Congrí (Cuban Black Beans and Rice)

Ingredients

• 2 cans Black beans, canned no-salt-added, with their liquid
• 2 cups Jasmine rice (dry)
• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Yellow onion, diced
• 1 Green bell pepper, diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp Dried oregano
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 ¼ tsp Kosher salt
• 2 Lime
• ½ cup Cilantro
• 2 Plantains, very ripe, sliced (optional)

Method

1. Cook the onion and green pepper in the oil over medium for 10 minutes until soft — this sofrito is the base of most Cuban cooking. Add the garlic, cumin and oregano for 1 minute.
2. Add the beans with all their liquid, the broth, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the rice, cover, and cook on the lowest heat 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
4. Rest 10 minutes off the heat, still covered, then fluff with a fork. The grains should be separate and stained dark.
5. Finish with the vinegar and lime, and cilantro on top. If you are frying plantains, do it while the rice rests: sliced ripe plantain in a film of oil, 2 minutes a side, until caramelized.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

Use the bean liquid, do not rinse it away. It is the color and half the flavor.

🧒 For the kids

Rice and beans with sweet fried plantains on the side. This is one of the most reliably eaten plates in the collection.

🥡 Leftovers

Keeps 5 days and fries into excellent crisp cakes.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.