Spanish Rice and Beans
A flavorful and quick one-pot dish featuring fluffy white rice, tender red beans, and bold sazón seasoning. Perfect for a hearty, budget-friendly meal that's both satisfying and easy to prepare. Optional green olives add a briny twist.
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 1 1.41-ounce package sazón seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons adobo seasoning
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 15-ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 2.25-ounce can pitted green olives (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Rice Base:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, white rice, and olive oil. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir in the chopped onion, sazón seasoning, adobo seasoning, minced garlic, and ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
Simmer the Rice:
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the rice to cook undisturbed for approximately 10 minutes. This step enables the rice to absorb the seasoned water while the flavors meld together.
Incorporate Beans and Olives:
- Carefully remove the lid and add the drained and rinsed red beans to the saucepan. If using, stir in the pitted green olives. Mix gently to combine all the ingredients without breaking the rice grains.
Final Cooking Stage:
- Cover the saucepan again and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the liquid has been fully absorbed and the rice is tender, approximately 10 additional minutes. Ensure the heat remains low to prevent scorching.
Serve and Enjoy:
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and fluff the rice gently with a fork to separate the grains. Serve hot as a standalone dish or pair with your favorite sides for a complete meal.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure that the sazón and adobo seasonings used are certified gluten-free, as some brands may include additives containing gluten. Always check the labels on your spices and canned beans to confirm they meet gluten-free standards.