These Rice and Bean Tacos are an incredibly easy and quick meal to throw together. They use simple microwave Spanish rice and canned black beans that get zhuzhed up a bit with chopped chiles.
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Ingredients
- Rice: microwave rice works great here to keep it simple. I like Ben’s Ready Rice Spanish Style. Here's a recipe if you'd like to make your own Spanish style rice, and one if you'd like to make your own Mexican style rice.
- Black beans: canned black beans work well here. You could substitute pinto beans or kidney beans if you like something a little creamier.
- Spices: a mixture of cumin, chipotle powder, garlic powder, and onion powder – all of which add a nice well rounded flavor to the canned black beans.
- Mild chopped green chiles: sold in a can, available in most grocery stores.
- Tortillas: corn tortillas or flour tortillas, whichever you prefer.
- Salt: balance and bring out the flavors.
- Toppings: my preferred toppings are avocado for creaminess, limes for acidity, cilantro to brighten it up, and white onion for a little bite.
How to make rice and black bean tacos
1. Make the bean mixture – set a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, beans, spice, and chiles. Cook for 5-10 minutes until warmed through, smashing up some of the beans as you mix them together.
2. Assemble – to your tortillas add rice, beans, and all the toppings you’d like.
Tips and tricks
- Warm your tortillas, it makes them more malleable and more enjoyable to eat.
- Squeeze lime juice on the avocado to prevent it from going brown.
- Drain and rinse your beans, you don’t want the liquid they sit in going into your tacos.
- To make the onions more mild and less pungent, run them under cold water and pat them dry before you add them to the tacos.
- If you want to avoid the tortilla, you can serve the rice and beans over some shredded lettuce, with whatever additional toppings you’d like – chopped fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, etc.!
- To meal prep these rice and bean tacos – make the bean mixture and warm the rice, store each separately in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Ingredient substitutions
- Rice: Cilantro lime rice would also be great. Brown rice also works as a back-up option although will be lacking in flavor.
- Spies: Rather than using all those spices individually, you can add a teaspoon or two of taco seasoning.
- Onion: Red onion or pico de gallo can be used in place of a white onion.
- Chopped green chiles: If you're not able to find this in a can, I'd suggest getting a poblano pepper in its place. Poblano peppers are nice and mild.
- Tortillas: if you prefer crispy tacos, you can use the hard taco shells.
Taco toppings
Taco toppings are really up to personal preference. While I like avocado, lime juice, cilantro, and onion, some other great options are:
- Coleslaw
- Red cabbage
- A crumbly cheese (like cotija cheese or queso fresco)
- Some hot sauce or chipotle crema
- Chopped jalapeno pepper
- Corn salsa or tomato salsa
Storage and reheating
- To store any leftovers, I suggest storing the pieces individually – rice in one container, beans in another, and toppings in another. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in airtight containers.
- To reheat, assemble the taco and warm in the microwave for a few minutes. Or you can reheat each ingredient separately and then assemble once all are warmed.
FAQs
Corn tortillas are made from ground corn (masa harina) whereas flour tortillas are made from flour. Corn tortillas are less sturdy than flour tortillas, therefore are usually smaller. If you prefer corn tortillas and find that they are breaking, I tend to double them up. More on choosing between corn or flour tortillas here.
Overall beans are pretty healthy – a good source of fiber and protein – so it really just matters what you prioritize. Take a look here at some of the most common beans and their health benefits.
Yes, rice is naturally gluten free. However double check any premade rice packaging to ensure no added ingredients contain gluten or may be cross contaminated.
In addition to the rice it is typically tomato sauce and/or tomato paste, garlic, and spices. There are some nuanced differences in the two types of rices by way of quantities and added ingredients, but more or less the base is similar.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and review below and tag me on social!
📖 Recipe
Rice and Bean Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 taco size flour tortillas
- 9 oz Spanish-Style ready rice
- 15 oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 oz can mild chopped green chiles
Optional for topping
- 1 avocado
- fresh lime juice
- fresh chopped cilantro
- minced white onion
Instructions
- Set a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, beans, spices, and chiles. Cook for 5-10 minutes until warmed through, smashing up some of the beans as you mix them together.
- Assemble the tacos – to your tortillas add rice, beans, and all the toppings you’d like.
Notes
- If you have time, I'd recommend heating up your tortillas a bit before filling them. You can do this by putting them in the oven for a few minutes on 350℉, heating them on the stove top in a skillet, for 15 seconds in the microwave, or even directly on the open flame of your stovetop (careful with this one, they char quick!).
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