Are you looking to get the most out of your emergency food storage? This recipe takes the classic rice and beans combo so far beyond boring that you might actually look forward to the day when it’s all you have left in the pantry! Here’s how to make Rice and Beans with a Bam, including suggestions for using 100% shelf-stable ingredients.
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In this post
I came across this recipe for rice and beans in a recipe exchange over at Lucianne.com. I wish I knew who posted it because I’d love to thank them personally. Pay attention to the various spices and herbs used. They’re the key to the recipe, and a good reminder that part of our food storage needs to be a variety of spices and herbs. Enjoy!
Rice and Beans With a Bam!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp dried coriander
- ¼ tsp ground red pepper
- 1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3-4 cups cooked, hot long-grain rice
- 1 oz. or more cheddar cheese
Directions
- Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and bell pepper, and cook five minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic and cook one minute more.
- Add water and remaining ingredients, except for the rice and cheese. Bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer ten minutes or until thoroughly heated.
- Serve rice on plates and top with the bean mixture and cheese
Tips for Swapping Ingredients
- Swap the olive oil for ghee. Unopened, store-bought ghee in a jar can be good for months past the expiration date when properly stored. Once opened, it’s still good for about six months.
- Use dehydrated or freeze-dried onion; they’re also a great space-saving alternative.
- Dehydrated bell peppers are also space-savers and one of my favorite things to dehydrate. However, you can also buy commercially freeze-dried bell peppers.
- Garlic powder is a good alternative to fresh garlic. Or keep small jars of minced garlic in your pantry. They must be stored in the refrigerator after opening, but I find I go through the small ones rather quickly.
- Dried black beans are a great long-term storage option, though cook time will increase. To cut down on the cook time, you could try “instant black beans.” Read my review of Instant Black Beans.
- Consider pre-cooked rice packets for a no-cook option. Converted/parboiled rick is another possibility, however it takes more time to cook than white rice, although less time than brown rice. Here’s why parboiled rice is the best long-term storage option for rice.
- Freeze-dried cheese! Freeze-dried cheese! Freeze-dried cheese! Can you tell I’m a fan? I always have about three varieties of cheese on hand. It’s super handy! Here’s my review of freeze-dried cheddar cheese with a video of me using it. For a vegan option, substitute with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Or even if you’re not vegan. Read this post for reasons to add nutritional yeast to your pantry; popcorn, anyone?
Why This Recipe is Perfect For Your Pantry
- Shelf-stable ingredients: This recipe relies on pantry staples you can easily store long-term. No fresh produce needed!
- Flavor boost: Spices and herbs are key to making this dish exciting. Remember, a well-stocked spice cabinet adds tons of variety to emergency meals.
- Customizable: Easily switch things up by adding canned or freeze-dried vegetables, canned diced tomatoes, freeze-dried meats or even a can of tuna or chicken for extra protein. Experiment with different types of beans like kidney beans or pinto beans to change up the flavor.
Print the Recipe Card
Rice and Beans with Bam!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and bell pepper (or dehydrated versions) and cook for five minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic (or garlic powder) and cook for one minute more.
- Add water and all remaining ingredients except the rice and cheese. Bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for ten minutes or until thoroughly heated.
- Serve rice on plates and top with the bean mixture and cheese (or nutritional yeast).
Notes
Related Food Storage Content
- 9 Tips for Cost-Effective Freeze-Dried Food Orders
- The Survival Mom’s Macho Mexican Rice
- How to Assemble Fast & Healthy Meals in a Jar
- 28 Spices and Oils to Store to Avoid Tastebud Fatigue
Create a 30-Day Emergency Food Supply FAST!
Don’t wait until it’s too late! Join me, Lisa Bedford, The Survival Mom, for the Quick & Ready Pantry workshop and learn how to build a 30-day emergency food pantry using affordable, shelf-stable canned goods. Get instant access to her expert guidance, including:
- A comprehensive 30-day checklist inventory
- A spreadsheet for calculating food costs
- Simple meal ideas using canned food
- Checklists for spices and herbs
Start building your emergency food pantry today and feel confident about your family’s preparedness.
Final Thoughts
This recipe offers a delicious and versatile way to use your emergency food storage. The combination of spices and herbs adds a depth of flavor that makes it a satisfying meal. I hope you enjoy this recipe and encourage you to share your thoughts and variations in the comments below. Let’s continue to inspire each other with creative ways to use our emergency supplies!
Hi there, I came across this site by pleasant accident – how successful do you think dehydrating rice and pasta would come out, and how long do you think it would last? I have dehydrated cooked beans before and they came out great! :O)
Hi there Nat,
I'm glad you found my blog! If you made a rice dish, complete with veggies and seasonings, and then dehydrated it, I think it would turn out great! Just be sure to store it in a jar with oxygen absorbers or in one of those vacuum packed plastic bags. I'm not sure how long it would last, but at least a couple of years, for sure.
Lisa
Rice is already dehydrated, or just fine naturally. kept in a canister on the kitchen counter it's good for about 5 yrs. Oxygen-free packed it's good for 20 yrs.
Home made pasta depends on how it's made. If with eggs, well dried, in a canister, I wouldn't keep it more than a week or two. Without eggs perhaps a month. Freezing (with or without the eggs) would keep several months. Store-bought pasta is already well-dried. Oxygen-free packaging will keep it about 2, perhaps 3 yrs.
Ah, I didn't pay enough attention. You meant cook it first, THEN dehydrate! *slap on the forehead*
Rice would come out not much different than instant (Minute) rice, except with less nutrients. Instant rice is "Quick Steamed" to keep the nutrients. (I mean High-pressure impact Quick, to remove the brown hull and cook it.) Can't be too much advantage to doing it yourself.
I also can't see the advantage of pre-cooking and drying pasta. It cooks in just a few minutes as is. What you're suggesting could make it pretty mushy.
Barbara, I don't think I've ever heard of someone dehydrated cooked pasta before. It would make more sense to either freeze or can whatever dish it was a part of. You know quite a lot about food storage! I hope you share your experience with us on lots of posts!
Actually, I think that Ramen noodles are cooked and then dehydrated, so dehydrating cooked pasta goes way back.
This is perfect for us! I have been looking for a good beans and rice dish…I think this will fit the bill. Thanks for sharing.
Let me know how you like it. I'm in the mood for a big bowl of this right now!
Tried your recipe. Whole family is in love. We had to have it twice in one week, just to be sure it was true. This one goes in the list of foods to make WTSHTF.
Is that dried coriander leaf or seed?
Hi, I'm new 🙂
Hi New! I use dried coriander. Just the stuff from the spice aisle of the grocery store.
Thank you for the recipe! It sounds great!
Has anyone tried storing quinoa?
Thanks! We tried this recipe for the February beans and rice challenge, and really enjoyed it. Next time we will double it for more leftovers. I used dried onions flakes instead of fresh, and reduced the amount of oil.
If cooking fuel consumption is/will be an issue in an extended emergency, store instant rice as opposed to uncooked rice, and store only angel hair egg noodles. Moreover, soak your beans for an extended length of time before cooking.