-Minute Vegan Queso
- chopped tomato
- your favorite salsa
Sauce ideas (with video)
You can also jazz this up with a good sauce! Sauces are especially handy if you're going to be eating beans and rice for a few days in a row.
Just add a new sauce, and boom! New party in your mouth.
I love sauces on my beans and rice to much, that I created this video on how to make and use them.
These are the sauces I highlighted in the video:
Curry on black beans and rice might sound weird, but don't knock it 'til you try it. This rich and creamy sauce is a gamechanger.
How to store and reheat black beans and rice
Your leftover beans and rice will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can reheat these in the microwave on high for 60-90 seconds. To turn these into a second meal, I like to toss in some cooked veggies, spread the mixture into an 8x8" glass pan, cover in vegan cheese shreds, and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese melts.
📖 Recipe
Vegan black beans and rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1 bell pepper - sliced into thin strips
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 15 ounce can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 cup beer - I'd recommend a vegan lager. If you don't do beer, you can use water instead.
- 1 cube Not Chick'n Bouillon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups cooked white rice - See Rice section above.
- 2 fresh limes - quartered
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Cook the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, stirring, until the onion turns translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the beans and rice ingredients, except for the rice and lime. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked beans to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss the cooked beans with the rice, and serve with a big lime wedge in each bowl.
Notes
- For rice cooking directions, see the How to Cook the Rice section above. There are directions for stovetop, rice cooker, and Instant Pot/pressure cooker.
- The beans and rice will keep for around 4-5 days in the fridge.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!