The best Cajun style red pinto beans and rice recipe - This simple, quick, and easy dinner is healthy for the budget because it's cheap! Can be vegetarian or vegan or you can add some meat. Great for lunch or supper. Spicy recipe that's amazing with some shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro on top.
I spent 10 years of my life as a vegetarian, and I loved it. Even today, I sometimes feel like an icky traitor for eating meat.
I'm aware that I'm weird. Just play along.
I feel a special allegiance to meatless cuisine, and we eat meatless meals often around here.
On and off over the last 12 years, Joe and I have eaten this beans and rice recipe for supper pretty often. We go in spurts, and we'll eat it weekly for months and months and then put it away because we're sick of it, and then get it back out again after some time has passed. We're like that with a lot of recipes.
As written, this beans and rice recipe is vegan. There are no animal products at all. However, Joe and I really love to serve this it with a healthy amount of shredded cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt. It makes the whole thing creamy and delicious and tones down the spice a bit. Grace and Allie like to top theirs with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing because they're weird too, just in a different way. Everything is better with ranch dressing, I guess.
How to Make the Best Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice
- Cook the rice according to package instructions. You will need 3 cups cooked.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Sauté until onion is tender and translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika.
- Mix in beans, corn, and rice. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add water if it looks like the spices or rice are sticking or burning.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, and ½ ounce of shredded cheese.
Cooking note: To make this a heartier meal, you could add some chopped or shredded chicken, pork, or beef. We normally don't but have once or twice.
Recipe
The Best Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 14 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces whole kernel corn drained
- 3 cups white rice cooked
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Sauté, stirring often until onion is soft, 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add seasonings.
- Mix in beans and rice. Continue to cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add water if it looks as if the spices or rice are sticking and burning.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, ½ ounce shredded cheddar and 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt.
Katie says
That sounds so good and easy. I'm always looking for good meatless meals. Thanks for sharing!
OnePerfectBite says
These sound delicious. It looks like a great recipe. I hope you are having a wonderful Foodie Friday.
mleewest says
What a great, meatless recipe--and I love the Cajun spices!
Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says
This looks really good. Beans and rice are popular dishes where I live (Tampa, FL), but I've never looked up a good recipe. This one looks very good! (I'm a native Midwestern girl). My daughter has just started eating raw (although not 100%-she's a college student) and likes it a lot.
Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says
This looks really good. Beans and rice are popular dishes where I live (Tampa, FL), but I've never looked up a good recipe. This one looks very good! (I'm a native Midwestern girl). My daughter has just started eating raw (although not 100%-she's a college student) and likes it a lot.
Dee Johnson says
Made this in the crock pot (cooked rice on stove and added it to the crock pot) using 1# dried red beans, added smoked sausage and didn't have bell pepper, so I didn't use it. Also doubled it for my large family. With the cheese and sour cream it is amazing! And not too spicy.