Cuban Black Bean and Yellow Rice Bowls (with roasted plantains!)

This is easily my older daughter’s new favorite meal, and I even have the text screenshot to prove it, LOL. She was on a 3-day 8th-grade field trip to the Outer Banks and trying to power through all sorts of mass-produced and questionable fast food when she sent me this text message.

I love that our homemade meals had her missing us at least a tiny bit! She was having so much fun that I’m sure she didn’t think much about us otherwise.

She’s funny! I have to say though, this does come together as a very hearty vegetarian dish, and the sweetness of the roasted plantains are quite a tasty finishing touch. I don’t think to make plantains very often, but I have a feeling I’ll be doing it more in the future with her requests for this recipe!

What’s funny is, when I first started exploring the idea of yellow rice for this dish my mind went straight to those little flavored packets of it you find at the store. I am almost a decade into cutting out processed food and still finding things I’ve never made from scratch before!

All it takes (I’ve learned) is a little turmeric and other seasonings, and you’ve got yourself some tasty, whole-grain homemade yellow rice. Also, I’m always looking for ways to switch up brown rice—it’s a tad boring all on its own, don’t you think?! :)

I know at first glance this recipe looks like a lot of ingredients and prep, but I promise once you get into it, it’s reasonably straightforward. Nothing complicated going on here at all!

As I mentioned, my daughter keeps asking me to make this recipe, AND whenever we have leftovers she’s begging for them in her lunch box (pictured)! Also, this one does hold up leftover well, especially if you’re on-the-go—a good enough reason to double the recipe next time I make it!

Hope you enjoy this one as much as we do.

Cuban Black Bean and Yellow Rice Bowls (with Roasted Plantains!)

4.67 from 9 votes

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: spring vegetable side

Dietary Restriction: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree-Nut Free, Vegetarian

Category: Too Easy

Active Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings (Adjust to suit): 4 people

Calories: 800 kcal

Inspired by Southern Living Magazine

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Ingredients

For the whole-grain yellow rice

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice, jasmine or basmati
• 3 cups chicken,  or veggie broth
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the plantains

• 2 large plantains, we used yellow
• olive oil
• salt

For the black beans

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced or diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 30 oz black beans, two 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup water, (or more broth)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For assembly

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and thinly sliced or diced
• 1 avocado, sliced or diced. Can use 2 avocados if you’re a big fan!
• 2 handfuls fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the whole-grain yellow rice

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the shallot and garlic, while stirring, until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, broth, turmeric, and salt, and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender, between 20 and 40 min (depending on the rice). Add more liquid if necessary to ensure it’s cooked all the way and creamy.
   

For the plantains

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
   

2. Peel and slice plantains into 1/2″ pieces and place in one even layer on the baking sheet. Spray or brush with a light coating of olive oil and season with salt. 
   

   

3. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, 16 to 18 minutes.

For the black beans

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion and jalapeno until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. 

2. Add in the black beans, water, lime juice, cumin, and salt, and cook while stirring until the liquid evaporates almost all the way. Turn off the heat. Add more water if necessary to keep the beans from drying out while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

For assembly

1. Divide the yellow rice among four bowls. Top it off with sections of plantains, black beans, bell pepper, avocado, and cilantro. Serve or add to the lunch box for the next day and eat cold or at room temp. 

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Recipe Notes

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

To make this dish vegetarian use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Cuban Black Bean and Yellow Rice Bowls (with Roasted Plantains!)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 800 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 1443mg63%

Potassium 1766mg50%

Carbohydrates 130g43%

Fiber 24g100%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 2245IU45%

Vitamin C 77.4mg94%

Calcium 127mg13%

Iron 7.3mg41%

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

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