The Secret to Feeding Your Family on a Budget

Ingredients

• 1 pound Long-Grain Rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
• 1.5 medium Yellow Onion (roughly chopped; half used for rice, half for beans)
• 8 cloves Garlic (roughly chopped; 4 for rice, 4 for beans)
• 1 large Carrot (diced into small cubes)
• 8 oz Canned Sweet Corn (drained; half of a 15‑oz can)
• 8 oz Tomato Sauce (canned)
• 3 cups Chicken Broth (low‑sodium; can substitute vegetable broth for vegan version)
• 2 tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder (1 tbsp for rice, 1 tbsp for beans)
• 4 tablespoons Neutral Oil (vegetable or canola oil)
• 0.25 cup Fresh Cilantro (chopped; added at the end of rice cooking)
• to taste Salt (season throughout)
• 1 pound Dried Black Beans (rinsed and inspected)
• 2 leaves Bay Leaves (added to bean cooking water)
• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1 whole Jalapeño (seeded and diced; optional for heat)
• 1.5 tablespoons Cumin (ground)
• 2 tablespoons Dried Oregano
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 12 cups Water (for bean cooking; keep beans covered by 2‑3 inches)

Instructions

1. Prep Vegetables for Rice

   Roughly chop the yellow onion, garlic cloves, carrot, and set aside. No need for perfect cuts.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prep Corn

   Drain half a 15‑oz can of sweet corn (about 8 oz) and set aside in a bowl.

   Time: PT2M

3. Rinse Rice

   Place the 1 lb of long‑grain rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear (about 4‑5 rinses). Drain well.

   Time: PT5M

4. Heat Saucepan

   Put the high‑walled saucepan over medium‑low heat and add 2 Tbsp neutral oil, coating the bottom.

   Time: PT2M

5. Sauté Onion & Garlic

   Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant (about 10 minutes).

   Time: PT10M

6. Toast Rice

   Stir in the rinsed rice, coating it with the oil and aromatics. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice turns a light golden color (about 8 minutes).

   Time: PT8M

7. Add Tomato Sauce

   Pour in the 8 oz tomato sauce, stirring gently to combine without splashing rice.

   Time: PT2M

8. Add Broth and Bouillon

   Add 3 cups chicken broth and 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder. Stir, then bring to a low simmer.

   Time: PT5M

9. Add Carrot & Corn

   Scatter the diced carrot and drained corn on top of the rice without stirring.

   Time: PT1M

10. Simmer Rice

    Cover the pan tightly and let the rice cook undisturbed for 20 minutes on a very low simmer.

    Time: PT20M

11. Finish Rice

    Remove the lid, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the rice, fluff with a fork, and season with additional salt if needed.

    Time: PT3M

12. Rinse & Inspect Beans

    Place the 1 lb dried black beans in a colander, rinse 3‑4 times, discard any debris, rocks, or malformed beans.

    Time: PT5M

13. Start Bean Cooking

    Transfer beans to a large pot, add ~12 cups water (2‑3 inches above beans), half of the remaining onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, a few cilantro sprigs, and a pinch of salt.

    Time: PT5M

14. Bring Beans to Boil then Simmer

    Heat over high until boiling, then reduce to an aggressive simmer, cover, and cook for about 60 minutes, checking water level every 20 minutes and adding more hot water if needed.

    Time: PT1H

15. Prep Veggies for Beans

    While beans simmer, dice the remaining onion, green bell pepper, jalapeño (optional), and mince the remaining garlic.

    Time: PT10M

16. Heat Cast‑Iron Skillet

    Place the cast‑iron skillet over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp neutral oil, and let it heat fully (about 2 minutes).

    Time: PT2M

17. Sauté Bean Vegetables

    Add the diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic to the skillet, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until translucent (about 7 minutes).

    Time: PT7M

18. Add Spices

    Stir in 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon powder, 1.5 Tbsp ground cumin, and 2 Tbsp dried oregano. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.

    Time: PT1M

19. Drain Cooked Beans

    Using a slotted spoon, lift the beans from their cooking liquid, discarding bay leaves. Reserve about 3 cups of the bean cooking liquid.

    Time: PT5M

20. Combine Beans and Veggies

    Add the drained beans and reserved bean liquid to the skillet. Gently stir and let the mixture reduce, thickening the sauce (about 10 minutes).

    Time: PT10M

21. Final Seasoning

    Taste and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Time: PT2M

22. Serve

    Plate a generous scoop of the Mexican red rice, top with the seasoned black beans, and garnish with extra cilantro if desired.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

10 g

Carbohydrates

60 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

8 g