The Perfect Caribbean Rice and Beans Recipe: A Staple Dish in Caribbean Cuisine
Rice and beans is a staple dish in Haiti and throughout the Caribbean, featuring rice cooked in a flavorful dried beans broth with aromatic spices. It is a must at the table of any Haitian household. This dish pairs perfectly with vegetable stews, meat stews, seafood, and poultry, making it a versatile and beloved recipe. For extra flavor, coconut milk can be added to the cooking liquid.
Cooking Rice and Beans: Patience and Fresh Ingredients
Cooking rice and beans requires patience and the freshest ingredients. The best way to achieve a winning recipe is by choosing the highest-quality red beans available. Different brands offer different textures and flavors, so experimenting with various options will help you find the one you love best.
How to Choose the Best Dried Beans for Your Rice and Beans Recipe
Beans, in general, contain a wealth of nutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. However, selecting the best-dried beans can be a challenge. While recommendations from friends and family are helpful, finding a brand that suits your taste may take some trial and error.
Many Caribbean households prefer the Goya brand because it is widely available and trusted. However, there are many excellent brands to choose from, and each will yield slightly different results.
Why Beans Are a Healthy Choice
Legumes, including beans, are an excellent dietary choice due to their high nutritional value. They contain amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, aiding in tissue repair and development for bones, muscles, skin, and blood.
Adding beans to your diet regularly provides essential nutrients and a great source of plant-based protein. Rice and beans make an excellent side dish and can be served with Chicken in Creole Sauce or any flavorful meat sauce.
Best Rice Options for This Recipe
Choosing the right rice is just as important as selecting the right beans. Although the traditional choice is yellow rice, Jasmine rice also works well. Not all rice brands mix well with other ingredients, so selecting a high-quality variety is key.
Other excellent rice choices include:
- Jasmine Rice
- Long-grain white rice
- Parboiled rice
A proper rice-to-water ratio ensures a grainy and fluffy texture, which is crucial for a successful dish. Both red kidney beans and black beans are excellent options for this recipe, offering distinct flavors and textures.
Describing the Ingredients in the Recipe
Each ingredient in this dish plays a crucial role in enhancing its flavor and texture:
- Salt and pepper to taste or a cube of chicken bouillon: Enhances overall seasoning and umami flavors.
- Long-grain rice: Yellow rice is preferred for added color and flavor, but white rice works just as well.
- Red or black kidney beans: Provide protein, fiber, and a hearty texture to the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Helps sauté aromatics and adds richness to the dish.
- Cooking liquid from beans: Infuses the rice with deep, savory flavors.
- Vinegar : Enhances the flavor and helps tenderize the beans.
- Garlic: Adds depth and aromatic notes to the dish.
- Chopped parsley: Provides a fresh, herbaceous touch.
- Medium onion or scallions: Contributes sweetness and complexity.
- Thyme: A signature Caribbean herb that enhances the dish’s aroma.
- Whole cloves: Adds a warm, slightly sweet, and spicy depth.
- Habanero or Scotch Bonnet pepper: Infuses subtle heat without overpowering the dish (remove before serving if desired).
Tips for Perfect Rice and Beans
- Add Endui (cured spiced pork belly) for a more traditional and smoky taste.
- Soak beans overnight for faster cooking and better texture.
- Use fresh ingredients like herbs, garlic, and onions to enhance the flavor.
- Control the water ratio to ensure fluffy and separate rice grains.
- Allow the rice to steam after cooking by covering the pot for a few minutes before serving.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt, pepper, or bouillon if necessary.
- For extra depth of flavor, add a small amount of coconut milk to the cooking liquid.
- Use Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce instead of hot pepper for a flavorful kick.
Final Thoughts
Rice and beans is a classic Caribbean dish that can be enjoyed in various ways. Whether paired with stews, seafood, or poultry, it remains a flavorful and comforting staple. Using the right ingredients and taking the time to perfect the cooking process will ensure a delicious and authentic result every time.
Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320192#the-basics
The perfect Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 3 cups long-grain rice yellow rice preferred but not necessary
- 1/2 cup red or black kidney beans
- 1/4 cup of oil
- 4 cups cooking liquid for the beans
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 medium onion or 3 scallions
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 whole habanero or scotch bonnet pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste or a cube of chicken bouillon
Instructions
- Boil beans in 6 cups of water (adding more water if necessary – cooking time will vary between 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on beans). Do not overcook the beans. Drain beans, set aside and save water for later use. Measure beans water – need 5 1/4 cups of beans water for the rice. If you don’t have enough add hot water and return the pot with the bean water to the stove and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil turn off heat.
- In a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add oil, crushed garlic, onion or scallions, thyme and parsley. Fry for 5 minutes while stirring (do not allow garlic to burn). Add the drained beans to the mixture, whole cloves salt and pepper to taste or chicken bouillon cube. Let fry approximately 5 to 7 minutes on low to medium heat and be careful not to crush the beans. Add beans water, vinegar (secret ingredient) and the whole pepper (do not burst or crush the pepper, leave whole).
- Cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 5 minutes. Remove pepper and verify the seasoning. Add the rice to the mixture and mix delicately. Let boil and wait until liquid has almost evaporated, lower heat and cover to continue cooking. Allow rice to cook approximately 30 minutes over low flame. Uncover the pot remove hot pepper and mix again very gently. Turn off heat, cover and keep warn before serving.
Notes
For a peppery taste, you can combine chicken bouillon with additional ground pepper. Vegetarians can also use vegetable bouillon cubes instead of chicken bouillon.
- Add Endui (cured spiced pork belly) for a more traditional and smoky taste.
- Soak beans overnight for faster cooking and better texture.
- Use fresh ingredients like herbs, garlic, and onions to enhance the flavor.
- Control the water ratio to ensure fluffy and separate rice grains.
- Allow the rice to steam after cooking by covering the pot for a few minutes before serving.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt, pepper, or bouillon if necessary.
- For extra depth of flavor, add a small amount of coconut milk to the cooking liquid.
- Use Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce instead of hot pepper for a flavorful kick.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Corn Allergy:
Always choose ingredients without corn or corn derivatives.
Originally published November 7, 2014, revised April 13, 2021, and updated to include additional content.
I tried this with everything but the dried bean i used canned beans instead (what I had in my pantry) and it was delicious, I will definitely try it with dried beans next time. Thanks for the recipe.
Hello, Roxy! I am so glad that you liked the recipe. Many people don’t like to cook dried beans because the cooking time can be very long. But when you try it you will notice a huge difference. Make sure you have a heavy bottom or dutch oven pan to cook the beans – it seems to shorten cooking time. Thanks for commenting and have a great day! :)
I made this for dinner the only thing I didn’t have was parsley but delicous and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing. I love carribean, tropical foods they are unique in taste and presentation. 5 STARS I will keep this recipe to pass on to my girls.
I am so glad that you enjoyed my rice and beans Mrs. Butterworth Cook. And you are correct, Caribbean food is very unique. We love using fresh spices and it shows. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Much appreciate it. :)