Recipe Round-up :: Rice and Beans (2024)

FAQs

Is eating rice and beans everyday healthy? ›

As I was getting my Masters degree in nutrition I started to see how traditional food combinations like rice and beans have been supporting people's health for thousands of years. So yes, rice and beans is healthy. In fact, there are some unique nutrition benefits to this food combination!

Gallopinto, the rice-and-beans combination, is known by many names across Latin America, some charming like casamiento (wedding) others rather dated and decidedly politically incorrect like moros y cristianos (Moors and Christians).

For this recipe we are going to use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch + 2 tablespoons of COLD (again, COLD) water. Mix the two ingredients and add the slurry to the red beans mixture while stirring. You will start to feel and see the gravy thickening and becoming creamy.

Spices – A mix of smoked paprika (or regular paprika, but smoked is SO good), cumin, chili powder, cayenne (optional), salt, and pepper make this rice and beans dish taste amazing. Add fresh cilantro to really make it come alive!

Yes. Surprisingly a lot of the 3rd world eats mostly rice and beans. It's not the most nutrient dense food, but when you look at inexpensive and easily obtainable foods, this combo provides a lot of the nutrients humans need.

Garlic, onions, cayenne pepper and possibly a little cumin. The nice thing about any beans and rice dish is how versatile they are, and how easy it is to flavor with minimal ingredients and spices. I like things on the spicier side, so I would also add a small red pepper cut up very finely and simmered with the rice.

Though red beans and rice is the best-known version of this dish, it is frequently made with other types of beans, and you can do the same if you'd like. Pink beans, white cannellini beans, even black beans will all taste great with the same basic technique.

Vinegar Makes Red Beans Taste Great!

Vinegar is an acidic liquid produced through fermentation and used in cooking as a flavoring agent and preservative. Its acid content and tangy flavor make it a standard in marinades.

What's the best meat to put in red beans? ›

Traditionally, red beans and rice is made with Andouille sausage, which is a smoked pork sausage originating from France, but also popular in Louisiana. If you can't find Andouille sausage, you can use any type of smoked pork or beef sausage that is available to you.

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

Together, rice and beans are nutritional magic

Rice and beans, when served together, contain all nine essential amino acids to form a complete source of protein. Both brown and white rice are low in the essential amino acid lysine, but high in the essential amino acid methionine.

One of the significant benefits of rice and beans is their high protein content. They provide you with healthy plant-based protein, coming in at around 12 grams of protein per cup. These winning sides contain amino acids that blend together to make complete proteins.

Add the salt, rice and beans (including the liquid). Stir just to combine, then cover. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, then let simmer, undisturbed, for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 4 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Is it healthy to eat beans every day? Yes! "Eating beans, including canned beans, every day is one of the best things you can do to help increase nutrients [that you may fall short on] and substantially improve the quality of your diet," says Papanikolaou.

Rice is best eaten as soon after cooking as possible, i.e. the next day, but generally, cooked rice, if cooled and stored correctly, lasts three to five days. The USA Rice Federation recommends only storing cooked rice leftovers for set periods: In the fridge, cooked rice leftovers may be stored for 3 to 5 days.

That said, eating rice every day can be healthy, as long as you are meeting your nutritional needs through other foods. Caspero does offer up one caveat, saying that it's important to be aware of the arsenic content in rice, which is more of a concern for infants, children, pregnant women and older adults.