Spicy Rice & Beans

This oven-baked rice and beans is hands-off comfort food with a Mexican kick. Brown rice, beans, corn, and salsa all bake together in a covered skillet, absorbing the vegetable stock and cumin-spiced liquid until tender and flavorful.

Toasting the rice with cumin in the sauteed garlic and onion before adding liquid is a technique borrowed from Spanish rice. That brief minute of dry cooking in hot oil builds a nutty, toasted flavor that plain boiled rice never develops. The salsa does double duty as both seasoning and cooking liquid.

Baking covered for 45 minutes lets the brown rice cook gently and evenly without any stirring or babysitting. Adding the stewed tomatoes on top for the last 10-15 minutes keeps them from breaking down completely, so you get pockets of warm, juicy tomato throughout the finished dish.

Kitchen Tips

• Use an ovenproof skillet so the dish goes from stovetop to oven without transferring. One less dish to wash.
• A little liquid will remain when the rice is done. That’s normal and gets absorbed as it rests.
• This refrigerates beautifully for up to 5 days, making it ideal for meal prep.
• Use vegetable stock for a fully vegetarian dish, or chicken stock for richer flavor.

Variations

• Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced avocado for a loaded rice bowl.
• Add diced chicken breast during the saute step for a heartier, non-vegetarian version.
• Swap mild salsa for hot salsa and add diced jalapeños for extra heat.