Veracruz-style baked rice and beans
Baking rice is an incredibly easy, no-fuss way to get your grain on the table. If you need help getting at least 50% of your grains from whole-grain sources, try using brown rice when you can. It takes 15 to 20 minutes longer than white rice to bake, but the rest of your meal can be prepared while this is in the oven.
The beans add some lean protein and the salsa adds the punch. There are an infinite number of ways to flavor baked rice — just start with your favorite spices and herbs and go for it.
This recipe is inspired by a Yotam Ottolenghi baked rice recipe using a minty salsa.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain brown rice, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup crushed tomato
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, no-salt-added
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oregano, chopped
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1/4 cup Nicoise or green olives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 6 ounces feta cheese, cut into slices if possible (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- In a large baking dish, combine the rice, water, tomato, beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. After removing the rice from the oven, turn on the broiler.
- Meanwhile, while the rice bakes, make the salsa by combining the cilantro, oregano, red onion, olives, capers, jalapeños, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and lime juice in a small bowl.
- After removing the rice from the oven, fluff it gently with a fork and mix in about half of the salsa.
- Layer the slices of feta cheese on top and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is slightly browned around the edges.
- Top with remaining salsa and serve.
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 280
- Total fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 47 g
- Dietary fiber: 5 g
- Total sugars: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
With feta cheese:
- Calories: 320
- Total fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
- Sodium: 670 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 47 g
- Dietary fiber: 5 g
- Sugars: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g