Rice and beans – Rice with beans Brazilian style

Note: The cover image was generated with the help of artificial intelligence.

In Brazil, there is one dish that is never missing from the lunch table: Arroz com Feijão – rice and beans. Simple, nutritious, irresistible. It is the foundation of Brazilian cuisine. For Brazilians, it is as much a staple as bread and butter is in Germany.

Ingredients for 4 people

For the beans (Feijão):

• 300 g Feijão Carioca (brown beans), soaked overnight
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 bay leaves
• Tempero Marrom Sazón (seasoning salt for beans)
• Salt, olive oil

For the rice (Arroz):

• 300 g Arroz Branco (Brazilian long-grain rice)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• Tempero para Arroz Sazón or Tempero Amarelo Sazón
• Salt, olive oil
• 600 ml water

Preparation

The beans

1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Cook in a pressure cooker with fresh water, bay leaves, and salt for approx. 25–30 minutes. Without a pressure cooker: 1.5–2 hours.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add a few beans with some of the cooking liquid and mash them – this will thicken the sauce.
3. Add all the beans with the cooking liquid. Stir in the Tempero Marrom and let simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. Season with salt to taste.

The rice

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve. Heat olive oil in a pot and lightly roast the garlic.
2. Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes while stirring until it turns slightly golden.
3. Add water and seasoning, and bring to a boil. Then cook covered over the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Do not stir!
4. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Serving

Arrange rice and beans side-by-side on the plate – never mix them. Serve with fried chicken, a fried egg, Farofa, and fresh salad. This is the Brazilian lunch in its purest form. You can find more ingredients in our category Feijão & Feijoada ingredients.

Tips

• Pressure cookers are standard in Brazil – they save an enormous amount of time when cooking beans.
• Don't forget to soak the beans – at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
• Never stir the rice while it's cooking – otherwise it will become sticky.
• Beans taste even better the next day – feel free to cook a larger batch.