This saucy black beans and rice meal has a wonderful harmony of spicy, cool, sweet, and salty. Plus, who doesn’t love fried sweet plantains?
Enjoy each flavor one by one, or give the bowl a good stir for a mixture of tastes in every bite. Vegan & gluten-free.
Some foods are perfect in their simplicity.
They’re not fussy or expensive. They don’t take long to prepare.
Yet, they work together in such a way that you feel comforted from the inside out whenever you tuck into a bowl.
Take this black beans and rice meal. Not only is the combination of beans and rice friendly on the wallet, it is nourishing, satisfying, and filling.
And then you add guacamole and sweet fried plantains. With a touch of sweetness and caramelized edges, fried plantains take a classic lunch, and make it something worth celebrating.
Top this saucy black bean bowl with jalapeño slices, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and/or a handful of tortilla chips for dipping.
So good!
In this post:
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Oil: Avocado oil is my go-to, but any high heat, neutral-flavored cooking oil will work here.
Alliums: Garlic and onions add wonderful depth of flavor.
Black beans: Either use one 15-ounce can of beans that’s been drained and rinsed. Or use 1 ½ cups of cooked black beans.
Seasonings: Paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, and salt. Ancho chili powder is made with just one ingredient – dried ancho chilies. It’s flavorful but not hot.
Tip: Ancho chili powder is different than general chili powder, which is a blend of spices. You can use chili powder instead, but be aware that spiciness levels vary, depending on how much cayenne they use in their blend.
Avocado: Use ripe avocado that has a gentle give when lightly pressed with a thumb.
Cilantro: For my tastes, this fragrant herb is a must for guacamole. But if you are one of those people who hates the flavor, simply leave it out.
Lime juice: Choose freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor, not bottled.
Plantains: Choose plantains that are mostly black and have a gentle give when pressed. That’s how you know they’re ripe.
Rice: You can either make your own, or use store-bought frozen rice.
Tip: Frozen cooked brown rice from Trader Joe’s is very convenient. It comes with three packages to a box. Then it’s just a matter of heating the rice on the stove or in the microwave.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
First make the black beans. In one skillet, sauté onions and garlic in oil.
Once they’re translucent & fragrant, add the following:
- Black beans
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Ancho chili powder
- Salt
- Water
Then let the beans warm & the liquid reduce.
Next, make the guacamole.
In a bowl, combine all of the following:
- Minced garlic
- Avocado
- Finely chopped onion
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
Now it’s time to make the fried plantains.
Use a knife to cut off the ends of the plantains, as well as slice a seam down the center of the peels.
Peel the plantains. Then cut them into half inch pieces – either straight or on a bias.
Bring a second non-stick skillet to a medium high heat with oil.
Put the plantain slices in the warm oil. Brown on each side.
Let the plantains continue to cook until they’re fully warm and soft inside.
Finally, put the bowls together.
In two serving bowls, add spoonfuls of rice, beans, guacamole, and plantains.
Top with any extras like:
- Lime wedges
- Pickled jalapeños
- Chopped cilantro
- Hot sauce
- Tortilla chips
Make it your own
You can make this bowl your own by varying the ingredients.
- Replace the black beans recipe with refried pinto beans, refried black beans, lentil taco meat, tempeh taco meat, or chipotle black bean dip
- Add a flavorful finishing sauce like cilantro chimichurri, cashew queso, sriracha mayo, or chipotle crema
- For crunch, add a handful of shredded cabbage mix or tortilla chips
- For tang, add pickled red onions to the finished bowls
- For spicy heat, add quick pickled jalapenos or hot sauce
You can also vary the cooking method.
Instead of frying the ripe plantains, air fry them. Simply spray sliced plantains with oil, and air fry at 390 degrees for roughly 9 minutes, stopping to flip halfway through & spray with more oil.
Tip: Timing varies by air fryer. Keep an eye on the plantains to make sure they don’t burn.
Storage and reheating
Store each component separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
The beans will keep in the fridge for about 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. Add splashes of water if they seem dried out.
The guacamole is best fresh, because it’s prone to browning. However, to extend its lifespan, add a squeeze of lime juice to the top. Then press plastic wrap directly against the guacamole to limit its exposure to air (which causes oxidization).
Fried plantains are best served fresh. However, they can be stored in the fridge for about 3 or 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave.
FAQ
To find ripe plantains, look for fruit with a dark peel and plenty of black spots. When you press on it, there should be a gentle give.
A completely yellow or green peel means that the plantain will taste more like a potato than a banana.
For more information, check out this post on making sweet fried plantains.
If your plantains aren’t ripe enough, allow them to ripen on the counter for a few days. (If they’re ripening faster than you can use them, move them to the refrigerator.)
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Black beans and rice meal with fried plantains
Ingredients
Saucy black beans
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil or other neutral-flavored cooking oil
- ½ medium-sized yellow onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 can (15-ounce) black beans drained and rinsed (1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Guacamole
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 avocado pitted and removed from peel
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon lime juice + more for garnish
- Pinch of salt
Plantains
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or other neutral-flavored, high heat oil
- 1 plantain cut in ½ inch pieces on a diagonal
Brown rice bowls
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
Instructions
For saucy black beans
- Add oil to a skillet and bring to a medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté several minutes, until fragrant.
- Add black beans, water, cumin, ancho chili powder, paprika, and salt. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Once it is simmering, turn the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the beans have thickened. Then remove from heat.
For the guacamole
- In a bowl, use a fork to combine minced garlic, avocado, finely chopped onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
For the plantains
- Bring a separate non-stick skillet to a medium high heat with oil. (Put a shallow layer of oil into the skillet. The amount will vary, depending upon the size of your skillet.) Test the oil to see if it is hot enough by putting in one plantain slice. If bubbles immediately form around it, you know it's hot enough.
- Put the plantain slices into the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. (If necessary, work in batches.) Fry the plantains on one side until they are nice and brown, then flip them. Brown on the other side for a few minutes.
- Lower heat and continue cooking for several minutes more until the plantains have fully softened. (Flip again if the plantains start to burn.)
- Once they are fully browned and softened, move the plantains to a separate plate.
Putting it together
- Add spoonfuls of cooked rice, beans, guacamole, and plantains to two serving bowls. Top with any extras you prefer like lime wedges, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, hot sauce, and/or tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Content updated April 22, 2024. Originally posted November 2014.
Shell
This combination of flavors is amazing!
I have added frozen rice to my Trader Joe’s list. Sounds like a great time saver!
Cadry Nelson
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
SC
I don’t know why I thought we were making black beans from scratch. Would’ve appreciate “canned black beans” put in the recipe. So I had to salvage my black beans by using the IP. Great meal! Thank you👏🏽
Cadry Nelson
That is a great suggestion! I’ll update my bean posts this week to clarify canned/cooked beans instead of dried. I didn’t think about that being confusing, but it makes sense. Sorry about the confusion, and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe despite of it.
Sarah De la Cruz
This meal has my family’s name all over it! We eat meals like this about once a week! Lately I’ve been doing my sweet plantains in the air fryer and we are all obsessed! Delicious!
Cadry
That’s great, Sarah! It’s awesome when the things that are the easiest to make are also healthy & delicious to boot. Do you have a particular method for frying sweet plantains in the air fryer that you recommend?
Caitlin
so good, lady.
Cadry
Thanks, friend! 🙂
Shell
This meal looks so yummy! I love the idea of eating all of these foods together. I think it could be a happy place for me, too.
Cadry
Thanks, Shell! I could see you really enjoying this!
panda cookie
Our avocados have not been great the past couple of months and I miss eating them with bowls of beans and rice.
Cadry
Oh, I hate when that happens. For a while, avocados here were ridiculously expensive (like $2 per avocado). I had to take an avocado hiatus, and I really missed them.
glutenfreehappytummy
what a beautiful meal 🙂
Cadry
Thank you!
Linda @ Veganosity
Hi Cadry! I just discovered your amazing blog, thanks to the Finding Vegans Blogger FB page. This looks like my kind of dinner! I’ve never made plantains before, but I love them, so I should! Thanks for the great recipes.
Cadry
Oh, that’s great! Thanks for stopping by, Linda! I look forward to popping over to Veganosity after this. 🙂
Nicole
Oh yum, I want this meal right now! I love black beans and rice, never tried cooking the beans in beer before though, sounds like I need to do this asap! I’ve been subbing coconut milk for half the water in my rice lately and this seems like the perfect meal to incorporate that, a very Caribbeanish dish (ok probably not a real word but you know what I mean : )
Cadry
Oh, what a good idea on the coconut milk! That sounds fabulous. I’ll have to try that!