A simple, gluten-free and vegetarian meal that's always crowd pleaser! The easy dish can be made ahead, making it perfect for meal prep or busy days. Perfect on its own or served along with an additional protein.
New! I added a cooking video to this page so you could see just how simple it is to make this gluten-free Skillet Rice & Beans.
If you’re new to this website, at the bottom of every recipe page is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions.
Enjoy!
Update Fall 2020: If you’ve followed me a while, you know we love rice and beans of all kinds, but we rarely make them over the Summer. So now that we are back to school and hitting our Fall stride, we are back to easy, cozy dishes and this is always a hit!
This gluten-free Skillet Rice & Beans is simple, made with pantry staples, has the option to make ahead and is entirely customizable!
Serve as shown with the rice & beans and salsa mixed together, serve the salsa on the side, serve with avocado or serve alongside grilled chicken or both!
However you make it, I hope you love it as much as we do!
Original post…
Rice, Beans and Avocado is a combo we never tire of…. it’s cozy, hearty, delicious and versatile!
You are probably familiar with other rice and bean dishes we love:
This Skillet Rice and Beans is one of our favorites, always in the rotation.
It works well on its own, with lettuce and avocado as shown here or served alongside grilled chicken or another protein of choice.
And what makes it even better?
It can be entirely made ahead and heats up well whether you’re enjoying dinner as a family or everyone is coming and going and needs to eat on their own schedule.
This also makes it perfect if you’re someone who loves to meal prep!
It’s simply rice & beans cooked up with sautéed onion, vegetable broth and lots of yummy spices, mixed with toasted corn and fresh tomato salsa.
Easy to make, fresh and flavorful.
So let’s make it!
Let’s start with the toasted corn…
Toasting the corn takes about 5-10 minutes and adds the best flavor if you have the time to do it!
I suggest in the recipe that you first toast the corn, then wipe the pan and use the same pan to cook the rice and beans. I do this to minimize pans and clean-up!
However, as shown in the video here, I sometimes toast the corn in a separate pan at the same time I’m sauteing the onion and starting the rice and beans to speed up cooking time… so your choice!
On the the rice and beans…
It couldn’t be easier!
You first saute the onions. Then add spices. Then add vegetable broth, rice and beans and cook for 15 minutes… that’s it!
After the rice and beans cook up, it will look like this…
Let the rice sit for 5 minutes or more depending on your timing, then fluff with a fork.
It will be fluffy and smell amazing!
While the rice and beans cook, assemble your salsa.
It’s a simple salsa with tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and scallions and it’s so fresh-tasting!
Now you have your 3 parts: the rice and beans, toasted corn and salsa.
You can keep the 3 “parts” separate until serving so that it is freshest and that also helps in case you are feeding kids who like the rice and beans but not the salsa…
I tend to stir in the toasted corn, but leave the salsa separate
Mixed together, it is a beauty!
Colorful, festive and inviting.
And no matter how you enjoy it, it is a crowd-pleaser….
The boys like it without the corn and salsa, alongside grilled chicken; my husband likes it in a veggie burrito; and I love it topped with creamy avocado over a bowl of lettuce.
Nothing better than a dish that works for everyone!
Recipe adapted from Test Kitchen.
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Scroll down to see the recipe and leave a comment if you try it.
A simple, gluten-free and vegetarian meal that's always a crowd-pleaser! Perfect on its own or as a side. Fresh, savory and cozy, this dish can be prepped ahead and heats up well.... we just keep tomato salsa separate and add with serving. Shown here over a bed of lettuce and topped with creamy avocado. Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Best Mexican Recipes magazine ,
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: Sides, Dinner, Veggies
Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 4servings
Author: Healthy Gluten-free Family
Ingredients
Toasted Corn
1tablespoonolive oil
1 1/2cupsfresh or frozenthawed corn kernels, organic if possible
Rice and Beans
1tablespoonolive oil
1medium onionchopped
1/2teaspoonsalt
3-4garlic clovesminced
1teaspooncumin
1teaspooncoriander
1/2teaspoonoregano
2cupsvegetable broth
1cuplong-grain white ricerinsed
2 15ozcans black beansdrained and rinsed
Tomato salsa
1 - 1 1/2cupsgrape tomatoeshalved or quartered
1tablespoonfresh lime juice
1/4cupfresh cilantrochopped
1bunch green onionschopped
1tablespoonExtra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Toasted Corn
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally until kernels begin to brown and pop, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl and set aside.
NOTE: to speed up cooking time, you could toast the corn in a separate pan while starting the rice and beans.
Rice and beans
Wipe pan clean and in the same medium saucepan, heat oil and saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
Add in garlic, cumin, coriander and oregano, mix well and cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Add in broth, rice and beans. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and rice tender.
Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Gently fluff rice with a fork.
Add in toasted corn and mix gently.
Tomato Salsa
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, lime juice and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle tomato salsa over rice and beans and serve.
Great question! I have never made it with brown rice but if you want to try I would make a few adjustments… first, you will need some additional liquid, so I would probably use 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth instead of the 2 cups in the recipe, and you will definitely need a more cooking time. My guess would be it will simmer for more like 30 minutes (maybe even a bit more) compared to the 15 minutes for white rice. If you try it, I would definitely watch it a bit. Let me know if you try. Thanks!
This was delicious! Hubby approved. He is a meat guy; so I added organic chicken tenders cut up and used wild rice as I am not a fan of white rice. Super easy and quick. Looking forward to trying another one of your recipes. We are transitioning into gluten free and sugar free diet.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
This looks delicious! Can you substitute the white rice for brown rice? Would that change the cooking time?
Great question! I have never made it with brown rice but if you want to try I would make a few adjustments… first, you will need some additional liquid, so I would probably use 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth instead of the 2 cups in the recipe, and you will definitely need a more cooking time. My guess would be it will simmer for more like 30 minutes (maybe even a bit more) compared to the 15 minutes for white rice. If you try it, I would definitely watch it a bit. Let me know if you try. Thanks!
This was delicious! Hubby approved. He is a meat guy; so I added organic chicken tenders cut up and used wild rice as I am not a fan of white rice. Super easy and quick. Looking forward to trying another one of your recipes. We are transitioning into gluten free and sugar free diet.
Happy you both loved it! And love how you customized it! Let me know what else you try!
Is the white rice cooked before you add it to the beans?
Great question! No, it cooks along with the beans.
This was so easy and perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
Happy you enjoyed it and found the recipe easy! Thanks!