Cuban flavoured black beans simmered with garlic, onions, and lime juice. Served in a bowl with long grain wild rice and fresh coriander. The high protein and carbohydrate content makes this a great pre workout meal.
Cuban Black beans and rice
Black beans and rice is traditional Cuban dish flavoured with cumin and oregano. Beans are a great source of protein and carbohydrates and so make for an excellent ‘pre workout meal’. With a little stock and extra liquid this healthy dish can also be easily transformed into a high protein black bean soup. The combination of rice and beans also creates a great veggie/vegan option that provides all 9 essential amino acids for building protein. As a whole the dish is high in nutrients, low in sugars and low in saturates.
How to cook black beans
For this recipe I used tinned black beans which are already cooked and so just require heating up. As this recipe includes cuban flavours such as cumin and oregano its good to let the beans simmer on the stove for around 20 minutes, so allowing the flavours to fully infuse into the dish.
How do you make Cuban black bean rice?
- Cook the rice for 15 minutes r according to instructions on packet
- In a shallow pan or wok heat up the oil and cook the garlic and onion and add the cumin and oregano
- Next add chopped red peppers and the two cans of black beans (including the liquid from the cans).
- Season the beans, squeeze in the juice from one lime. Then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in some freshly chopped coriander and serve.
Serve with salad
I love to serve this Caribbean dish with a spicy and sweet mango avocado salad, which is quick and easy to put together.
Black Bean Rice
Ingredients
- 150 g long grain rice (I used mixed long grain and wild rice)
- 300 ml boiled water
- 0.5 tbsp oil
- 1 clove garlic (finely copped)
- 200 g onion (finely chopped)
- 2 400g tins Black beans in water (235g in each drained tin)
- 150 g whole roasted peppers from a jar (or fresh peppers if you prefer)
- 0.5 tsp groung cumin
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 1 juice of a lime
- pinch salt and pepper to season
- 30 g fresh coriander to serve
Instructions
- Add the dried rice to a pan, cover with the boiled water and place on a medium heat. Bring to the boil then place on a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
- Once the rice has cooked, remove from the heat and set to one side for at least 10 minutes, leaving the lid on.
- Whilst the rice is cooking place a large shallow pan or wok on a medium heat. Add the oil and once hot add the garlic, followed by the onions. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until soft.
- Next add the cumin and oregano and continue to fry.
- Then add the red peppers followed by the black beans and their liquid, seasoning and lime juice
- Bring the whole pan to a simmer, then place on a lid and cook for 20 minutes.
- Return to the rice, remove the lid and fluff with a fork before serving. After the beans have been cooking for 20 minutes, take off the lid and stir in the fresh coriander. Add more lime juice of desired then served alongside the rice.
