Easy Island Style Rice & Beans Recipe

I developed a Jamaican rice and beans recipe that combines coconut milk, island spices and a touch of heat, with beans for a hearty side or snack.

I keep coming back to this Easy Rice And Beans Recipe, it reminds me of a day on a tiny island where food had bite not fake sweetness. I love how full fat coconut milk wraps the long grain white rice and how the beans give it real body, you can almost hear the surf.

This isn’t just another side, its a little mystery on your plate that makes you ask questions, like why didn’t I try this sooner. It tips a hat to Jamaican Rice And Beans tradition but stays unfussy, and yeah I sometimes overdo the heat, but thats fine.

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
• 1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth or water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, optional for heat, or 1 small jalapeño for milder spice
• 1 bay leaf, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lime, optional

How to Make this

1. Rinse the 2 cups long grain rice under cold water until it runs mostly clear, then drain well; this keeps it from getting gummy and helps the grains stay separate.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and the white parts of the scallions and sauté until soft and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice if using, 1 bay leaf if using, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook another minute till fragrant, scraping up any browned bits for extra flavor.

4. Add the drained rice and toast it in the aromatics for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring so each grain gets coated with oil; toasting gives you a nuttier, less sticky rice.

5. Pour in the 1 (1
3.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk and the 1 cup low sodium broth (or water). Add enough plain water so the total liquid in the pot is about 4 cups for 2 cups of rice (this usually means adding roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups extra water depending on how full your coconut milk can was). Give it a gentle stir.

6. Gently fold in the drained and rinsed 15 oz can red kidney beans, tuck the whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper into the pot for heat without blowing it up, or add a chopped jalapeño for milder spice. Add the remaining green parts of the scallions if you like them cooked, then bring everything to a steady boil.

7. Lower the heat to the lowest simmer, cover tightly and cook undisturbed for 18 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Don’t lift the lid while it’s cooking or you’ll lose the steam that finishes the rice.

8. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, fish out and discard the whole pepper and thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and fluff the rice gently with a fork.

9. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime if using, taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the rice seems a bit wet, pop the pot back on very low, uncovered, for a few minutes to evaporate excess liquid. If it’s dry, sprinkle a little water, cover for 2 minutes to steam.

10. Serve warm as a hearty side or snack, garnished with extra sliced scallions or a lime wedge. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days; reheat with a splash of water to revive the coconut steam.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy bottomed pot with tight fitting lid
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Liquid measuring cup for coconut milk and broth
4. Fine mesh sieve or colander for rinsing rice and draining beans
5. Cutting board and sharp chef’s knife for chopping onion, pepper and scallions
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping browned bits
7. Can opener and fork to fluff the rice
8. Small bowl and citrus reamer or juicer for the lime juice (optional)

FAQ

Easy Island Style Rice & Beans Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Long grain white rice: swap for jasmine or basmati for more aroma, cook same; if you want brown rice use 2 1/2 cups broth per cup rice and cook about 45-50 minutes, it needs more time.
• Red kidney beans: use canned black beans or pinto beans (same amount, drain and rinse), or use cooked chickpeas for a different texture.
• Full fat coconut milk: use light coconut milk for fewer calories, or mix coconut cream 1:1 with water to mimic full fat; you can also do 1 cup coconut milk plus 1 cup broth to cut richness.
• Scotch bonnet or habanero: substitute a seeded jalapeño for milder heat, or use 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce if you don’t have fresh chiles.

Pro Tips

1) Rinse and drain the rice really well, then let it sit in a fine mesh sieve for a few minutes before cooking. Removing surface starch and toasting the grains briefly keeps them from getting gummy and helps them stay separate.

2) Watch your liquid. Two cups of rice usually needs about four cups total liquid, but canned coconut milk varies a lot in thickness. If the milk is super thick add a little extra water, and always taste for salt after cooking since broths differ in sodium.

3) Add the beans gently and late in the process so they don’t turn to mush. If you want the heat but not the scorch, tuck the whole Scotch bonnet in whole and remove it before serving; poke or burst it only if you want everything fiery.

4) Use a heavy bottom pot, keep the heat at the lowest simmer, and don’t lift the lid while it cooks. Let it rest, still covered, for 10 minutes after you turn off the heat before fluffing with a fork; that finish makes the texture miles better.

Easy Island Style Rice & Beans Recipe

Recipe by Tina Simpson

0.0 from 0 votes

I developed a Jamaican rice and beans recipe that combines coconut milk, island spices and a touch of heat, with beans for a hearty side or snack.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

488

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy bottomed pot with tight fitting lid
2. Measuring cups and spoons
3. Liquid measuring cup for coconut milk and broth
4. Fine mesh sieve or colander for rinsing rice and draining beans
5. Cutting board and sharp chef’s knife for chopping onion, pepper and scallions
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping browned bits
7. Can opener and fork to fluff the rice
8. Small bowl and citrus reamer or juicer for the lime juice (optional)

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain white rice

• 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans

• 1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk

• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth or water

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, optional for heat, or 1 small jalapeño for milder spice

• 1 bay leaf, optional

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, optional

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Juice of 1 lime, optional

Directions

• Rinse the 2 cups long grain rice under cold water until it runs mostly clear, then drain well; this keeps it from getting gummy and helps the grains stay separate.
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and the white parts of the scallions and sauté until soft and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in the minced garlic, 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice if using, 1 bay leaf if using, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook another minute till fragrant, scraping up any browned bits for extra flavor.
• Add the drained rice and toast it in the aromatics for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring so each grain gets coated with oil; toasting gives you a nuttier, less sticky rice.
• Pour in the 1 (1
• 5 oz) can full fat coconut milk and the 1 cup low sodium broth (or water). Add enough plain water so the total liquid in the pot is about 4 cups for 2 cups of rice (this usually means adding roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups extra water depending on how full your coconut milk can was). Give it a gentle stir.
• Gently fold in the drained and rinsed 15 oz can red kidney beans, tuck the whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper into the pot for heat without blowing it up, or add a chopped jalapeño for milder spice. Add the remaining green parts of the scallions if you like them cooked, then bring everything to a steady boil.
• Lower the heat to the lowest simmer, cover tightly and cook undisturbed for 18 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Don’t lift the lid while it’s cooking or you’ll lose the steam that finishes the rice.
• Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, fish out and discard the whole pepper and thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
• Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime if using, taste and adjust salt and pepper. If the rice seems a bit wet, pop the pot back on very low, uncovered, for a few minutes to evaporate excess liquid. If it’s dry, sprinkle a little water, cover for 2 minutes to steam.
• Serve warm as a hearty side or snack, garnished with extra sliced scallions or a lime wedge. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days; reheat with a splash of water to revive the coconut steam.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 268g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 488kcal
• Fat: 20.9g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Polyunsaturated: 3.3g
• Monounsaturated: 5.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 480mg
• Potassium: 417mg
• Carbohydrates: 64g
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 3.5g
• Protein: 10.3g
• Vitamin A: 800IU
• Vitamin C: 25mg
• Calcium: 67mg
• Iron: 1.5mg