• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Healthy Midwestern Girl
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Sign Up
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Sign Up
    • Contact
    • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home / Main Dishes

    Spanish Rice and Beans

    Last updated: Oct 1, 2019 · Published: Oct 1, 2019 by Elizabeth Shah. This page may contain affiliate links.

    408 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Spanish Rice and Beans is a simple yet satisfying skillet dinner—full of sweet and smoky flavors and good-for-you, whole food ingredients.

    Close up of skillet with Spanish Rice and Beans with slivered onions, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley and bay leaf with red and gray striped towel and wooden spoon.

    I love a side of bright, red-orange, tomato-y Mexican rice with my burrito. And who doesn’t love a good paella? If Mexican rice and Paella met and had a kid, it would be this Spanish Rice and Beans dish.

    It’s not quite a simple as Mexican-style Spanish rice—I’ve seen recipes so basic they call for little more than a can of diced tomatoes and some tomato paste. But it’s definitely simpler than your average paella. And rather than white Spanish bomba (paella) rice, we use common, whole grain brown rice here.

    So while it’s not this and it’s not that, it is an absolutely a nutritious one-pan meal—complete with whole grain, beans and veggies—that’s full of sweet and smoky flavors. (A lot like my Smoky Vegan Rice and Black Beans recipe.)

    Red and orange bell peppers, yellow onion, garlic bulb, bay leaf, white dishes of butter beans, diced tomatoes, brown rice, and spices, red wine and tomato paste.

    How to Make Spanish Rice and Beans

    This Spanish Rice and Beans recipe may not be the quickest thing you’ll cook all week, but it is quite simple. Just sliver, saute, deglaze, simmer. And wait. The waiting may be the hardest part. (I haven’t made this in the Instant Pot yet, but I’ll give that a go and post the directions in the future.)

    Here’s how we get it done:

    First, I like to sliver my onions and red pepper nice and thin, about ¼” or less. They’ll saute up quickly, and this makes it feel like an elegant paella dish to me. Plus it’s just plain pretty.

    Second, as in my Mushroom Walnut Bolognese recipe, we brown our tomato paste to build flavor. I recommend just a few minutes in the recipe, but you can brown it even longer for more flavor.

    Third, I like to deglaze the pan with ½ cup of vegan Spanish wine, like Bodegas Tempore for example. If you prefer not to cook with wine, you can substitute a tablespoon of good quality sherry vinegar and an extra ½ cup of water or stock.

    Finally, we add the rice, liquid and beans, and let her simmer. This is where the waiting game begins. It it takes time and a little patience to let the brown rice to soak up the liquid—and all those amazing flavors. 

    Step 1: Saute the slivered onions, peppers and garlic in a skillet.

    Step 1: Saute the slivered onions, peppers and garlic in a skillet.

    Step 2: Move the veggies to the edges of the pan and brown tomato paste in the center.

    Step 2: Move the veggies to the edges of the pan and brown tomato paste in the center.

    Step 3: After stirring in the tomato paste, add the spices and rice. Then deglaze with wine or sherry vinegar.

    Step 3: After stirring in the tomato paste, add the rice. Then deglaze with wine or sherry vinegar.

    Step 4: Add the stock and beans to the skillet and simmer until rice is cooked.

    Step 4: Add the stock and beans to the skillet and simmer until rice is cooked.

    Are Butter Beans and Lima Beans the Same Thing?

    Spoiler alert—if you didn’t know this, butter beans and lima beans are the same thing! But I promise, they’re really tasty. If you haven’t tried one since you last spat one out in the third grade, give them another chance.

    You could use another white bean here, like great Northern or cannellinis. But I love how these BIG butter beans look so beautiful with the slivered peppers and onion. Almost like a fancy paella. Almost.

    Salud!

    Skillet with Spanish Rice and Beans with slivered onions, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley and bay leaf with red and gray striped towel and wooden spoon.

    If you like this whole food plant-based recipe, you might like my Smoky Vegan Rice and Beans, 1-Pot Curried Lentils, Healthy Vegan Chile Relleno, Easy Coconut Lime Rice, and Crispy Spicy Sushi Bowls. 

    I LOVE hearing from you! It would make my day if you’d be so kind as to:

    • Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
    • Rate this recipe and/or leave a comment if you make it. (Under the recipe picture or below the recipe.) 

    Thanks bunches and happy, whole-food cooking!

    Spanish Rice and Beans

    Spanish Rice and Beans is a simple yet satisfying skillet dinner—full of sweet and smoky flavors and good-for-you, whole food ingredients.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print SaveSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Spanish/Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 163kcal
    Author: Elizabeth Shah
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 yellow onion slivered
    • 4 cloves garlic smashed and minced
    • 2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers slivered
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 ½ cups short grain brown rice see notes
    • 1 15 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes LIQUID RESERVED
    • 1 15 ounce can butter beans (about 1 ¾ cups cooked. Or sub Great Northern or Cannelini beans. See notes)
    • ½ cup red wine such as a vegan Spanish red wine like Bodegas Tempore (or sub 1-2 tablespoons good sherry vinegar + ½ cup of stock)
    • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or more to taste. Plus more for garnish if desired)
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder (plus more for garnish if desired)
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • sea salt to taste
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 ¼ cups low sodium vegetable stock
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon of water or stock in a large skillet (about 2 ½ quarts), over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until soft.
    • Move the vegetables to the side of the pan, and add the tomato paste to the center. Cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes.
    • Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and rice, and mix everything together. Cook for 1-2 minutes  
    • Add the tomatoes and sherry vinegar (or wine, if using), and deglaze the pan (scrape up any brown bits). Add the beans and the stock, and stir.
    • Bring the rice and bean mixture a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 55-60 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. (It's okay if it's still a little moist.)
    • Give the beans and rice a gentle stir, then cover again and let rest for 5 minutes. The rice will absorb a little more liquid as it sits. Don't over stir, or the rice will become mushy.

    Notes

    Rice: like to use a California grown rice, especially for dishes where the grain with soak up the liquid in the pan, rather than cooking the rice in extra water and draining it. This is because brown rice can contain arsenic.
    (I can’t tell you how shocked I was when I learned this, thinking about how much brown rice I’ve eaten in my lifetime! Learn more about brown rice and arsenic in this video.) For this dish, I recommend a brand like Lundberg.  
    Beans: I often double the beans in this recipe, so if you like your beans, go for it.

    Nutrition (approximate)

    Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1208IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Please share it!Mention @HealthyMidwesternGirl or tag #HealthyMidwesternGirl!

    More Main Dishes

    • Crispy Tofu Chicken Breasts [Vegan]
    • Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
    • Silken Tofu with Spicy Soy Dressing
    • Sofritas [Sheet Pan Recipe]
    408 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica

      February 15, 2020 at 5:20 pm

      Will this work with long grain brown rice? I cannot find short grain...

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Shah

        February 18, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        Hi Jessica, Yes, it should work fine with long grain rice. Just check the package for cooking time & liquid to see if you need to make any adjustments.

        Reply
    2. Jill

      October 06, 2019 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and LOVED it! I have always loved Lima beans and I never knew they are the same thing as butter beans. I will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Shah

        October 07, 2019 at 8:47 am

        Hi Jill, I'm so happy to hear you loved this recipe! I was hoping there were some fellow Lima bean fans out there 🙂 Happy cooking! -Elizabeth

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Elizabeth Shah

    My husband calls me his "healthy Midwestern girl," because I LOVE TO EAT! Fortunately, I also love to cook. I'm so excited to share my 100% vegan, whole food, plant-based, no oil recipes with you! MORE...

    Certified by WFPB.org

    whole food plant based (WFPB) Certified logo

    Featured On

    Image of logos: T. colin campbell center for nutrition studies, She knows, buzz feed, bloglovin', food network revolution, best of vegan, one bite vegan, live kindly, food gawker, yummly

    Whole Food Plant Based Diet

    The WFPB Diet -- What the heck is it, anyway?

    Favorite Recipes

    Dish of sauce and spoon.

    Chickpea Cheese Sauce

    Jar of mayo and spoon.

    Vegan Oil Free Mayonnaise - 4 Ways

    Pesto jar and spoon.

    Easy Vegan Oil Free Pesto

    Vegan Mushroom Walnut Bolognese

    vegan alfredo sauce in a bowl.

    Easy Vegan Chickpea Alfredo Sauce

    Lemony lentil turnip chowder bowl.

    Lemony Lentil Turnip Chowder [Vegan]

    eggplant Parmesan slice.

    Easiest Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

    almond ricotta in ramekin with crusty bread on the side.

    Almond Ricotta Cheese

    chile relleno with cheese drizzle.

    Healthy Vegan Chile Relleno

    Best Vegan Chili

    Best Damn Vegan Chili

    MORE FAVORITES →

    As an Amazon associate, I may earn a small commission from your purchase, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.

    Footer

    Learn More

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • About

    Sign Up!

    • Sign up for recipe emails and more

    Get in Touch

    • Contact Us

    Copyright © 2022 Healthy Midwestern Girl

    408 shares