Black Beans and Rice with Bacon Recipe

By
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a food critic at the Chicago Tribune.  His food writing appears in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Epicurious, Baltimore Sun, Serious Eats, Grub Street, New York Magazine, and Tasting Table, among others.
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Updated May 08, 2019
Nick Kindelsperger

A bowl of black beans and rice is pure comfort food, at least for me. It was one of the first dishes I attempted to make in college, though I should point out that it usually entailed nothing more than opening a can of beans, mixing in some rice, and calling it a day. I've progressed beyond that point, but I'm always looking for new tricks, because while the concept sounds simple, it's surprisingly easy to end up with a batch that is dry and flavorless.

The easiest way to add flavor is to toss in something meaty, but add too much and you'll risk making things greasy. It's a balancing act. Bacon carries most of the load here, but it gets some help from some chicken stock, which lends a savory edge without clobbering you over the head. I also picked up a trick from this gallo pinto rice recipe, and decided to add some Worcestershire sauce. From there, I focused on the one element that usually gets forgotten—acid. For this recipe, I used some apple cider vinegar, which helps cut through everything else.

Recipe Details

Black Beans and Rice with Bacon Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), sliced thinly

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1 serrano pepper, stemmed seeded, chopped (about 2 tablespoons

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup white rice

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Cook bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat.

  2. Add onion, red bell pepper, and serrano, and cook until onion is soft and starting to take on some color, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and few cracks of black pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in rice and cook until most of the grains turn chalky white, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Add black beans, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and cook until the rice is completely cooked, stirring after 10 minutes or so, 15 to 20 minutes total. Garnish with sliced green scallions and the cooked bacon.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
322Calories
11gFat
37gCarbs
19gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories322
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g14%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 28mg9%
Sodium 1002mg44%
Total Carbohydrate 37g14%
Dietary Fiber 7g26%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 66mg331%
Calcium 75mg6%
Iron 3mg19%
Potassium 737mg16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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