Island-Spiced Black Bean and Rice Bowl

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-21 · Updated 2026-06-21

A vibrant Caribbean-inspired rice bowl featuring seasoned black beans, bell peppers, and fresh cilantro for a wholesome vegetarian meal. This caribbean-inspired vegetarian (vegetarian) ready in about 35 minutes pairs long grain white rice, water, medium, diced red bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
• 1 medium, diced red bell pepper
• 1 medium, diced green bell pepper
• 1 small, diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp, divided salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 cup long grain white rice and 1/2 tsp salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
2. Step 2: While rice cooks, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 small diced yellow onion, 1 medium diced red bell pepper, 1 medium diced green bell pepper, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute until spices release aroma.
4. Step 4: Add 1 can (15 oz) drained and rinsed black beans to the skillet, stirring gently to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
5. Step 5: Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide into four bowls. Top each bowl with the seasoned black bean mixture, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and drizzle 1 tbsp lime juice over each serving.