Cuban Moros y Cristianos (Black Beans and Rice)
A traditional Cuban dish combining white rice cooked with seasoned black beans and a rich, aromatic sofrito of garlic, onion, and bell pepper, spiced heavily with oregano and cumin.
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Servings: 2
- Cuisine: Cuban
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: $2.72/serving
Dietary
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Nut-Free
- Soy-Free
- Egg-Free
- Pescatarian
- Low-Sugar
- High-Fiber
- Kosher
- Halal
Ingredients
- 0.75 cup white rice (uncooked)
- 1 can black beans (undrained)
- 0.5 green bell pepper (medium, diced)
- 0.5 yellow onion (medium, diced)
- 4 clove garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
- 0.75 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and green bell pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, and ground cumin to the pan. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the can of black beans (including the liquid) and the water. Add the bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in the white rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. This finishes the rice and ensures fluffy texture.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir gently and mix in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired before serving.
Notes
Do not stir the rice while it is simmering, as this can make it sticky. For a deeper flavor, you can simmer the mixture for 15 minutes before adding the rice.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 574
- Protein: 17.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 93 g
- Fat: 15.6 g
- Fiber: 17.3 g
- Sodium: 1323 mg
- Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Sugar: 2.7 g