Island-Spiced Black Bean and Plantain Rice Bowl

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

A vibrant vegetarian bowl featuring seasoned black beans, sweet fried plantains, and fluffy coconut rice with a splash of lime. This Caribbean recipe (vegetarian, vegan), ready in about 40 minutes, pairs long grain white rice, coconut milk, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, 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.

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed black beans
• 3 tbsp divided olive oil
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 medium peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces ripe plantains
• 1, cut into wedges lime
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup long grain white rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a medium pot, combine rinsed rice, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
2. Step 2: While rice cooks, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp smoked paprika, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 can (15 oz) drained and rinsed black beans to the skillet. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until beans are heated through and coated with spices. Season with salt to taste.
4. Step 4: In a separate skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 medium peeled plantains sliced into 1/2-inch pieces. Fry plantains for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and caramelized.
5. Step 5: To assemble, fluff coconut rice with a fork and divide between 4 bowls. Top each bowl with spiced black beans and fried plantains. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.