Rice and beans are ubiquitous in Latin American cuisine. Of course, now that I’m on the Keto diet I would inexplicably have cravings for the most non-keto friendly foods possible. Rice is pretty high up on the list of foods that are way too high in carbs for to work on the Keto diet, and most typical beans are also unfortunately too high in carbs to consume on the Keto diet. The heart wants what it wants though, and I set about to create a rice and beans recipe that is also keto-friendly. There are variations on the how rice and beans are prepared in different countries. Since I’m not an expert in any cuisine in Latin America, I can only say my recipe is “Latin-inspired.” My Vegan Latin-inspired Keto Rice and Beans recipe is very tasty, and while I can’t say it’s an exact match of any specific country cuisine in Latin America; it does satisfy my cravings for rice and beans evoked from my wonderful memories of travelling in Latin America.
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As you can imagine, I have had to swap out the rice in this recipe to make this recipe keto friendly. Instead of rice I used cauliflower rice. You can use fresh or frozen in this dish, or even these convenient pre-packaged ready to eat cauliflower rice packages. I always 500g (approx. 1 pound) packages of frozen cauliflower rice in the freezer that I use for this recipe. I have even used the packages directly from the freezer for this recipe. It just takes a few minutes longer to breakup the frozen cauliflower rice in the pan and cook it through, but it works as well.
Another swap I had to make was to use black soybeans instead of regular black beans for this recipe. Soy beans are one of few beans that are actually keto friendly! A 1/2 cup serving of black soybeans has 130 calories, 11g of protein, 11g of carbs, 6g of fibre and 5g of net carbs. For this recipe I used black soybeans – which look very similar to your usual black beans once they’re cooked. As soybeans are frequently genetically-modified, I make a point of using organic black soybeans. Black soybeans are an amazing way for those on the Keto diet to enjoy the health benefits of beans on a low-carb lifestyle.
Chicken stock is frequently used in many classic rice and beans dishes. To make this recipe Vegan-friendly, I use Better than Boullion Vegetable Stock concentrate instead of chicken stock. If you’re non-vegetarian, feel free to use Chicken Stock concentrate for a more authentic flavour.
My Vegan Latin-inspired Keto Rice and Beans recipe makes 4 generous-sized servings that are nutritionally balanced meals at 220calories, 12g of protein and just 7g of net carbs.
Vegan Latin-inspired Keto Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 can Black organic soybeans (approx 400ml)
- 500 g Cauliflower Rice (Fresh or Frozen are both fine)
- 1 Small red onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Minced garlic (I used jarred to save time, but feel free to mince up 2-3 fresh cloves if you prefer fresh)
- 2 tbsp Vegetarian soup stock concentrate (I use Better than Brouillon. You can use chicken stock if you're not vegetarian)
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in large pan or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Chop up red onion while pan heats up.
- Add chopped onion to pan and sprinkle salt over top (1/4 tsp.). Sauté until softened.
- Drain can of beans and add beans to the onions. Cook together for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic.
- Add cauliflower rice to beans and onion mixture. Cook until mixture has warmed through. **If you're using frozen cauliflower and it has not fully defrosted yet, heat until all cauliflower granules are loose and have warmed through.
- Add soup stock concentrate and cumin to cauliflower and bean mixture, and cook over medium heat – stirring regularly – until any excess moisture that have come out of the cauliflower has evaporated. You can check this by making a little circle in the middle of the pan, if the circle is dry, the rice and beans are ready. Season with pepper before serving.
Notes