Black Bean and Zucchini Rice Skillet is full of healthy, vegetarian ingredients. This easy bean dinner is made in just one pot, and in under 20 minutes. Healthy ✅ Easy ✅ Fast ✅. The skillet recipe is a win-win-win!
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Sometimes when you're looking for a cheap and easy dinner, you have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. Not with this simple recipe. It's packed with healthy ingredients, like beans, zucchini, and rice. Flavored with garlic, oregano, and thyme, it's not lacking flavor.
Oh, and the best part? It's all made in just one skillet. Wahoo! Only one dish to clean!
Plus, the whole thing comes together in just about 20 minutes. It's a perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- Zucchini
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Black beans
- Can of diced tomatoes
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Instant white rice
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Black beans are an ingredient you can find in the bulk section of your grocery store. I highly recommend using fresh beans over canned any time you can. They are less expensive and taste SO MUCH BETTER!
I usually make a big batch either on the stove or in the Instant Pot and then freeze them in 1 ½ cup portions, which is the size of a can of beans.
You can use fresh or canned black beans in this recipe.
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onions, peppers, and zucchini for about 5 mins.
- Add drained beans, undrained tomatoes, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
- Add in rice and stir well. Cover and cook on the lowest heat setting possible for 7 mins. Stir halfway through to prevent the rice from burning on the bottom.
- Once the rice is soft, sprinkle with cheese and cover until cheese is melted. Salt and pepper individual servings to taste.
Substitutions
- Regular rice can also be used instead of Minute Rice. Once again, however, this will significantly increase your cooking time. Regular rice will take about 20 mins to soften, while Minute rice takes seven minutes. You can also substitute for brown rice, which will take at least 30 mins to simmer.
- This is a very versatile recipe so make it according to your taste. You could add different veggies in, like carrots or mushrooms. Change up this recipe with the seasoning you use. We love Thyme and oregano in it, but Cumin and Chili Powder would be delicious too. I always love a great tex-mex skillet recipe! Get creative and add your favorite flavors.
Nutrition
I used Very Well Fit's Recipe Analyzer to create this nutrition label.
This recipe is great because it is low in calories, but still has a decent amount of protein per serving. It also has a significant amount of iron and calcium in in. This recipe is gluten-free. It is not allowed on the Whole30 or Keto diet because of the beans.
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📖 Recipe
Black Bean and Zuchinni Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 zucchini, sliced and quartered
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 1¼ cup water (or vegetable or chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 ½ cup instant white rice, uncooked
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onions, peppers and zucchini for about 5 mins.
- Add drained beans, undrained tomatoes, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
- Add in rice and stir well. Cover and cook on the lowest heat setting possible for 7 mins. Stir half way through to prevent rice burning on the bottom.
- Once rice is soft, sprinkle with cheese and cover until cheese is melted. Salt and pepper individual servings to taste.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Ready Set Eat
Equipment
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Susan says
Yum! This looks amazing and simple - the perfect combination for me! Thanks for sharing, I've bookmarked your page and will be back for more recipes!
Emily says
Thank you so much! You are so kind. I hope you enjoy it.
Cherie says
Hey!!! I love this blog you made. Very professional looking! And I will definitely try this recipe. I’ll bookmark this blog for sure. Way to go!
Emily says
Thanks Cherie! You're the best!
Freya says
Oh my gosh this was such a delicious supper dish and is going to be on permanent rotation! I use vegan cheese to melt on top and it’s perfect!
Jan says
I had all these veggies in the fridge ready to be used, turned out great and filling! And I love one pot meals, saves so much time during clean up.
Marcellina says
Really tasty and flavorsome! All the family loved it and it's a perfect mid week meal for us!
Keri says
I love a one pot meal, and this was just what I was looking for. Super easy to make, family friendly and very tasty. Thank you!
Linda says
I made this all for myself to enjoy for lunch all week long. It was just right for some afternoon fuel. I did use cooked brown rice instead of the minute rice, and it worked just fine. Can't wait to try it again with some different flavorings to mix it up!
Keri says
I loved how simple and delicious this skillet recipe was. The whole family loved it!
Lilly says
This black bean and zucchini skillet is so filling! It has been perfect for lunch and dinner today!
Jerika says
I love this Black Bean and Zucchini Rice Skillet!:) So delicious and healthy too. Thanks!:)
Tyanne says
I love that this is vegetarian!
kyleigh says
Perfect, easy weeknight meal!
Mindy says
Made this for dinner tonight. Very quick, easy and tasty!
Emily says
Wahoo! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Kris says
Excellent, added taco seasoning & guacamole. Was better than Chipotle! Thanks
Emily says
Thank you for your kind comment! I'm so glad you liked it!
Maria says
Added chopped avocado on day one, on the second day I added an eggs in the pan, like shakshuka! delicious and nutritious!
Mindy says
Very good and so quick and easy!
Julie says
This was pretty good. I used regular rice so cooked longer and had to add a little bit more chicken broth. Served it with diced avocado, sweet fire jalapeños and a wee bit of light sour cream. It definitely needed salt! Think I would add more cheese than the recipe stated. All in all, however, we really liked it and will make it again.
a flint says
this is Great! i'd much rather eat beans than meat, and love my veggies! thanx, easy and delish! made it to take for meals while i work this weekend... i also tend to like this kind of stuff cold, too, so it will fit the weather!