Brown Rice and Beans, Caribbean Style A one-pan side dish to enjoy.

How to make Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style, the perfect one-pan side dish that will go with all things grilled, simmered or baked. Oh and it is a perfect meatless meal as well. Let's get cooking!

Note: We are a brown rice eating family! When I began noticing and reading about arsenic in rice, I knew I would have to update my cooking methods to offer the most delicious and healthiest rice possible for my family. This added step to parboil the rice is quite easy to accommodate. Especially since we batch cook brown rice for storage in the freezer. Thank you for revisiting this post for the added information and instructions.  

There is a first time for everything!

This was my first time cooking beans and rice together, in the same pan. I must say, that the timing is important to avoid mushy rice, but otherwise this is one easy dish to cook for the family. Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style have a mild flavor, as written. Because like you, I cook for my own family and we are not big on heat in our food. So by all means, when you are making this for your family do feel free to add some heat, or up the spice, as suggested, to make it your own.  

Now that I have cooked and enjoyed this dish, I don't know why I thought it would be difficult. 

Cooked as written Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style makes a delicious side dish for just about any meal, as well as a great meatless main dish. Perfect for a Meatless Monday! And while my family and I are not vegan, I love exploring vegan and vegetarian recipes because both are a sure-fire way to get more vegetables on the table! And vegetables on the table usually mean, more vegetables in our bellies...it is not enough to put the food on the table, it is important that we put food that will be eaten.

This side dish goes with just about everything!

We enjoyed Brown Rice and Bean Caribbean Style with grilled pork chops and sautéed zucchini. It would also be delicious with chicken or grilled sausage. Leftovers reheat well and make a great off-beat burrito for lunch the next day! Preparation does require an overnight soak for the beans, but from there it is a little simmer, a quick sauté and serve. 

Feel free to use any one of the beans listed. Cook with what you have. 

The preparation and cooking directions remain the same. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce for those who like to spice up their plate just a little bit more! We are rather timid in the hot spice category in this house, so for us I scaled back. You will see notes in the recipe to double the ingredients, if desired. 

 

And remember, cook a pot of beans weekly...

Some additional thoughts on this recipe:

You will wan to plan for the added soaking time and a simple parboil of the rice, to prepare this dish. 

Not really a problem, as the soaking and parboiling can be accommodated the day before. Simply store the prepared rice in the refrigerator and then continue on the day you wish to serve this delicious dish!

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• beans, pigeon, pinto, or kidney beans
• water
• salt
• oil
• onion
• tomato
• parsley
• ground cloves
• lime juice
• pepper
• brown rice

You will also need the following:

• large stock-pot with lid
• kitchen knife
• cutting board
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• skillet

Now we are ready to begin!

Brown Rice and Beans, Caribbean Style
adapted from:  More with Less Cookbook

Updated: 09.08.2024

2 c dry pigeon peas, pinto beans, or kidney beans
6 c water
1 T salt

Place the beans, water, and salt in a large stockpot with a lid, and soak overnight or use the quick soak method. When soaked, bring to a boil (do not drain soaking liquid) reduce heat, and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until tender. 

Drain beans, reserving 2 cups of the liquid.

2 T oil
1/3 c diced onion
1 large tomato, chopped
1 T lime juice
1/8 t ground cloves, feel free to double this if you love cloves!
2-4  T parsley
1/4 t pepper, feel free to double this for a bit of heat!
drained beans

Heat oil in a large pan, add remaining ingredients, sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add the following:
1 c brown rice soaked and parboiled.  see below to guide you through this process.
2 c reserved bean liquid

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. 

Cook 20-25 minutes for white rice, 35-40 minutes for brown rice without stirring. 

Remove from heat, let rest 5 minutes, gently fluff, and serve.

How to Soak Rice.  

Measure out the amount of rice you wish to cook, 

place in a large enough bowl to be able to cover it with water, 

add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 

cover with cool water, add enough water to cover the rice by one to two inches,

 

let it sit for at least 24 hours. 

When Ready to Cook the Rice: 

This process now includes parboiling with final cooking in your Pressure Cooker. 

Drain the soaked rice in a wire mesh strainer, rinse well, then let the rice drain.  

To parboil the rice, place 5 cups of water for each cup of rice into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the drained rice and when the water returns to a boil, boil for two minutes. Use a timer, and drain the rice as soon as the timer signals. 

Let the parboiled rice drain until no drips are coming off the bottom of the strainer.  You are now ready to cook the drained rice.

If however, the day gets busy and I can not cook the soaked rice as planned, it can be stored (up to 3 days) in a covered container in the refrigerator until cooked.  Pretty simple, right?

Storage options for Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. For longer storage, you may freeze Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style has been included below. 

You may also enjoy: 

Anasazi Beans and Rice. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Caribbean Rice and Beans
adapted from:  More with Less Cookbook

UPDATED: 09.08.2024

2 c dry pigeon peas, pinto beans, or kidney beans
6 c water
1 T salt

Place the beans, water, and salt in a large stockpot with a lid, and soak overnight When soaked, bring to a boil (do not drain soaking liquid) reduce heat, and simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until tender. 

Drain beans, reserving 2 cups of the liquid.

2 T oil
1/3 c diced onion
1 large tomato, chopped
1 T lime juice
1/8 t ground cloves
2-4  T parsley
1/4 t pepper
drained beans

Heat oil in a large pan, add remaining ingredients, sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the following:
1 c brown rice soaked and parboiled.  see below to guide you through this process.
2 c reserved bean liquid

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. 

Cook 20-25 minutes for white rice, 35-40 minutes for brown rice without stirring. 

Remove from heat, let rest 5 minutes, gently fluff, and serve.

How to Soak Rice.  

Measure out the amount of rice you wish to cook, 

place in a large enough bowl to be able to cover it with water, 

add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 

cover with cool water, add enough water to cover the rice by one to two inches,

 

let it sit for at least 24 hours. 

When Ready to Cook the Rice: 

This process now includes parboiling with final cooking in your Pressure Cooker. 

Drain the soaked rice in a wire mesh strainer, rinse well, then let the rice drain.  

To parboil the rice, place 5 cups of water for each cup of rice into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add the drained rice and when the water returns to a boil, boil for two minutes. Use a timer, and drain the rice as soon as the timer signals. 

Let the parboiled rice drain until no drips are coming off the bottom of the strainer.  You are now ready to cook the drained rice.

If however, the day gets busy and I can not cook the soaked rice as planned, it can be stored (up to 3 days) in a covered container in the refrigerator until cooked.  Pretty simple, right?

Storage options for Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. For longer storage, you may freeze Brown Rice and Beans Caribbean Style. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

 

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