Do you have any staple rice and/or beans recipes?

March 17, 2016 12:35 AM

Please share them with me! I don't care what type of rice and beans are used (includes lentils, garbanzo beans, whatever, as well as red/black/white/pinto beans), everything works. (In fact, I would love any lentil recipes as I have very few of those!) More inside.

One stipulation - nothing with a lot of dairy. If it calls for some butter or a little cheese to garnish, that's ok. If it's a casserole that calls for a block of cheese, then it's out.

If the recipe includes meat, that's ok. I'm not looking for vegetarian recipes only! And the more vegetables, the merrier!

Stews, baked dishes, stir frys, slow cooker, etc - the sky's the limit.

Thanks in advance!

posted by atinna to Food & Drink (35 answers total)

Best answer: You could make Koshari.
posted by Too-Ticky at 12:41 AM on March 17, 2016

Best answer: It's beans and pasta, not beans and rice, but it's so, so tasty and very quick.

Lemon pepper pasta and asparagus.
posted by Brittanie at 1:02 AM on March 17, 2016

Best answer: I really love this scallion and coconut rice with pork. Definitely use the bok choy. I've been happiest with it when I used this rice blend instead of the medium grain Calrose the recipe suggests.
posted by Weeping_angel at 1:17 AM on March 17, 2016 [2 favorites]

Oh, and also this harissa, broccoli, spinach and wild rice casserole with crispy prosciutto is AMAZING. I've used wild rice or that same rice blend linked above. I've also substituted sriracha for the harissa, and kale for the spinach. They're all delicious. It does have a little cheese on top (and if we're being honest here, I don't measure the cheese so much as I just grate up... some?.. amount that looks like enough and use all of that), but you could use less. The cheese does help to hold it together in casserole form, which is nice but it would still be delicious w/out it (if you like that sort of thing...)
posted by Weeping_angel at 1:31 AM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I've never heard of Koshari before, which is funny because it's similar to a dish I made when I was single + my husband is Egyptian and he's never asked me to make it. When we first got married I used to make Ful Medames with fresh fava beans from scratch. I'm a weirdo who does not like cumin that often, so I can see how I missed Koshari. Wait. I just said "Koshari" in my head in my husband's accent. OK, I'm a bad spouse. He's talked about it, probably been ages since I've bothered (see: cumin.)

My easiest lentil recipe is slightly more Lentils than Rice + Water in a pot. Add chopped Garlic. When tender, garnish in a bowl with Salt, Pepper, fresh chopped Parsley and Olive Oil or Flax Oil. I sometimes add a little Dijon Mustard. Fresh or canned Tomatoes, toms LOVE lentils! Do that! Red Wine Vinegar is great, too. This is a staple.

Indian Daal is Lentil Heaven. My favorite is Dal Makhani - lentils, red beans, toms, Indian spices, finished with a little good butter. Excellent with everything!

If you are in Los Angeles, Al Wazir Chicken in Hollywood makes the best Chickpea Hummus you will ever ever ever have. Their recipe is dried garbanzos (cooked w/ pinch of baking soda) + tahini + garlic + salt + lemon. Blended so smooth, it's almost unbearable. No, you can not replicate it for some reason. Have tried many times. There's some magical technique. I don't think they take the skins off the cooked garbanzos based on the volume they produce - but maybe? Nah. I'm sure they use extraordinary amounts of tahini (sesame paste.) It's not extra salt. I've tried powder vs. fresh garlic. Also adding olive oil. IDK. It's got to be in the technique - maybe they use some of the cooking water when blending? I have not tried this, maybe that's it.

Garbanzo bean cooking liquid can stand in for egg whites in vegan recipes. Come to think of it, that might be the secret. Anyway, if you could make this they way they do, you would probably eat it every day and slather it in everything. It's especially awesome on thinly sliced beef. I also mix it into Falafel Mix for extra richness. I scoop it with Cucumber Slices. It's the fucking Holy Grail of Hummus and I hope you can come close with my loving description of it, but no, I have not mastered this yet. This humble condiment they make taught me I know nothing about cooking and there's ALWAYS a better way to make any recipe if you apply skill. Or magic. They might be using magic. I'll have to enquire!

Sweet Potato Chili.

Can of pintos beans, simmered diced sweet potato, can of chopped toms, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika or dried chili pepper, + oregano, S & P. Garnish with sour cream. If you want to get boss, sauté the spices in olive oil, simmer the sweet potatoes in the tom juice (+ water to cover) add the toms and drained beans. Cilantro! Lime juice! You can not go wrong with this one if you just throw it all in a crock pot with enough liquid to cover. So great.

(because I'm low brow, black beans drained with salt, pepper, a little mayo + a little parm cheese. black beans alone with just the right amount of mayo, not hardly any, something about that is so wrong it's right. too much mayo and it's wrong wrong - consider therapy.)
posted by jbenben at 1:42 AM on March 17, 2016 [3 favorites]

lentils are incredibly easy because they don't need pre-cooking. just cook them in stock - adjust the relative amounts for how thick you want things and throw in anything extra you feel like. so, for example, you could start by frying some onions with cumin seeds and coriander. when the onions are brown, add some garlic and maybe ginger then move to a saucepan with stock, add some more cumin powder and lentils, and, say, some chopped tomatoes, and cook for an hour or two. you end up with curried tomato lentils.
posted by andrewcooke at 2:11 AM on March 17, 2016 [5 favorites]

Vegetarian chili with lentils, ranch style beans, pinto beans.
posted by neushoorn at 2:37 AM on March 17, 2016

Slightly more lentils than basmati rice cooked together in the same pot. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with either fried or caramelized onions and a large dollop of either labne or Greek yogurt. Mmmmmmm.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:42 AM on March 17, 2016 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Do you have an Indian/Asian grocery store somewhere near you? If you do, go down there and buy a box of Dal Makhani masala.

To make Dal Makhani, you need:

3/4 cup lentils
1/3 of a 15 oz can of red kidney beans
1 onion
1 tomato
1 clove of garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
1-2 Tbs of tomato puree
1 small chili pepper
4 Tbs of the dal makhani masala
1 Tb ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric
salt to taste
heavy cream to taste

Start the lentils boiling in unsalted water while you dice the onion and tomato. Chop the garlic and the ginger and the chili pepper into very fine pieces. Remove the seeds of the chili pepper first and throw them out, unless you like things super-duper spicy!

In a new pot, sauté the onion until it starts to get translucent, then add the ginger and sauté for another minute. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the chili pepper and sauté for another minute.

While you're doing this, drain the lentils and rinse the kidney beans.

Once the sautéed veggies are ready, add the lentils, the kidney beans, the tomato puree, and the spices. (Dal Makhani should be mostly lentils with like 20% kidney beans). Mash a couple of the kidney beans with your spoon. Add enough water that the whole thing can simmer nicely, and cook over a low heat for 20-60 minutes until the lentils are soft and creamy. Add more water as necessary.

Once it's ready, you can turn off the heat and add some heavy cream to taste (around 3 or 4 Tbs), but you don't have to. Serve with rice.

Serves 3-4.
posted by colfax at 3:00 AM on March 17, 2016 [4 favorites]

Best answer: You NEED Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Red Lentil Thai Chili.
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 3:27 AM on March 17, 2016

Pretty simple, but Sazon Goya to make yellow rice, with black or pinto beans, is a staple at my house.
posted by corb at 3:57 AM on March 17, 2016

I'll be the default MeFi to mention that mujaddara is fantastic (the link is a metasearch for mujaddara because the threads in which it comes up have a lot of overlap with what you're looking for).
posted by plinth at 4:17 AM on March 17, 2016

I really like this quick, easy Curried Red Lentil & Pumpkin Soup from Budget Bytes.
posted by barnoley at 5:05 AM on March 17, 2016

When I moved to upstate new york, one of the first things I learned to cook (because it's so easy) is beans and greens. It's italian, and pretty much a staple around these parts. I use bacon in my recipe, but you can also use sausage, and or skip the meat altogether and go vegetarian.
posted by valkane at 5:05 AM on March 17, 2016

I make this sweet potato and black bean patty quite often. Hits your rice, beans, and no-dairy criteria.

Enjoy!
posted by Enchanting Grasshopper at 5:23 AM on March 17, 2016

Harira.

Also: This chicken & lentil curry is a staple in Casa del 7 - it's fragrant, not hot, so great for kids and fussy eaters (like my mum, who will not eat anything she thinks might be spicy).

25g unsalted butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1.5 tablespoons garam masala
500g chicken breast or thighs, cut into chunks
300g passata (sieved tomatoes)
4 bay leaves or 8 curry leaves
100g red lentils
400ml chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped, to garnish

Melt the butter in a deep frying pan, add bay or curry leaves and fry over medium heat until the leaves start to pop. Add onions and fry. Once they are sizzling, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the onions are soft, add garlic and garam masala and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. If using chicken thighs, add them now and cook for 5 minutes. Add the passata, stock and lentils. If you are using chicken breast, add them now. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Season with salt and pepper, and serve with rice and topped with chopped coriander.

Adapted from Easy One-Pot: Frugal Recipes for Busy Cooks
posted by prismatic7 at 5:26 AM on March 17, 2016

Best answer: Gallo pinto, from Costa Rica! Especially delicious with a fried egg and tortillas. Here is one recipe, though there are many variations. I usually add a couple of chopped tomatoes and include a bell pepper. I also like to garnish with queso fresco or cotija cheese.

My other favorite and simple pulse recipe: quarter an onion and leave it to simmer with a couple of garlic cloves, a cup-ish of lentils, and some broth. Quick and easy, and you can add mix rice in.
posted by stillmoving at 5:46 AM on March 17, 2016

For some nice snacky things I have two suggestions:

Roasted chickpeas! Open can of chickpeas, rinse, toss with oil, salt, pepper and seasonings if you like (cumin, paprika, garlic, chili powder, curry powder are all nice), and roast at 450F until they're as crispy as you like (10-25 minutes, depending on your preferences and the size of the chickpeas).

Socca! It's chickpea *flour* not actual chickpeas so I don't know if it counts for your purposes. But it is WONDERFUL and you can basically use it as the bean-based bread to soak up one of these other stews or whatever.
posted by mskyle at 6:42 AM on March 17, 2016

Chances are good that you already have a recipe for red beans and rice, but just in case....(yes, my staple recipe for that is Emeril's; I was unsure at first becuase of the whole food-celebrity overblown reputation crap, but then I tried it and dude knows what he's doing.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:44 AM on March 17, 2016

I always throw in the Judy Rodgers lentils braised in red wine recipe, which I serve over rice. If I'm getting fancy, I'll press the rice in a waffle maker.

It's not enough to be a meal on it's own, but one thing I like to do to make it more interesting is throw a couple spoons of Tom Yum mix in with rice before it cooks.

And a simple black bean soup where you fry up some onion in bacon, cook black beans from a can in them, then (optionally) blend, and garnish with cilantro is quick and easy.
posted by Candleman at 7:04 AM on March 17, 2016

I love this sour dal recipe

Also this lamb and lentils

And this garlic prawns with lentils
posted by kadia_a at 7:38 AM on March 17, 2016

Chiming in for the Southern US, pintos & cornbread is a cherished staple meal. One thing the Hillbilly Housewife omits, though, is that you should top your bowl o beans with diced white onion. The Piedmont variation includes chow chow as well.
posted by workerant at 7:57 AM on March 17, 2016

A weekend lunch staple at our house is rice cooker mash:

2 or 3 rice-cooker cups of rice
use chicken broth in place of water (or at least some of the water)
dump in a can of blackbeans (drained)
dump in a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime (not drained)
hit "White Rice" and wait 30 minutes or so

I garnish with cheese and hot sauce and eat it on a tortilla. The kids go with soy sauce and eat it straight up.
posted by AgentRocket at 8:22 AM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: More Southern takes on this:

Hoppin' John (good luck at New Year's, but tasty year round). Here's a basic recipe, but I like this one with creole seasoning

Red Beans and Rice
posted by radiomayonnaise at 8:23 AM on March 17, 2016

My go-to comfort meal is rice pilaf with chickpeas and a side salad.

Heat a pat of butter with a splash of olive oil. Break spaghetti or vermicelli noodles into one inch pieces and cook, stirring often (careful, will burn v. quickly!) until golden brown. Add in rice and toast/coat with butter and olive oil mixture, season to your liking, and add appropriate amount of chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer, cook about 20 minutes. Important: don't stir and don't peak!! (If you need a more comprehensive recipe, google Armenian rice pilaf.)

While the pilaf is cooking, I roast up a can of chickpeas and a sliced up red onion and what ever other vegetables I like, usually a sweet potato. I season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Top the rice with the bean and vegetables and serve with a side salad. Sometimes I add a fried or soft boiled egg to the rice too.

I usually do a cup of rice to maybe a fourth cup of noodles. It's easy to throw together and customize depending on how hungry you are or if you're craving more chickpeas.
posted by pumpkinlatte at 9:08 AM on March 17, 2016

Dal khichdi is the absolute best for lentils, IMO.
posted by eclectist at 10:01 AM on March 17, 2016

We absolutely love these BBQ tofu bowls with rice and black eyed peas, with the caveat that we usually use bottled BBQ sauce for laziness, and also for laziness I never actually marinate the tofu. Just squeeze it dry, douse with BBQ and put it in the oven.

I like to bake the tofu about an hour to get the sauce extra caramelized. So it takes awhile to cook, but the prep is super easy.
posted by nakedmolerats at 10:18 AM on March 17, 2016

Best answer: The lovely folks at Rancho Gordo just released this informative little rice & beans cookbook. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but they all good great.
posted by slogger at 10:25 AM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I will second mjedra (a middle Eastern word with several spellings, I believe). Here is a link to a simple recipe online.

I liked a lot of the recipes in Diet for a Small Planet and Recipes for a Small Planet. For a time, a version of Complementary Pie was a staple at home. It is basically bean and rice quiche. (I left out the onions and maybe other spices to make it more kid friendly.)
posted by Michele in California at 10:57 AM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Dirty rice! We usually make it with beef ground with liver (our butcher delivers it that way) but totally recommend chicken gizzards/liver if you have it - they're both super cheap. Savory, filling, and high in iron! (If you dislike the taste of organ meats, though, skip it - that's the central flavor.)
posted by restless_nomad at 11:06 AM on March 17, 2016

Best answer: This is my favorite lentil recipe for "curried lentils". I usually make it nice and thick, but you can also make it more soup like if you prefer.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons (or more) curry powder
1 cup lentils
4 1/4 cups (or more) water, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. DO AHEAD Soup can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing.
Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Source
posted by scififan at 11:11 AM on March 17, 2016

Here are a couple of vegan variants of Hopping John that I came up with:

Hopping John
Quick Hopping John Pilaf
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:50 PM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]

This is my newest favorite thing. I've taken to adding half a bag of frozen loose leaf spinach to it and that really makes it, in my opinion. It works w/ any kind of rice (including that container that they always include w/ the take out Chinese food we get) or Quinoa.
I make the rice in a small rice cooker while I'm sauteing the chickpeas so it all goes together pretty quickly. I don't use all the butter that it calls for, and the parmesan is pretty minimal. I've also tossed in a few spoons of tomato sauce if I have it in the fridge and that's good too.

It's vegetarian, but you could toss in some pre-cooked chicken if you're into that.
posted by jvilter at 2:48 PM on March 17, 2016

A few years ago I read this comment on red pepper lentil soup and saved it on a whim. I've probably made it every three months since then. It's simple and a keeper. We often add smoked sausage (what with being in the land of andouille) and it's a perfect fit.
posted by komara at 7:35 PM on March 17, 2016

If you're ok with quinoa, this is a really easy, tasty recipe that's been one of my staples for a few years now. Can't remember where I originally stole it from, but I've made a few changes:

Start with one cup quinoa (I usually use red, but any is fine; bring to a boil in 2 cups water then summer covered on low for 10-12 minutes until done). Let it cool, then combine with:

Two cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I use the larger 19oz cans of black and/or cannellini)

Chopped veggies: a large yellow pepper and either a small red onion or half a large one; green onions are optional, but I rarely use them since they don't keep well in the fridge and I almost never use the remainder before they get gross

In a bowl, mix 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and the juice from a lime; add half the liquid from a can of chipotles in adobo, and set aside half the peppers.

Split the peppers, discard seeds and membranes (you can leave in some of the membrane for heat), chop finely and mix in

Finally, mix 1/4 cup olive oil into the liquid- really whisk the hell out of it unil you get an emulsion- pour it over the rest, stir vigorously (or if it's in a big Tupperware, shake it) to combine, and you're done. Divided into 5 equal servings, it should be about 425 calories with 17 grams of protein, complex carbs, fiber and healthy fats, but it tastes like something you'd buy at Taco Bell drunk at 2 in the morning.
posted by Merzbau at 4:51 PM on March 18, 2016