Baked Beans and Rice

Styling and photography by Hudi Greenberger

Baked Beans and Rice

This is a classic, nutritious dish that’s full of flavor, making it the perfect comfort food. It also qualifies as an inexpensive and filling main dish. Rice and beans combined make a complete protein, supplying all the essential amino acids found in dairy, meat, chicken, and fish.

Serves 5–6 as a main dish, 7–8 as a side

• 1½ cups basmati rice (uncooked)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• black pepper, to taste
• scant ½ tsp oregano
• ½–1 tsp honey (optional)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup salsa (I used mild)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1½ cups cooked white beans (see note), or canned beans, drained
• ½ cup frozen peas
• ‎⅓ red pepper, diced
• 1½ cups water
• 1½ Tbsp pareve chicken soup mix
• 2–3 frozen cubes cilantro, defrosted

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Place the rice into a large round Pyrex dish. Add all the spices and the olive oil and mix together well. Smooth out top. Carefully pour salsa and tomato sauce over the rice. Place the beans on top in one area, peas in another area, and diced red pepper in a third.

Combine water with chicken soup mix and carefully pour it over all the ingredients in the Pyrex dish. Sprinkle cilantro all over. Place a piece of parchment paper, cut to size, over the dish. Cover well with foil. (This is so the steam stays in the dish, and the rice becomes light, fluffy, and delicious.)