Old Faithful lives!
Longtime readers of these pages will recall Old Faithful with fondness (I hope). Black beans and rice, that wonderfully simple yet hearty dish, really has been most faithful to LeeLee and me over the years. Need a quick bite to eat before an evening run with friends? Old Faithful. Spouse working late and you don’t want to call for takeout? Old Faithful. Want a fully dressed meal for the family with no muss, no fuss? Old Faithful.
It’s come through for us time and again, is what I’m saying. And now that the Instant Pot has come onto the scene, its faithfulness has only deepened.
Ah, the Instant Pot, that mighty little pressure cooker that has turned weeknight meals on their heads! It is such a time-saver and frankly work-saver, and since the day it first came into my home, it has been a little workhouse around these parts. So naturally, I had to put it through its black beans and rice paces. Now to make Old Faithful even more so? Use the Instant Pot, it turns out.
What used to be a two-pot classic has now become a one-pot classic instead, and along the way I’ve also learned a couple new tricks to make the dish even more flavorful. Simply add a cup of rice to the pot, followed by a can of black beans. Top the whole thing with 1.5 cups of vegetable broth rather than water, seal the pot with its lid, and hit the Rice button. You’re off to the races!
Quick-release when it’s done, stir everything around, and marvel at your creation. It takes absolutely zero time to make this dish – and, I must say, very little time to eat it, too, it’s so good – and let’s face it, it’s a crowd-pleaser!
The recipe is below – or if you like, you can watch me in action over on my YouTube channel, where we cover this very same topic.
INSTANT POT BLACK BEANS AND RICE
Serves 2
What you’ll need:
1 cup white rice, uncooked
1 15-ounce can of black beans (feel free to use seasoned for extra flavor)
1.5 cups vegetable broth
Optional toppings: Halved cherry tomatoes, diced onion, black olives, vegan cheese, sour cream, and/or salsa. (We also like to serve chik’n patties alongside.)
Place each ingredient in turn into the Instant Pot, stir everything around, and close the lid. Once the lid is sealed, hit the Rice button and let the pressure cooker handle the rest.
When the timer goes off, quick-release the pressure, fluff up the rice, and serve! Top with halved cherry tomatoes, diced onion, black olives, vegan cheese, sour cream, salsa – the world is yours!
:)