Beans and Rice
Dry red kidney beans, celery and long-grain white rice come together in this vegan — 70 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (3)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Rinse the dry beans and soak them in plenty of cold water overnight, or at least 6 hours, then drain and set aside.
- Finely dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery and mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and saute the vegetables until softened and fragrant, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for another minute until aromatic, then add the drained beans and bay leaves.
- Pour in enough fresh water to cover the beans by about two inches, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the beans are tender, adding more water as needed.
- Once the beans are soft, mash a few against the side of the pot to thicken the liquid into a creamy sauce, then season generously with salt and black pepper and discard the bay leaves.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice by combining it with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt, bringing it to a boil, then covering and simmering on low for about 18 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and serve the beans ladled over warm rice.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan
Tips & common questions
How long does Beans and Rice take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Beans and Rice vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Beans and Rice is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Red Beans and Rice.jpg by Arnold Gatilao from Fremont, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.