Breakfast rice and beans

For someone who claims to not be much of a breakfast person, I am allll about the breakfast recipes this week. I love breakfast food, I just think it belongs mid-morning, rather than first thing, when I’m still bleary eyed and my tail is far from bushy.

Anyway, you may be wondering why I’m considering rice and beans to be a breakfast food. Well, this recipe is loosely based on a Costa Rican dish called ‘gallo pinto‘, which is often eaten in the morning. And since it’s National Rice Week this week, I figure I should be eating rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Also, as you know, I call anything topped with a fried egg ‘breakfast’.

If you prefer, you can eat this breakfast rice and beans at dinner time, but to be honest I think it’s a pretty great way to start the day. It’s full of fresh veggies, protein, good fats – definitely starts your day on the right foot.

Rice and beans is always a winning combination, because together they form a complete protein. There are nine ‘essential’ amino acids (the parts of protein that we have to get from our food, since our bodies can’t produce them on their own), and together, rice and beans give us all nine. It doesn’t necessarily matter if we consume the nine amino acids together, or spread out across our diet, but it sure does feel good to be getting everything you need in one fell swoop. Especially when it’s this tasty.

The spicy, veggie-packed rice and beans combo is topped off with a fried egg, tomatoes and avocado, to give this dish its breakfasty vibe. If you thought a gooey egg yolk was irresistible on its own, just try it once it’s oozed all over spicy rice and beans.

Yuuum.

Are you planning on cooking up any tasty rice dishes to celebrate National Rice Week? I’m definitely going to be adding another couple of rice dishes to this week’s meal plan. If you’re in need of some more inspiration, check out the rest of my rice recipes, or take a look at the Love Rice website. You can also browse through the #NationalRiceWeek hashtag for even more ideas!

Print Recipe

Breakfast rice and beans

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 3

Calories:

Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 125 g uncooked white rice (~ 1/2 cup)
• 120 g cooked black beans (1/2 drained tin, or ~ 2/3 cup)
• 500 ml vegetable stock (~ 2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2-3 eggs
• 1/2 large avocado, sliced
• ~ 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add the diced onion and peppers. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until soft.
• Add the uncooked rice, tinned black beans, vegetable stock, spices, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook gently, stirring regularly, until the rice is cooked and any excess liquid has cooked off (alternatively, you can add a dash more water if the rice is not yet cooked). It should take around 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a dash of oil in a frying pan, and fry one egg per person (I'd recommend that this recipe serves 3 for breakfast, or 2 for dinner).
• Serve the rice and beans topped with the fried eggs, sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for a breakfast portion, i.e. a third of the recipe.

Here’s one of my other favourite rice recipes: Slow cooker wild rice and mushroom soup!