Grain salads are great dishes to bring to a potluck, serve at a bbq, or have as part of a weeknight dinner! This brown rice and black bean salad with its spicy lime dressing is the perfect addition to any table.
Hello, all!
I don’t know about you, but this summer I’ve been all about low effort dinners which don’t heat up the house. And if that dinner has the bonus of being one of my daughter’s absolute favorite things to eat ever, well I’m going to be making it a lot! (And this favorite is healthy with actual vegetables and fiber. She’s fourteen. She thinks she can live on ice cream and pasta. š )
Which is another way of saying this rice and bean salad full of Southwestern/Spanish flavors has been on our dinner table regularly in the last couple of months.
What’s to love?
- Brown Rice. Flavor AND fiber! You can’t beat it. I love long grain varieties – my favorite is basmati with jasmine taking a close second, both for their flavor and because the grains stay separate when they’re cooked.
- Black Beans. We all know how great beans are for us and this is an easy and tasty way to add more of them to our lives.
- Fresh Veggies. I use tomatoes, green onions, and avocados. Each of those bring nutrients and flavor to the table.
- Minimal cooking. If you cook the rice in a rice cooker or multicooker, you barely heat up the house at all AND it’s fuss free. Even on the stovetop the cooking and fuss is minimal.
- Make ahead. You can (and I have!) eat this right after you make it, but it is just as great the next day. One note: It’s best to wait to add the avocados until you are ready to eat.
- Adaptable. Have fresh corn? How about bell peppers? Love mango? They would all be great here. There are all sorts of great veggies you can add to the dish to mix it up!
What do you need?
- Brown Rice – About 1 cup will do.
- Black Beans – Use canned for ease or dry if you have the time.
- Veggies – Such as tomatoes, avocado, corn, peppers…
- Fresh Herbs – Cilantro and green onions
- Dressing – Make a spicy lime dressing to bring it all together!
How to make this
To make rice and black bean salad cook your rice until done then mix with black beans, tomatoes, avocados, scallions, and cilantro. Pour in a spicy lime dressing and toss to combine.
That’s it!
To lay it out, here are the steps:
- Make rice – rice cooker, multicooker, stovetop. It’s up to you!
- Drain and rinse some black beans.
- Chop all your veggies.
- Mix the dressing.
- Toss it all together.
- Eat. Yum!
More Grain Salad Ideas
Whether you want a side salad or a main course, grain salads of all sorts are great ways to enjoy healthy and tasty meals. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Kale, Radicchio and Freekeh Salad Buddha Bowl – a vegetarian main course grain salad
- Warm Mediterranean Cauliflower and Farro Salad – I love this winter side salad!
- Grilled Chicken and Farro Caesar Salad Bowl – a twist on the caesar
- Brown Rice and Lentil Salad over Arugula – great Mediterranean flavors in a comforting salad
If you try my recipe for Rice and Black Bean Salad, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And Iām happy to answer any questions you might have.
You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.
– Happy Eating, Annemarie
Southwestern Black Bean and Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
Rice Black Bean Salad
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice, such as basmati or jasmine
- 2 14-oz cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and blotted dry
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2-3 scallions, sliced
Lime Dressing
- 2 tbsp lime juice, approx. one lime
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated
Instructions
- Cook the rice on the stovetop or in a rice cooker according to the package directions.
- Prepare the black beans, tomatoes, avocado,cilantro, and scallions.
- Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, spices, and garlic for the lime dressing.
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.
- Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings: add more spice, salt, or lime juice as needed. Serve the salad warm or cold, depending on your preferences.
Notes
- Spice: The amount of spice is up to you. Start with a little if you're not sure then taste and add more until you are happy.
- Additions: Great additions to the salad include fresh corn kernels cut off the cob, diced bell peppers, diced red onion, or diced mango.
- Rice: I use either brown basmati or brown jasmine (depending on what I find at the store). Either cooks up into individual grains which fluff up in the salad quite nicely.
- Rice Cooker: I recommend either using a rice cooker or a multicooker (such as the Instant Pot).
Jazzy says
Great recipe! I love this!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! I’m glad you do!