If you’re looking for a hearty vegetarian dish with tons of flavor, this Cuban Black Bean and Yellow Rice Bowl recipe, inspired by Southern Living Magazine, will not disappoint. I’ve topped it with roasted plantains for a truly tasty dinner. This recipe even makes great leftovers for lunch.
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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 practically begging for some Cuban black beans and yellow rice!
Cuban Black Beans and Yellow Rice Recipe
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!
Making Homemade Mexican Yellow Rice
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! The homemade touch adds that much more flavor to this Cuban black beans and yellow rice recipe.
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! And, if it’s your first time making roasted plantain in the oven, we’ve got step-by-step instructions below!
Cuban Black Beans and Yellow Rice as Leftovers
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 Cuban black beans and yellow rice recipe as much as we do.
