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Vegetarian, Americas

Black beans, rice and plantains

This Venezuelan dish combines simmered black beans with white rice, fried plantains and grated cheese. The recipe serves 4, takes 50 minutes, is easy to make and costs €1.90 per serving. The trick is cooking the onions slowly and adding a touch of sugar to soften the beans' natural tang.

The quintessential Venezuelan plate, slightly sweet black beans, white rice, fried plantains and grated cheese.

Black beans, rice and plantains
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Black beans, rice and plantains bring together everything that makes Venezuelan cooking so comforting, a thick cumin scented bean sauce, plain white rice that soaks up every bit of it, and fried plantains that add a caramelized sweetness that ties the whole plate together. Melted grated cheese on top finishes it off without making it heavy.

This is a meal that works just as well for kids as for adults, mellow thanks to the sugar stirred in at the end, and cozy enough for a fall or winter evening. Mon Chou likes this recipe because it relies on pantry staples and stays warm and satisfying, perfect for a stress free weeknight dinner.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned black beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Ripe plantains 2

Dairy

  • Grated cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella 100 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Chop the onions, bell pepper and garlic, then sauté them gently in 2 tablespoons of oil with the cumin. 10 min

    Cook them slowly over low heat, this is where the sauce builds its base flavor.

  2. Add the beans with their liquid, half a glass of water, salt and pepper.

    The liquid from the can helps bind the sauce, don't throw it away.

  3. Let it simmer gently, stir in the sugar at the end of cooking, and mash a few beans to thicken the sauce. 20 min

    Taste before adding more salt, the sugar changes the balance.

  4. Cook the rice in salted water while the beans simmer. 11 min

    Drain well and fluff with a fork.

  5. Cut the plantains into diagonal slices and fry them in the remaining oil until golden, then serve everything with the grated cheese. 8 min

    Flip them only once, the caramelized side is where the flavor comes from.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains that are very ripe, with skin that's almost black, they caramelize better and bring more sweetness than green ones.
  • Mash only a small portion of the beans at the end of cooking, just enough to thicken the sauce without turning it into a puree.
  • Make the bean sauce a day ahead, it tastes even better after resting overnight in the fridge.

The variations

  • Swap the canned black beans for dried black beans cooked ahead of time if you have more time to spare.
  • For a quicker version, buy pre-fried plantains or use store bought precooked rice instead of cooking it from scratch.
  • For kids, cut the plantains into small cubes instead of slices, easier for little forks to spear.

What to serve it with

  • Sliced avocado with a squeeze of lime
  • Simple fresh tomato salad
  • Passion fruit juice

Storage

Black beans, rice and plantains keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the plantains stored separately from the rice and beans. The bean sauce freezes well for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried black beans instead of canned?

Yes, soak them overnight then cook for about an hour before following the recipe. Canned beans stay the faster option for a weeknight dinner.

Why add sugar to the black beans?

Sugar softens the beans' natural tang and balances the dish, a classic Venezuelan habit. Just one tablespoon added at the very end is enough.

Can this dish be made ahead of time?

The bean sauce makes a great make-ahead dish and even tastes better the next day. It's best to cook the rice and fry the plantains right before serving.

How do I know if plantains are ripe enough?

Look for plantains with skin that's mostly black, almost entirely dark. They're sweeter at this stage and caramelize much better than plantains that are still yellow or green.

How long does it take to make a plate of black beans with rice and plantains?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a plate of black beans with rice and plantains?

About 700 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 plate of black beans with rice and plantains cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 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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