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Note: Blog post, images, and recipe updated on July 11, 2020
Did you know that your rice cooker can make more than just rice? For a long time, I was afraid of making anything other than rice or the occasional steel cut oats in mine. But then I saw my boyfriend’s roommate pull an entire gourmet meal out of his like it was a McDonald’s drive-through. I knew my rice cooker was not living up to its potential.
A quick internet search opened my eyes to the dishes and even dessert you can make in this appliance. My rice cooker banana bread is a post for another day however. Right now, we’re talking about one of the easiest, healthy dinners you can make: Spanish quinoa and beans.
This is based on Spanish beans and rice, which is quick, easy and delicious on its own. I like using quinoa for an extra protein boost, but feel free to use rice or any other kind of grain you’d like. Just note that you may need to adjust the cooking time on your rice cooker.
Enjoy it as a side dish or dress it up a little with some tortillas and guacamole to make it a full meal. When I make it for my family, my mom likes wrapping it all in a lettuce cup with a smack of hot sauce for an extra kick. This is also one of my favorite recipes to meal prep because it can be enjoyed hot or cold as a grain salad and the flavors develop over time making it even tastier.
If you make this recipe or any others on my blog, tag me in a photo on Instagram @figisisters . I would love to see your recreation!
Recipe:
Makes about 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 - Celery Stalk - Chopped
1 - Red Bell Pepper - Chopped
Half - Yellow Onion - Diced
3 - Garlic Cloves - Minced
15 oz Can - Red Kidney Beans* - Drained And Rinsed
224 g - Canned, Diced Tomatoes - With juices
33 g - Tomato Paste
240 ml - Vegetable Stock
120 g - Dry Quinoa*
7 ml - Olive Oil
1/4 tsp - Dried Parsley
1/4 tsp - Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp - Cumin
1/4 tsp - Smoked Paprika
½ tsp - Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp - Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp - Black Pepper
1 tsp - Kosher Salt - Plus more to taste
Optional Toppings:
84 g - Hummus
1-2 - Jalapeño Pepper - Chopped
56 g - Cotija or Feta Cheese
Fresh Parsley Leaves
Instructions:
Optional Step*: Sauté Onion with salt on medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Lower heat to medium-low and add in celery and garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant.
Add quinoa, olive oil, and spices to a rice cooker. Stir so that the quinoa is well coated in the spices. Then add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, beans, onion, celery, garlic, and stock. Mix with a large spoon so that everything is well incorporated.
Cook on rice cooker “porridge setting”. If your rice cooker does not have a “porridge setting”, cook for about 65 minutes.
When the rice cooker is finished cooking, do not open it immediately. Allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes on “keep warm”.
Open the rice cooker and fluff quinoa mixture with a fork.
Portion into bowls, top with hummus, jalapeño slices, and parsley leaves and serve.
*Notes:
- You can sub nearly any legume you have on hand for the red kidney beans. Chickpeas also pair nicely
- Rinse your quinoa well before cooking to remove its bitter outer coating
- Sautéing the vegetables is optional but highly recommended to enhance the overall flavor of the dish
- If you do not have a rice cooker, you can make this recipe in a pot on the stovetop
- This dish can be served hot or cold and is a great optional for meal prep. The flavors of this recipe usually taste even better the next day!
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