Arroz de Feijão (Easy, Authentic Portuguese Beans and Rice)
Have you ever felt a nostalgic longing for the most comforting, rustic and warming dishes from your childhood? The kind of food you crave after a long time away from home? This irresistibly cozy Arroz de Feijão (Easy, Authentic Portuguese Beans and Rice) embodies these quantities. It has a savory, velvety sauce of tomatoes and stock, rice, hearty beans, and a refogado of sautéed garlic, onions, and bell peppers with seasonings. It's indulgently flavorful and satisfying while being healthy, vegan, and gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 large (200 g) onion
- 3 large (15 g) cloves of garlic
- 1 medium (150 g) green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, adjust to taste
- 2 cups (400 g) carolino or arborio rice, see cooking notes below
- 1 dried bay leaf, or 2 fresh bay leaves
- 3½ cups (840 ml) vegetable stock for carolino rice or 3½-4 cups (840-960 mL) for arborio rice, (or 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon paste per each cup of water)
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- 3⅓ to 3½ cups (800 g) kidney beans, drained and rinsed (two 15.5 oz/439 g cans)
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Sauté the refogado (aromatics):
- In a large pot at medium heat, add the olive oil.
- Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped green and red bell peppers. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the peppers are softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the paprika, salt, and black pepper and stir in until thoroughly mixed.
Toast the rice and add the bay leaf/leaves:
- Stir in the rice, mixing well to combine with the oil and aromatics.
- Add the bay leaf/leaves, and stir for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast the rice.
Add the liquids, bring to a boil, and simmer:
- Stir in the vegetable stock and tomato sauce until well combined. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for about 12-18 minutes for arborio rice, or 20-25 minutes for carolino rice. Stir minimally, only as needed to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the mixture becomes too dry, add another ½ cup (120 mL) of water or stock as needed.
Add the beans:
- About 5 minutes before simmering is done, add the cooked kidney beans.
Allow to rest, add parsley, and serve:
- When the rice is slightly chewy (just past al dente), and the sauce is malandrinho (slightly loose), turn off the heat. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf/leaves, add the chopped fresh parsley, and stir through. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
The traditional rice for this dish in Portugal is the medium-grained carolino (not to be confused with carolina from the U.S.!) But arborio rice works well as a substitute. The cooking times will differ. Arborio rice cooks slightly more quickly (in 12-18 minutes) than the carolino (20-25 minutes), so please plan accordingly.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!