Name: Brown Rice and Beans with Corn and Cherry Tomato Salsa
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 onion; Salt and pepper; 1½ cups frozen corn , thawed and patted dry; 1 cup long-grain brown rice; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; Pinch cayenne pepper; 4 cups vegetable broth; 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans , rinsed; 12 ounces cherry tomatoes , quartered; 5 scallions , sliced thin; ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon lime juice

Why This Recipe Works

We felt a few additions could transform rice and beans into a satisfying vegetarian meal. And instead of dirtying several pots to cook the rice and beans separately, we set out to make the meal in one skillet. Most recipes we found used white rice, but we liked the hearty texture and robust flavor of brown. Because of the greater surface area in a skillet, we found that we had to adjust our usual liquid-to-rice ratio: We needed a full 4 cups of broth to cook 1 cup of brown rice. To give our dish more heft, we added 1½ cups of corn to the skillet, sautéing it briefly to give it a toasty flavor, then added garlic, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne for depth. Using canned black beans instead of dried kept things simple; we stirred them in partway through cooking so they would soften slightly and warm through without breaking down entirely. For a fresh, bright finish, we created a quick salsa of cherry tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and lime juice.

Before You Begin

You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in rice, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in broth and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

Stir in beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and lime juice in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon tomato mixture over rice and beans and serve.