Name: Cheesy Fiesta Beans & Rice
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5 people (main dish)
Ingredients: 1 cup dry brown rice (uncooked); 1 small onion; 1 orange bell pepper (or other color); 3 cloves garlic; 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning; 15 oz. can tomato sauce; 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (I use this brand); 15 oz. can black beans; 1 cup sweet corn (frozen, canned, or freshly cooked); 1 cup cherry tomatoes (or roma, etc.); Salt to taste; Avocado, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, hot sauce, dairy-free cheese shreds, tortilla strips

Beans & Rice gets a flavor-packed makeover with a satisfying blend of fiesta flavors in a simple creamy tomato sauce! Reminds me of a “fully-loaded” version of Spanish Rice! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Vegan beans and rice in a bowl topped with avocado

Let’s bring it back to basics with beans and rice! Except this simple yet satisfying dish gets a flavor-packed makeover. We’ll combine black beans and brown rice with a medley of colorful veggies… all simmered in a creamy, cheesy, tomato sauce spiked with my favorite homemade taco seasoning blend. It reminds me of a “fully-loaded” version of Spanish Rice!

Bowl of cheesy fiesta black beans and brown rice

The “cheesy” flavor comes from nutritional yeast. But you could certainly add more or bump up the cheesiness with your favorite dairy-free shreds. (I love Follow Your Heart brand.) Plus there are lots of creative ways to re-purpose the leftovers. Use it as a burrito filling, chip dip, taco salad, layer it in a baked enchilada casserole, etc. This dish is also a great make-ahead meal for the week! Simply warm & enjoy. And of course in my case, don’t forget the avocado 😉

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5 from 4 votes

Cheesy Fiesta Beans & Rice

Classic Beans & Rice gets a flavor-packed makeover with a satisfying blend of fiesta flavors in a simple creamy tomato sauce. Like a “fully-loaded” version of Spanish Rice! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)

Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer

Cook Time:50 minutes

Total Time:50 minutes

Category: Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings:5 people (main dish)

Ingredients

Fiesta Rice

1 cup dry brown rice (uncooked)
1 small onion
1 orange bell pepper (or other color)
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (I use this brand)
15 oz. can black beans
1 cup sweet corn (frozen, canned, or freshly cooked)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (or roma, etc.)
Salt to taste

Toppings (optional)

Avocado, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, hot sauce, dairy-free cheese shreds, tortilla strips

Instructions

Cook rice according to package instructions.*
Meanwhile, make the taco seasoning and set aside.
Finely dice onion and bell pepper.
In a large skillet over med-high heat, saute onion and bell pepper for 8-10 minutes. (For no-oil sauté method, I use 3 Tbsp. broth/water to sauté and add more as needed.)
Meanwhile, mince garlic and dice tomatoes.
When onion is translucent, add minced garlic and 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Cook 1-2 minutes.
Reduce heat. Add tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, black beans (rinsed and drained), corn, and tomatoes. Stir and let simmer on med-low heat for a few minutes (or longer if the rice isn’t finished cooking yet).
When rice is cooked, add to skillet and stir well. Heat for 5 minutes to let flavors combine. Salt to taste.
Serve with your favorite toppings. For an extra-cheesy version, add your favorite dairy-free shreds.

Notes

* Feel free to cook the brown rice in advance and store in fridge until ready. Brown rice typically takes about 40 minutes to cook, and the dish only takes about 20 minutes until you need to add the rice, so you can wait 20-25 minutes to begin the rest of the steps. (Otherwise it’s totally fine to let the sauce gently simmer, stirring occasionally during that time until the rice is ready.)

You could also substitute quinoa for the rice as it only takes about 20 minutes to cook and the timing would work very well here.

This makes a fairly large batch so reduce/halve if desired.

The homemade taco seasoning recipe yields 3 Tbsp. although you will only need 2 Tbsp. for this recipe. I like to make a double or triple batch and store in a sealed glass jar to have on hand.

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

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Vegan rice and beans in a bowl topped with diced avocado

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