Brazilian Black Beans and Garlic Rice
If you ask any Brazilian about their comfort food, there’s a strong chance they’ll tell you about beans and rice. Don’t be fooled by the cooking time - this ultra-simple, ultra-comforting dish is great for meal prepping and feeding a crowd, in fact, many Brazilians will make large batches and then freeze them in smaller portions to eat later. Another plus? It’s also a completely pantry-friendly recipe! Plus, you can also make it in your instant pot! See the notes for pressure cooker modifications.
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
step 1
To a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, add the soaked Black Beans (2 1/2 cups), 3 cloves of Garlic (3 cloves), and Bay Leaves (3). Cover with Water (6 cups). Cook for 2-3 hours on medium heat, covered, until beans are tender. Add more water as needed to keep the beans covered, and stir every 20 minutes or so.
step 2
While the beans cook, prepare the rice. Wash the Long Grain White Rice (2 cups) well and spread out in a towel or parchment-lined tray or plate to dry, then use a paper towel to pat dry.
step 3
To make the rice, heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of Neutral Oil (1 Tbsp) and 3 cloves of minced Garlic (3 cloves) [divided]. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the rice and cook, stirring to toast the kernels until you begin to smell a toasted, nutty flavor and the rice turns semi-translucent, 3-5 minutes.
step 4
Add the Water (4 cups) and Salt (1/2 tsp) and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low. Cook for 18 minutes, covered. When it’s 18 minutes fluff with a fork. If there is no water underneath, the rice is ready.
step 5
To make the garlic chip topping, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rest of the Neutral Oil (2 Tbsp) and the 3 cloves of sliced Garlic (3 cloves). Cook until golden brown, then remove.
step 6
To finish the beans, you can use the same skillet to get all that garlic flavor. Add Oil (1 Tbsp), Onion (1), and stir for a couple of minutes. Then add the minced Garlic (5 cloves) and sauteé over medium-high heat until the onions are soft.
step 7
Add a couple of ladles of the beans with liquid and stir until evaporated. Then use a wooden spoon to mash the beans.
step 8
Add Salt (2 tsp), Ground Black Pepper (1/2 tsp), Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (1/2 tsp), Ground Cumin (1/4 tsp), and your preferred amount of beans to the skillet and stir to get up everything from the bottom and cook until the beans are thickened and creamy (but still semi-brothy), 10-15 minutes.
step 9
Serve beans with the rice. Garnish with garlic chips.