Guatemalan Rice and Beans with Coconut and Cilantro

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-07 · Updated 2026-06-07

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A comforting side dish of fluffy rice cooked with creamy coconut milk, black beans, and fresh cilantro, inspired by Guatemalan flavors. This Latin American-inspired rice and grain recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs long-grain white rice, black beans, coconut milk for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Serves 6 Latin American cuisine 280 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned, drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 small, finely chopped white onion
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 small finely chopped white onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 2: Stir in 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently until rice is lightly toasted.
Step 3: Pour in 1 cup coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water along with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 4: Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Step 5: Remove from heat and gently fold in 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans and 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving warm.