30+ Frugal & Tasty Rice and Beans Recipes

In my kitchen, beans and rice are staples and find their way to our dinner table at least once a week. This list of recipes offers a variety of delicious ways to add these versatile, yet inexpensive ingredients into your menu.

Home Cooked Dried Beans vs. Canned Beans:

Honestly, the cost savings of cooking beans at home are minimal. However, home-cooked beans taste better and have significantly less sodium than canned. If you have the time, I highly recommend cooking dried beans, but buying canned is pretty convenient and I use them regularly in recipes, just be sure to rinse the canned beans very well.

I go into great detail in this post, How to Cook Dry Beans, and share:

• A cost analysis and the benefits of cooking dried beans vs. canned beans
• Two methods to re-hydrate dried beans
• How to cook dried beans on the stovetop
• How to cook dried beans in the slow cooker
• How to cook dried bean in the Instant Pot
• How to freeze cooked beans

Long Grain Rice vs Instant Rice:

Instant rice is basically pre-cooked and you are essentially re-hydrating when you cook it at home, thus the short cooking time. On the other hand, you can save money by buying long-grain rice, but it does take longer to cook. It’s a matter of personal preference and the recipes include both types of rice. Personally, I usually buy long grain rice and prefer Jasmine or Basmati.

30+ Rice and Beans Recipes:

1. Burrito Bowls

Burrito Bowls are so easy to pull together and a great way to jazz up leftovers. Layer the following:

• Your favorite cooked rice
• Your favorite beans, drained and rinsed
• Leftover meat: taco meat, slow cooker chicken & black beans, rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, pulled pork, or any other meat
• your favorite toppings: lettuce, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, olives, etc

2. Fiesta Black Beans & Rice

This is an easy recipe and you could mix in some cooked sausage to add meat if you desire, but not needed. I have used the leftovers to make burrito bowls (see above).

3. Chicken, Pinto Beans & Rice

I made this recently with chicken that I found marked down. This is a delicious and hearty dinner.

4. Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Cajun Red Beans & Rice is a hearty and quick dinner. It’s also another meal that I’ve made recently with marked down sausage.

5. Slow Cooker Sausage & Lentil Stew

Serve this stew over rice. This is also a time saving freezer meal.

6. Slow Cooker Turkey & Black Bean Chili

Serve this chili over your favorite rice. You can also substitute the cooked ground turkey for other forms of cooked meat, like sausage and chicken.

7. Rice and Beans Stuffed Peppers from The Happy Housewife

Rice and Beans Stuffed Peppers make a meatless but hearty main dish. Serve with a garden salad and your favorite homemade bread.

8. Skillet Rice and Beans with Kielbasa from Cheese Curd in Paradise – I stock up on kielbasa when there’s a buy one get one free promotion and keep them in the freezer. This looks easy and delicious.

9. The Frugalwoods Rice and Beans Lunch Recipe  – The Frugalwoods couple makes this recipe on Sunday and they eat it all week for lunch.

10. Salsa Chicken Casserole from Budget Bytes – This easy one dish dinner looks delicious.

11. Zucchini Rice from Damn Delicious – This healthy dish looks so fresh and a great way to use up the zucchini that doesn’t seem to end.

12. Slow Cooker Black Bean and Rice Soup with Lime and Cilantro from Kalyn’s Kitchen

13. Cajun Red Beans & Rice Burgers from the Vegan 8.

14. No Fuss Black Beans, Chicken, and Rice from Eat Good 4 Life

15. Taco Rice Casserole from Cooking on a Dime – This recipe makes two meals – eat one now and freeze the second for later.

16. 5 Ingredient Mexican Brown Rice from Kim’s Cravings – This recipe uses minute rice and takes 15 minutes to pull together.

17. One Pan Cilantro-Lime Chicken and Rice with Black Beans from Cooking Classy – This dinner also calls for minute rice and they had me at “one pan”. It looks fresh and delicious.

18. Cheesy Baked Black Beans and Rice from Shaken Together Life – This recipe could pass as a dip…just add tortilla chips.

19. Easy Rice and Beans with Cilantro from Really, are you Serious? Did someone say easy?

20. Grilled Chicken & Black Bean Burritos from Passion for Savings

21. Vegetarian Rice and Beans Casserole from Piping Pot Curry. Cheesy goodness with brown rice and lots of veggies.

22. Chili Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Rice from Foodal. Chicken, rice, and beans may seem like a bland recipe, but there’s flavor packed in every bite.

23. One Pot Vegan, Gluten-Free Louisiana Red Beans & Rice from Strength & Sunshine.

24. Gallo Pinto Recipe (Costa Rican Rice & Beans) from Cooking the Globe.

25. Cuban Black Beans & Rice (Moros & Christianos) from Cooking the Globe. Interesting story – The name of the dish is a reference to the battles between the Islamic Moors and the Christian Spaniards that took place in Spain between 8th and 15th centuries.

26. Authentic Jamaican Rice & Peas from Cooking the Globe.

27. Turkey Taco Rice & Bean Skillet from Key to my Lime.

28. Caribean Rice & Beans from Bacon is Magic. She had me at coconut.

29. Red Beans & Rice Crockpot Recipe from Dukes & Duchesses.

30. Instant Pot Refried Beans from Easy Budget Recipes.

31. Beans + Greens from Debra Klein. Very nutritious one-pan dinner or side.

32. Zucchini Burritos with Avocado Cream Sauce from Oat & Sesame. The Avocado Cream is worth the look! Yum!

33. White Beans & Barley Soup from Sustain My Cooking Habit.

34. Leftover Ham, Rice & Beans from Food Meanderings

35. Instant Pot Rice & Beans from Cardamom & Coconut.

36. Mujadara from Little Sunny Kitchen. Mujadara is a Middle Eastern rice and lentil dish. It looks delicious.

37. Rajma Pulao from Veg Recipes of India. This dish is made with red beans, basmati rice, herbs & spices.

38. Curried Vegan Red Beans & Rice from Earth of Maria.

What is your favorite Rice & Beans recipe? Please share in the comments.

For more Rice & Beans recipes, follow me on Pinterest, where I regularly share budget-friendly recipes.