Fiesta Rice Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published August 7, 2019. Updated June 6, 2021

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A perfectly delicious and healthy rice recipe! This Fiesta Rice is packed with nutritious goodness and incredibly hearty. It’s made up of brown rice, black beans, tons of fresh colorful vegetables and it’s all tossed with a bright cilantro lime dressing. You’ll love it!

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An Easy Healthy Rice Recipe!

This has been one of my favorite sides to make this summer. It will remind you of a Cowboy Caviar (Texas Caviar) Dip but instead of serving as a chip dip it’s a refreshing side dish.

I love to serve it with grilled chicken or pan seared salmon, and it would also be delicious with shrimp. Honestly though it’s so filling that you could just serve up a bowlful of this for lunch or dinner and no one would be complaining.

We all get caught in the slump of “what am I going to make to go with it”? This seems like a good all-purpose place to go, no more boring plain rice!

And it’s made with simple ingredients yet it’s brimming with flavor! Fresh ingredients make the best recipes!

It’s just one of those recipes that you can feel great about eating, possibly even giving you a little pep in your step instead of feeling weigh down after dinner. This is fuel you through the day food.

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How to Cook Brown Rice

I usually opt for the stovetop (in a saucepan) method because it’s just what I’ve always done but there are four ways you can cook the brown rice:

How Much Does 1 Cup Dry Rice Make?

For this recipe I begin with 1 cup dry brown rice which will make about 3 cups cooked, so you’ll have a little extra leftover for lunch the next day.

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Ingredients for Fiesta Rice:

  • Leftover cooked brown rice – I like to use leftover chilled brown rice for two reasons, it absorbs the dressing better since it’s not as wet and it cold which works perfect for this recipe. If you don’t plan ahead no worries just serve it warm.
  • Black beans – be sure to rinse and drain well. Rinsing remove excess salt and that mucky brown liquid which would tint the dish and make it soggy with the excess liquid.
  • Roma tomatoes – I like to use roma but another type of tomato would work fine like vine ripened or grape tomatoes.
  • Bell pepper – I like to use a blend for a colorful dish but if you don’t feel like buying two colors 1 will be fine, I’d go with green.
  • Jalapeno – this adds a spicy kick feel free to omit for a mild rice dish.
  • Frozen corn – fresh corn will work great too just cook it first.
  • Red onion – I like to rinse before adding to the mixture to help remove some of the excess harsh bite.
  • Olive oil – this is the base for the dressing. You won’t need much.
  • Lime juice and zest – this really brightens up the rice and makes it an exciting recipe!
  • Fresh cilantro – this adds a delicious herbaceous flavor, it’s a key ingredient don’t omit it.
  • Cumin – this bring some depth.
  • Garlic – raw garlic is much stronger than cooked garlic so here we don’t use very much.
  • Salt and pepper – you may not need a very much salt depending on how much you added to the rice when cooking. Taste first then season.
  • Avocado – this ingredient is optional. I love it here but if you plan on leftovers I’d only add to the individual servings otherwise it will turn brown and unappetizing.

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How to Make this Fiesta Rice Recipe:

  • Prepare dressing: in a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, cumin and garlic.

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  • Add remaining ingredients to a bowl: to a large bowl add brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno, corn, red onion and avocado.
  • Toss with dressing: pour lime mixture over ingredients rice mixture and toss to evenly coat while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

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Can I Use White Rice?

Yes. White rice will work fine here too. But when you get a chance I recommend trying brown, it adds extra flavor and texture. It’s more nutritious too.

Can I Serve this Rice Recipe Warm?

Yes. This would also be delicious served warm instead of chilled. While it is so refreshing served cold in the summer another time of year you may want a warm rice dish.

If doing so I recommend sautéing the bell pepper, onion, corn and jalapeno in a little oil until just crisp tender, the add tomatoes and black beans and just heat through. Toss with warm rice and dressing.

How Long Will It Keep?

If you hold the avocado it should keep well in the fridge for 3 days. If needed you can toss in a little more oil.

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More Easy Rice Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Mexican Rice
  • Cilantro Lime Rice
  • Coconut Rice
  • Chicken Fried Rice
  • Very Veggie Fried Rice
  • Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

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Fiesta Rice Recipe

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A perfectly delicious and healthy rice recipe! This is packed with nutritious goodness and incredibly hearty. It's made up of brown rice, black beans, tons of fresh colorful vegetables and it's all tossed with a bright cilantro lime dressing. You'll love it!

Servings: 6

Prep20 minutes minutes

Ready in: 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, cumin and garlic.

  • To a large bowl add brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno, corn, red onion and avocado.

  • Pour lime mixture over ingredients rice mixture and toss to evenly coat while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

*It is now advised to cook frozen corn to 165 degrees due to possible bacteria. I cook in a little water in the microwave to heat through, then run under cold water and drain well to cool.

**If you plan on leftovers I recommend only adding avocado to the portion you'll be serving so you don't end up with browned diced avocado in the rice.

Nutrition Facts

Fiesta Rice Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 304Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 271mg12%

Potassium 626mg18%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 874IU17%

Vitamin C 39mg47%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Keyword: Rice Recipe

Author: Jaclyn

Fiesta Rice Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

How do you fancy cooked rice? ›

Add up to 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, sausage, chorizo, or chopped ham. Add up to 1/2 cup dried shrimp or a couple of mashed anchovies. Season with any spice mixture . Instead of some or all of the water, use stock.

How much water for 2 cups of rice? ›

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

What are the 4 steps in cooking rice? ›

There's only four steps to cooking rice on the stove: Rinse, Boil, Simmer, Steam. Let me explain. Start with rinsing your rice. This removes excess starch from the surface of the rice, and ensures that the cooked rice is not clumpy or mushy.

How do I make rice taste like a restaurant? ›

Use Stock Instead of Water

“Instead of water, use either vegetable or chicken stock. Homemade is ideal, but plenty of premade boxed stocks exist for convenience. Add stock to the hot pan with vegetables and toasted rice.” He explains that toasting the rice first adds a layer of nutty flavor and creates more depth.

Do you boil water before adding rice? ›

Bring water to a boil, then add the rice.

Fill the pot with water (no need to measure) and salt it — just like you do with pasta water. Bring it to a boil and then carefully add your desired amount of rice.

Do you cover rice when cooking? ›

Instructions. Add rice and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cover. Ensure it's simmering and not boiling or the rice can cook too quickly.

How many cups of rice for 2 people? ›

A standard serving of rice is usually half a cup for a side dish or one cup as a main dish per person. One cup of cooked rice serves 1-2 individuals, but one cup of uncooked rice yields approximately 3 cups of cooked rice, enough to serve 3-6 people.

How can you tell if rice is done? ›

Check the rice is cooked at the end by trying a grain - this should also be indicated by the appearance of small holes on the surface and all the water having been absorbed. Keep cooking for another couple of mins if it isn't quite ready, then turn the heat off.

How to rinse rice? ›

How do you rinse rice? Start by placing your rice in a large bowl and cover the grains with water. Using your hand, gently swirl the rice around until the water becomes cloudy. Pour out the water—but make sure the rice remains in the bowl—and repeat until the water is clear, about three to four rinses.

How do you make packaged rice taste better? ›

Up the flavor of your pot of instant rice by swapping out water for full-flavored broth. Use bone broth or stock in the same proportion, or quickly mix some miso with water for a nice umami-base that will infuse your instant rice. Bouillon works too!

What makes rice taste so good? ›

Cook in Flavorful Liquid

Using a good stock is the first thing to try—you'll taste the stock so make sure it's a good one! But don't limit yourself to just stock. Another option is to cook the rice in a salsa-like liquid. Try blending juicy tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeños with water.

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