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Vegetarian, Americas

Baião de dois (Brazilian rice and beans with grilled cheese)

Baião de dois is a Brazilian dish from the Nordeste region made of rice and beans simmered together, flavored with garlic and cilantro, topped with cubes of grilled cheese. It serves 4, takes 45 minutes, rates easy, and costs about €2.30 per person. The trick is browning the cheese separately so it keeps its crisp edge.

Baião de dois, the signature dish of Brazil's Nordeste, rice and beans simmered together with cubes of grilled cheese.

Baião de dois (Brazilian rice and beans with grilled cheese)
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
660 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Rice and beans cook together in the same broth, soaking up each other's flavor into a comforting, slightly creamy base seasoned with garlic and onion. The grilled cheese on top is what makes it memorable, a crisp golden contrast against the soft rice, finished with fresh cilantro that lifts every bite.

This is a weeknight dinner you barely have to think about, made in one pot with little attention needed once it's covered. Kids usually love the melted cheese, and you can adjust the garlic and cilantro to suit everyone at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Canned red or white beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 60 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Tomato 2
  • Cilantro 1 bunch
  • Scallion 4

Dairy

  • Halloumi or grilling cheese 250 g
  • Butter 40 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the chopped onion and garlic until golden. 8 min

    Brown them gently, they flavor the whole dish.

  2. Add the diced tomatoes, then the rice, and stir for a minute to coat it. 3 min

    Glossy rice means it's well coated in fat.

  3. Pour in the drained beans and the broth, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook over low heat. 18 min

    Don't lift the lid while it cooks.

  4. Cut the cheese into cubes and brown them in a dry hot skillet. 5 min

    No oil needed, the cheese releases its own fat.

  5. Mix the rice with half the chopped cilantro and scallion, top with the golden cheese and the rest of the herbs.

    Serve right away, the cheese is best hot and golden.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the canned beans well before adding them, otherwise the rice turns too watery as it cooks.
  • Use a heavy bottomed pot, it spreads heat more evenly and keeps the rice from sticking during the 18 minutes covered.
  • Taste your broth before adding salt, some store bought broths are already quite salty.

The variations

  • Swap the halloumi for firm feta or another grilling cheese if you can't find it.
  • This dish is already vegetarian, for a vegan version use olive oil instead of butter and a plant based cheese that holds up when cooked.
  • For kids, cut the garlic down to one clove and serve the cilantro on the side, some prefer to skip it.

What to serve it with

  • A fresh tomato salad
  • Lime wedges on the side
  • A fresh fruit juice

Storage

Baião de dois keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the grilled cheese, which you should add fresh when reheating. Warm the rice in a skillet or pot with a splash of water so it doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, but you'll need to soak and cook them separately before adding them to the rice. Canned beans save time without changing the final result.

What cheese can replace halloumi?

Firm feta or a store bought grilling cheese both work well, the key is a cheese that holds its shape when heated. Avoid cheeses that melt too easily, they'll turn liquid in the pan.

Can this dish be made ahead?

You can cook the rice and beans ahead and reheat them gently with a little broth. Grill the cheese at the last minute so it stays crisp.

Why brown the cheese separately instead of cooking it in the rice?

Cooked directly in the rice, the cheese would melt and blend into the dish. Browning the cubes separately in a dry pan keeps a golden crust with a soft melted center.

How long does it take to make a baião de dois?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a baião de dois?

About 660 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a baião de dois cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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