Grains

Rice and Beans

By Amy Flanigan

Published Mar 1, 2022

Read 147 Reviews

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Servings 6

By Amy Flanigan

Published Mar 1, 2022

Jump to RecipeShare

This Rice and Beans recipe is a quick 30 minute meal that’s crazy flavorful and only requires one pan. Great weeknight meal the entire family will love!

Red Beans and Rice is pretty filling on its own, but we also love to serve it with a side of cornbread.

Rice and Beans Recipe

Let me introduce you to one of our favorite dinners – this Rice and Beans recipe with added kielbasa. It’s a delicious twist on red beans and rice, loaded with protein, and crazy delicious. I mean…rice, beans, and smoked sausage! You just can’t go wrong with this combination. All my favorite things in one skillet. And so so easy!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to make it this beans and rice recipe:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Dry long grain white rice – All of the wonderful flavors of this dish are absorbed into the white rice as it cooks to make each bite so tasty. (Avoid Instant rice, which will result in mushy grains from cooking too long.)
• Canned pinto beans – We love pinto beans. They have a subtle nutty flavor and creamy texture.
• Kielbasa – This precooked sausage adds so much flavor. Dice it up really small, so you get some in every bite.
• Onion and garlic – Provides excellent aromatics and flavor.
• Chicken broth – Use low sodium so the dish isn’t overly salty.
• Olive oil and butter – Both of these are used to sauté the kielbasa and rice.
• Seasonings – Dried Italian seasoning, cracked red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.

Recipe Variations

• Spice it up! If you like your food with heat, swap out the kielbasa for andouille sausage and/or add in some jalapeno peppers when you sauté the onion and garlic.
• Use a different bean. We love pinto beans in this dish, but you can absolutely use black beans, kidney beans, or white beans.
• Try brown rice. We have not tested this recipe with brown rice, but many of our readers have with good results. Keep in mind brown rice typically takes longer to cook and will need more liquid.

How to Make Rice and Beans

It’s so easy to make this recipe! Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions, and don’t miss the video below.)

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the kielbasa and onion; sauté until onions become soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and stir for about 20 seconds.
2. Stir in the rice, chicken broth, beans, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until rice is done, stirring once toward the end to prevent sticking.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

What goes with beans and rice? With rice, beans, and kielbasa, this is a hearty one pot dish that is loaded with protein. For a more complete meal, we love to serve it with a slice of homemade cornbread or cheese bread. A simple, light side salad or cucumber salad is also nice to balance out the smoky sausage.

Storing Leftovers

• To store: Allow to cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This dish heats up really well in the microwave.
• Can you freeze rice and beans? Yep. Store in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

More Rice Recipes:

• Easy Jambalaya – This quick and easy Jambalaya is a flavorful and filling meal all made in one pot, featuring sausage, shrimp, rice, vegetables, and cajun seasoning.
• Stuffed Bell Peppers – Easy Stuffed Peppers start with gorgeous multi-colored bell peppers, filled with a hearty mix of ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and seasonings, then finished with cheese and baked until tender.
• Weeknight Paella – Delivering amazing flavor from chorizo, shrimp, and traditional paella ingredients.
• Ground Turkey Skillet – Ground turkey, rice, green beans, tomatoes, and delicious seasonings are combined for a delicious and quick skillet meal!
• Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Skillet – this easy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Skillet dish is cabbage rolls deconstructed, with all the same great components and flavors, but half the time!
• Mexican Rice Skillet – a delicious and easy weeknight meal all in one pan, featuring baked rice, ground beef, cheese, and Mexican flavors.
• Homemade Dolma – Stuffed grape leaves are delicious and healthy, made with rice, ground beef, fresh herbs, and wonderful spices. They can be prepared as an appetizer, snack, or dinner, served warm, room temperature, or cold.

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!

5 from 147

Rice and Beans

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Rate Pin Print

This skillet Rice and Beans recipe is a quick 30 minute meal that's crazy flavorful and only requires one pan. Great weeknight meal the entire family will love!

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 14 ounce package polska kielbasa, , diced
• ▢ 1 medium sweet onion, , diced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, , minced
• ▢ 1 cup dry long grained white rice
• ▢ 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 14 ounce can pinto beans, ,rinsed and drained
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
• ▢ salt and pepper, , to taste
• ▢ 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions 

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high. Add the kielbasa and onion; sauté until onions become soft and translucent (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
• Stir in the rice, chicken broth, beans, Italian seasoning, cracked red pepper, and a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done, stirring once toward the end to prevent sticking.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
• Serve immediately and enjoy on its own or with a slice of cornbread!

Video

Notes

Spice it up! If you like your food with heat, swap out the kielbasa for andouille sausage and/or add in some jalapeno peppers when you sauté the onion and garlic.

Use a different bean. We love pinto beans in this dish, but you can absolutely use black beans, kidney beans, or white beans.

Try brown rice. We have not tested this recipe with brown rice, but many of our readers have with good results. Keep in mind brown rice typically takes longer to cook and will need more liquid.

Keep the ratios the same. When making swaps, keep the ratios the same. If you add in vegetables (corn, chopped broccoli, etc.) they will absorb some of the liquid that is needed to cook the rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 789mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 7.6mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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