This black beans and rice recipe is going to knock your socks off! Adding chorizo brings the flavors to the next level, with its layers of smokiness and spiciness. This is the best black beans and rice you will ever have!

Want to up your game for Cinco de Mayo? Want to kick “boring” and “bland” to the curb? Today you are in luck, because I’m sharing the BEST recipe for Black Bean Rice. 

What’s the secret to making it taste so dang good? I’ll tell you. It’s Mexican Chorizo.

What is Mexican Chorizo?

Mexican chorizo is a kind of uncooked pork sausage flavored with different types of dried chili peppers. It usually comes in a casing that needs to be removed before cooking.

Because of the spices, the chorizo looks very red, and retains that red color, even when it is cooked. 

Too cook it, you just crumble it in a pan and cook like you would cook any other type of ground meat.

You can find it in the meat section of most stores. (If you have trouble locating it, ask the person who works at the meat counter).

If you can’t find it or don’t want to use it, you can substitute regular ground pork or pork sausage and add your own Mexican flavorings.

What is Spanish Chorizo?

Spanish chorizo is also made with pork, but it is traditionally spiced with paprika. It’s also cooked and cured and appears much like salami, or any other kind of ready-to-eat meat you’d find on a fancy cheese board.

Make sure you get Mexican chorizo for this recipe.

Ingredients for Black Bean Rice

Here’s what you’ll need for this amazing recipe. Feel free to experiment and swap out spices to your liking!

• Mexican chorizo
• white or yellow onion
• garlic
• fresh jalapeno
• cooked white rice
• can of black beans
• chipoltle chili powder
• granulated garlic
• cumin
• oregano
• turmeric
• salt and pepper
• green onions and cilantro for garnish

How to Make Black Bean Rice

The first thing you’ll need to do is cook your chorizo in a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. If you don’t have chorizo, you can use regular ground pork or sausage and add your own Mexican spices while it is cooking. Some suggestions are chili powder, chipoltle powder, and cayenne pepper.

The chorizo will render quite a bit of fat. If you get more than two tablespoons, pour the excess out of the pan (Carefully! And not down the sink!)

Turn the heat down to medium and add half of a chopped yellow or white onion to the meat. Cook until the onion is translucent, about three minutes.

Then add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute or two.

All that’s left is to add the rest of the ingredients (be sure you drain and rinse the canned black beans first) and stir. Heat for about five minutes, until everything is hot.

To serve, just sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro. (I had no cilantro, which is why you don’t see any in these pictures. But I highly recommend the cilantro).

This smoky Black Bean Rice is the perfect side to any kind of Mexican dish. I recommend serving it with any (or all!) of the following!

Chimichangas with Chicken, Pork, or Beef. (Make these with leftover meat!)

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Classic Guacamole

Secret Ingredient Pico de Gallo

Brazilian Lemonade

This recipe adapted from Smoky Black Bean Rice on the Cooking Channel.

Black Bean Rice

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This black beans and rice recipe is going to knock your socks off! Adding chorizo brings the flavors to the next level, with its layers of smokiness and spiciness. This is the best black beans and rice you will ever have!

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces Mexican chorizo (remove the casings)
• 1/2 medium yellow or white onion, diced (about 1/2 cup diced)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 2 cups cooked white rice (can use cold leftover rice)
• 1 (14 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon ground chipoltle powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
• 3 green onions, chopped (optional, for garnish)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo. Use a wooden spoon to chop and turn the chorizo as it cooks. (Because it retains its red color, even when cooked, you may not be able to tell when it is done. You are pretty safe after 3-4 minutes).
2. If more than two tablespoons of fat have been rendered, carefully remove the excess fat from the pan. (You can tip the pan and spoon it out, placing the excess fat into a small bowl. Once it hardens, you can scrape it into the trash).
3. Add the chopped onion to the chorizo and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the onion is translucent, about three minutes.
4. Add the minced garlic and jalapeno and stir. Cook for another minute or two.
5. Add the rice, drained and rinsed black beans, and all the rest of the spices. Heat and stir until everything is well-distributed and hot.
6. Remove from the heat and sprinkle chopped green onion and cilantro over the top. Mix if you like, or just leave the garnish on top.

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