Easy Spanish Rice and Beans Recipe

The Spanish rice and beans recipe is one of the most popular dishes in Andalusia, and basically in all of Spain. It doesn’t matter in what part of Spain you find yourself, there will always be a restaurant that offers this plate. 

This Spanish rice recipe is proof that Andalusians know very well how to make amazing dishes for a low price. As well as other olives recipes, it only takes a few ingredients and a couple of minutes.

Keep reading this article because here we will show you how to make the Spanish rice and beans recipe, different tips on storing and serving, alongside some historical and cultural background.

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Background of the Dish

The famous rice and beans recipe was created centuries ago, and it is impossible to know the exact date or location where it was created.

It is believed that it was developed during the conquest of America since there are pretty similar versions in other Hispanic countries.

The Spanish rice and beans recipe was originally made with green olives and red beans, of course, this was changing as each household began to give its own touch to the recipe.

Although something that remains quite stable is that medium or short-grain rice is still used.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Rice and Beans Recipe

To make this Spanish rice and beans recipe, you just need 3 key ingredients; rice, beans, and olives (pretty obvious, right?).

There are still many substitutions that you can make to the ingredients, so don’t worry if you can’t find one or don’t have it in your house.

This easy red beans and rice recipe is so simple to make that you’ll just need two saucepans and a stove as the equipment.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup (185g) rice (medium or short-grain)
• 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• Salt 
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 can (425g) red beans
• 1/2 cup sliced olives 
• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

How to Make Spanish Rice and Beans Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. To start with this easy rice and beans recipe, grab a saucepan and heat the olive oil at medium to high heat. Sauté minced garlic until it gets a soft texture, for about one minute while stirring. 

2. For the next step add rice and cook for 3 minutes so it gets toasted on the outside. After that, pour the broth and water and bring it to a boil. 

3. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for about 15 minutes. Once the time went by, take it out from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In the meantime, heat the rinsed beans in a different saucepan. After 2 to 4 minutes add olives, vinegar, and season to taste. 

5. Mix them with the rice and serve warm.

Substitution of Ingredients

There are hundreds of replacements that you can make to the ingredients of this rice and beans recipe, so basically you can just customize it to your taste. 

For this rice and beans, I recommend you to use medium or short-grain white rice, but you can use integral rice, red rice, and any type of rice of your choice. 

Feel free to choose your favorite beans, from black to red beans, they all taste amazing.

You can also use other legumes such as lentils, garbanzo beans, and add some corn as well, even though in that case it wouldn’t be the classic beans and rice. 

If you liked this recipe, then you should definitely dive into the world of Spanish recipes and try others such as Spanish Chorizo Rice, grilled Spanish mackerel, Spanish chicken croquettes, and Spanish rice soup.

Tips on Serving Spanish Rice and Beans 

This Spanish red beans and rice recipe can be served at any time of the day, but it usually gets eaten at lunch so your body has more time to digest the rice and the beans.

Keep in mind that since it is beans and rice recipe, it is pretty heavy and you’ll be filled for the rest of the day, so it is an amazing lunch if you don’t have time for an afternoon snack.

If you like recipes with beans, make sure you try the warm Spanish bean salad that is just perfect for the cold season. And the baked Spanish beans recipe is a must-try as well.

Make this Spanish rice and beans with pork by cooking some pork belly in wine. A simple and nutritious way to prepare a tasty lunch.

The Spanish saffron rice, the Spanish baked rice, and the Spanish black rice are also must-try rice recipes from Spanish cuisine that will impress you with their unique taste.

The quinoa Spanish rice and the Spanish rice with corn are other delicious and healthy recipes that you should try.

How to Store Spanish Rice and Beans 

As well as other recipes with green olives, if you are thinking of storing this dish, then there are some tricks that you need to keep in mind.

The easiest thing you can do is to store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just put the rice with olives and beans in a covered container or a bowl with a plastic bag, and then you’re ready to store it. 

If you want to freeze it, then the same way that you would do it with other green olive recipes, all you have to do is to freeze the beans and rice, and only add the olives the same day that you’re going to eat the dish.

This is because olives don’t freeze well, and you can just add them later.

Recipe Card: Spanish Rice and Beans Recipe

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