How to make Arroz y Frijoles

The quintessential pairing of arroz y frijoles is a staple in many Hispanic homes. Rich, brothy beans ladled over delicious arroz is one of my earliest memories of childhood. Served with freshly made pico de gallo and a hefty sprinkling of crumbled fresco. I am excited to partner with Mahatma Rice to share with you a recipe for arroz y frijoles. 

My mami hands down makes the best rice. Her rice is legendary in our neighborhood but paired with her brothy frijoles de olla, no one could resist them. 

Her arroz y frijoles are still to this day the most requested dish from familia and friends at every holiday gathering or wedding. 

Today I’m thrilled to share the closest version to my mami’s rice recipe that I have been able to recreate in my kitchen, because let’s be honest, nothing beats the flavors of our parents’ dishes. I started by giving the rice a quick rinse under cold water. Rinsing your rice helps to remove any debris on the rice, but it also strips off the starch from the surface that can cause the rice to clump or get gummy during the cooking process. 

Next, I blend together tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender to create a flavorful puree I will add to the rice after toasting the rice. 

While toasting your rice, stir continuously and do not leave the rice unattended. The rice can go from toasted to burnt very quickly. When I started cooking, I can’t tell you how many times I left the pan unattended and my rice burnt. 

Next, we add the tomato puree and chicken broth, cilantro and carrots. Bring to a boil, add peas and cover to until liquid is absorbed, and rice is nice and fluffy. 

The beans can be made the day before or in your slow cooker. Canned beans can also be a substitute, but I believe the rich broth from the homemade beans really adds to this dish. 

Served with pico and crumbled queso fresco, arroz y frijoles is one of the tastiest dishes you will ever enjoy. 

I’m excited to be partnering with Mahatma Rice this year to be a brand ambassador and share all the yummy possibilities of rice. Stay tuned for more tasty rice recipes every month featuring Mahatma Rice.

Mahatma is America’s favorite long grain rice. For over 93 years, Riviana Foods Inc. has been packaging and marketing rice for the U.S. consumer. Known for its consistent high quality, Mahatma Rice is the preferred brand among many families. Mahatma rice is available in a variety of sizes from 1lb. to 20lb. bags. It’s easy to prepare, economical, versatile, and a healthy complement to any meal.

Mahatma rice is grown in the U.S.A. and is kosher approved. Families can trust Mahatma to cook into fluffy white rice. Mahatma rice is naturally sodium-free, cholesterol-free, and fat-free.

The Mahatma brand of rice was introduced in 1932. Having many of the table characteristics of the Indian Patna variety, it was named “Mahatma,” which means “outstanding” or “superior” in character.

Find more tasty recipes at https://www.mahatmarice.com/

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Arroz y Frijoles

Rich, brothy beans ladled over delicious arroz is one of my earliest memories of childhood. Served with freshly made pico de gallo and a hefty sprinkling of crumbled fresco.

Author: Vianney Rodriguez

Ingredients

• For Arroz:
• 2 cups Mahatma extra-long white rice
• 2 to matoes quartered
• ½ onion roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ½ cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup cilantro washed and chopped
• 1 carrot peeled and diced
• ½ cup fresh peas
• For Frijoles:
• 1 pound pinto beans
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ onion
• epazote optional
• 8 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• To Serve: chopped cilantro diced tomatoes, crema, avocado slices and queso fresco

Instructions

1. For Rice:
2. Place rice in a bowl, rinse with cold water, strain.
3. In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, and set aside until ready to use.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add rice, sauté, stirring often, until lightly toasted and golden brown, about 4–5 minutes.
5. Pour in tomato puree, stir and continue to cook for an additional two minutes.,
6. Stir in broth, cilantro and carrots, bring to a boil. Cover, add frozen peas, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff before serving.
7. For Frijoles:
8. Clean beans to remove any bits or broken beans and place in bowl. Rinse beans under cold water until water runs clear and drain. Place in a large heavy stockpot, add water. Add onion, bay leaves, garlic and bring to a boil.
9. When the beans have reached the boiling stage, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1 ½ hours. If needed, add more water to your pot—you always want at least 2 inches of water covering your beans. This will help to create your broth. At the end of 1 ½ hours, check the texture of your beans. They should be soft, not mushy or falling apart. Remove the onion and add salt to taste.
10. To serve: Ladle frijoles in a bowl, then add rice over beans. Garnish with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, crema, avocado slices and queso fresco.