Salsa rice and beans. That kind of tells you everything you need to know, doesn’t it? The best meal preps are simple dishes with lots of color, variety and flavor. That way, you won’t get bored with the flavor profile, right? This budget-friendly salsa rice and beans dish has it all! And it’s kind of a fiesta because, well, look at those colors? It’s kinda like a party on your plate.
OK, enough silly food metaphors and similes for one day. Ready to give it a shot?
Tips and tricks for Fiesta Salsa Rice and Beans:
- You can use what you have on hand for this recipe. The sausage links (pictured) are OPTIONAL. This meal is plenty filling and packed with protein without them, but I had a lot to use up. This recipe is even faster if you skip them, so keep that in mind. Or you can always prep your protein ahead of time if you want. That’s also a good shortcut.
- If you did want to add your favorite protein (shrimp, beef, pork, chicken breast, turkey) or plant protein (tempeh, seitan, tofu) you totally could. Simply cook it on the side in a small skillet and throw it in the pot of rice and beans at the end, and you’re good to go. (Try chorizo, too, for a little smoky sweet heat.)
- Salsa is an awesome shortcut here because it adds tons of flavor. If you’ve got a half-used jar (or even a full unopened one), it’s so good here. Any kind works and it adds a delicious flavor to the rice.
- We want this meal to be super colorful, but you can swap out the bell pepper, corn and peas for cherry tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, chopped green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, summer squash, plantains and red onion would all work. It’s your call. Of course, some veggies might feel more appropriate with the flavors (you know, peppers, tomatoes, onions, etc.), but we’re not going to judge. It all comes together and tastes great anyway.
- Substitute black beans for red beans of any kind, or your favorite legumes! Lentils also work; the small firm green ones keep their shape the best here but you can use any kind. (They’re a good make-ahead candidate, as a matter of fact.)
- Use white rice or brown rice. Or use another grain such as quinoa or farro. It’ll all serve the purpose.
I didn’t get fancy with the toppings, but if you wanted to add avocado, green onion, or sour cream/crema, that would be delicious. Plain Greek yogurt is a good swap for sour cream. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro or the green ends of scallions. Or both.
If you want to double this recipe, simply double the ingredients! Allow more cooking time for the rice and you’ll need a larger skillet to mix everything together. It feeds a crowd well.
How to Store and Reheat Fiesta Salsa Rice and Beans
This salsa rice and beans meal will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend reheating it on the stove or in the microwave. You might need to add a little bit of water to rehydrate it, but not much.
It’s not the best meal for the freezer, only because the salsa gets a little too watery when it defrosts and cooks again. You could, however, freeze this for a couple of months, defrost in the fridge overnight, and then add some more salsa to it on the stovetop to freshen it up.
Variations for Salsa Rice and Beans
If you are meal prepping this the same way for several days, that’s totally fine, of course. But if you want to mix it up, there are some other ways you can serve this.
First, you can pack this into a burrito if you want. You can also press it into a quesadilla if desired. Don’t forget the cheese, on either count.
You might also consider serving it with a large handful of your favorite tortilla chips.
Consider, also, turning this into a soup. Start off with some onion and peppers, add some veggie stock or chicken stock, along with the beans or other protein, and the rice. Simmer until the rice is tender, if you’re starting from uncooked rice. Add in other veggies based on how long they’ll cook. Swirl in the salsa at the end for a pop of flavor. Garnish as desired with the suggestions above; sour cream, avocado, cheese, and so forth.
Happy prepping!
Other awesome Mexican-inspired dishes to meal prep!
Meal-Prep Friendly Jackfruit Tacos with Elote
Refried Bean and Poblano Empanadas (Freezer-Friendly)
Budget-Friendly Fiesta Salsa Rice And Beans
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice any kind works
- 1/2 cup salsa any kind works
- 1 TBSP olive oil sub coconut oil, butter
- 3 sausage links of your choice optional, chopped into rounds
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn sub fresh or canned
- 1-1/2 cups frozen peas sub fresh
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 15 oz can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
- 1 lime cut in half, or more as needed
Instructions
- For the rice: add 1/2 cup of rice to a pot with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 cup of salsa. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the water has been fully absorbed. Then turn off the heat, but keep the pot covered to let the rice steam for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat up a skillet over a medium flame. Add 1 TBSP olive oil. IF USING, add the sausage links and cook the pieces, stirring and flipping occasionally, for 5-7 minutes (until cooked through). If not using, skip to the next step.
- After adding olive oil to the pan, add the frozen corn, peas and bell pepper with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Then add the can of beans and cooked rice to the pan. Squeeze half a lime over the pan, then mix everything together. Taste and adjust flavors (maybe add more salt, etc).
- Divide the mixture among three meal prep containers. Garnish with extra lime wedges from the remaining half of a lime and cilantro if desired. That's it!