Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice does not get the respect I think it deserves. I know the ingredients are pretty humble, but the  flavor is so good. It can be a main dish, a side dish or even a decent breakfast when reheated the next day. I speak from personal experience on the breakfast thing.

You can change it up by using different beans- I used dark red kidney beans this time. Red beans are traditional. You can use different rice – I used brown jasmine rice. You can also add any number of different seasonings to change it up. It is one of those dishes loved by carnivore and vegetarian alike. To add more interest to the batch I made this time, I cooked the jasmine rice in a vegetable broth with turmeric in it. That added a pretty yellow color to the rice. It tasted good and looked pretty, too.

So if you are looking for a quick and really easy dish maybe make some red beans and rice.

Red Beans and Rice

1 c. brown or white rice
2 c. water or broth
1 can kidney beans or red beans, drained and rinsed – use whatever beans you like
1 T. oil
½ c. chopped onion
¼ c. chopped parsley or cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste*

Simmer rice, covered until tender (40 minutes for brown, 15 minutes for white rice). Meanwhile heat oil in skillet and cook onions until tender. Add beans, cooked rice, and seasonings. Stir until heated through. Serves 4.

* In addition to salt and pepper, I like to play around with adding other seasonings. I sometimes add cumin, oregano, garlic, basil, cinnamon, mace and coriander to name a few.