These Black Bean Bowls are a tasty vegetarian meal with coconut-lime rice, saucy black beans, mango-jalapeño topping, and an optional cashew-cilantro sauce.
Black Bean Bowls
These bowls are part of my “cook once, enjoy all week” series. Start with homemade black beans (they’re easy in the slow cooker or Instant Pot), enjoy them as a side, and use leftovers in meals throughout the week or freeze for later.
Black Bean Bowls come together fast with pre-made beans, which get even better overnight. I also show how to use those beans in Southwest Egg Rolls and Chipotle Chicken Salad. Cook once, save time all week!
Quick Tip
Love this series? I did a similar “cook once, enjoy all week” series using these homemade Pinto Beans in Bean and Cheese Burritos, Pinto Bean Tacos, and Bean Tostadas.
Black Bean Bowl Ingredients
- Coconut Lime Rice: Rinse the rice well for fluffier rice.
- Black Beans: Homemade is best, but canned works too—just rinse.
- Sauce: Soak cashews before blending for a smooth sauce.
- Toppings: Mango, jalapeño, and red onion bring sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors.
Let’s Talk Black Beans
- Short on time? Canned black beans work well for these recipes. Just follow the “black bean” part of the recipe in Black Bean Tacos.
- If making homemade beans (highly recommended!), warm them in a small pot over medium-low heat, stirring gently.
Cashew-Cilantro Sauce
I’m so excited about the sauce for these Black Bean Bowls! It tastes just as creamy as the traditional version, but I swapped mayo/sour cream for cashews, and the result is amazing!
- Soak the cashews for softness. If you forget to soak them overnight, pour boiling water over the cashews and let them sit for 45 mins to an hour.
- Use roasted and salted cashews. They’re key to making this sauce flavorful!
Coconut-Lime Rice
Be sure to use a good-quality, full-fat coconut milk, and don’t forget to give the coconut rice plenty of time to sit (covered) after it’s done simmering; this will keep the rice from becoming sticky and gooey.
A few time savers when making this rice: Using a microplane (like this one) and a citrus reamer or this citrus juicer make getting lime zest and juice quick and easy.
Topping Ideas
The mango, jalapeño, and red onion is my favorite topping on these Black Bean Bowls! A few other topping ideas:
- Additional fresh lime juice
- A few pices of cilantro (or finely chopped cilantro)
- A few extra crushed up cashews
- Additional thinly sliced jalapeños for even more heat
Black Bean Bowls Shortcuts
- Make the black beans ahead of time for faster prep!
- Buy pre-cut mango if you’re short on time. It’s a bit pricier but saves time. Alternatively, a ripe mango is easier to chop.
Black Bean Bowls Variation Ideas
- Don’t love coconut? Use plain or cilantro–lime rice as the base.
- Can’t have cashews? I’d recommend using this creamy cilantro sauce.
- If you don’t love cilantro, I’d recommend the sauce on these Loaded Sweet Potatoes instead
- Vegetarian: to make this recipe vegetarian, cook the black beans in veggie stock instead of chicken stock.
Other Black Bean Recipes
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili with an amazing seasoning mix
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad with a cilantro dressing
- Garbanzo Bean Salad with black beans
- Black Bean Burger with an amazing burger sauce
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burrito Bowls with a creamy sauce
Black Bean Bowls
Equipment
- Small blender high-powered
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup roasted and salted whole cashews
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup diced ripe mango
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño stems and seeds remove
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Instructions
- Zest limes with a zester to get 1-1/2 teaspoons zest. Juice limes using a citrus juicer to get 5 tablespoons lime juice.Sauce: Place cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour about 1 cup boiling water over them. Let stand for 1 hour, then thoroughly drain. Add drained cashews, cilantro, lime juice and zest, 1/3 cup water, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper) to a small, powerful blender. Blend until completely smooth. Place in the fridge to chill and for the flavors to intensify and meld. The sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated; simply stir before serving.
- Black Beans: See note 1.
- Coconut-lime Rice: Rinse the basmati rice in a fine-mesh sieve. Combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste) in a large pan with a lid. Stir and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover rice with a lid. Allow to simmer for 13–18 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand for 10–15 minutes; don’t rush or it will be sticky! Fluff the rice with a fork, then add in the zest and juice of 1 lime. Stir to incorporate.
- Add the diced mango, jalapeño, and red onion to a small bowl. Drizzle with some lime juice if desired (I add 1 tablespoon) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Divide coconut rice evenly among 4 bowls or plates. Divide black beans and the mango topping evenly. Add any other desired toppings like additional cilantro, cotija cheese, crushed cashews, and/or a fresh lime wedge. Drizzle cilantro sauce (as much or as little as you’d like) over the bowls. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Don’t have the time to make beans from scratch? Here’s how to jazz up canned beans for this recipe: follow the “black bean” portion of the recipe in these Black Bean Tacos.
- If you do make the homemade black beans (highly recommended!), warm them through in a small pot over medium-low heat. Stir gently to avoid breaking them. If you like the sauce surrounding the beans (I love it!) spoon some on top of the beans and rice too. If not, drain the beans in a strainer before adding to the rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Warning: You will need to double this recipe because it is THAT good! It is worth every bit of extra effort for every part of the recipe. The homemade black beans add a ton of flavor, and the coconut lime rice is a hundred times better than regular rice. I can’t wait to make my coworkers jealous with these leftovers. Thank you, Chelsea!
Ahh You made my day! Thanks SOO much! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Warning: you may need to double the entire recipe because it is THAT good! This recipe is worth every bit of additional effort. The coconut lime rice is a hundred times better than regular rice. The homemade black beans add a ton of flavor and can be used for multiple recipes. I will definitely be adding this to my dinner rotation!