Whip Up Delicious Mediterranean Rice and Beans in Just 30 Minutes!

My strongest culinary conviction — right after “butter fixes 90% of problems” — is this: Mediterranean Rice and Beans should have its own holiday. Thanksgiving? Move over. This 30-minute wonder is my emergency comfort food, my “oops I burned dinner but still winning” dish, and also proof that you can be wildly busy and wildly delicious at the same time.

If you’re the kind of person who likes main dishes that hug you back, this rice and beans will become your new best friend.

The time I almost burned the house down but learned to cook forgiving meals

There was a year — forever etched in my brain as The Cranberry Catastrophe of 2017 — where I tried to make four Thanksgiving sides and one ambitious sauce, and then the oven declared war on me. Smoke, tears, the neighbor banging on the door because they thought I’d attempted a modern art installation with charred Brussels sprouts. That night I lived on takeout and vowed to master one-pan, fast, dependable meals. Enter this recipe: the antidote to my pyrotechnic tendencies and my emotional need for something green-ish and comforting.

I’m dramatic. Also, I cook slow when I’m calm and rush when I panic, which explains a lot about my kitchen scars and my weird, deep love of Trader Joe’s lemon olive oil. (Don’t judge — it’s a mood.)

Pivoting back to the recipe before I spiral into spice rack regrets

ANYWAY, before I re-tell the entire saga of my Thanksgiving truce with the fire department — here’s the real point: this recipe is forgiving. It’s okay if you overcook the onion, under-season the beans, or forget the lemon until the end (been there, cried about it). It still comes together. Also, if you want a meatier vibe, try pairing it with something rich — like those cozy creamy beef and shells your family pretends they don’t love but will ask for again.

What goes in (and why Trader Joe’s gets my wallet sometimes)

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Fresh parsley or mint, chopped (for garnish)
• Optional: crumbled feta cheese, olives, or pine nuts

Mini-rant: you don’t need the fanciest canned beans — Trader Joe’s and Aldi do the job and you’ll still taste like you tried. Fancy olive oil? Sure, if you want Instagram. Cheap oil? Also fine. Also, olives are optional but dramatic.

Tiny math: convert without crying

Quick one-liner to stop you from guessing measurements: use the converter if you’re swapping cups for grams and impress your future self.

How to cook this without a meltdown (a chaotic technique breakdown)

I will not give you a rigid, militant step list because that’s not me — instead, here’s how my brain cooks it, which is basically rules with exceptions, plus feelings.

• In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and chopped tomato. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
• Next, add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir to combine, then add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast it slightly.
• Pour in the vegetable broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
• Stir in the drained and rinsed chickpeas and cannellini beans, as well as the chopped spinach. Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through.
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture and fluff it with a fork. Top with freshly chopped parsley or mint, and add any optional toppings like feta cheese, olives, or pine nuts. Serve warm.

Here’s what I learned the hard way: don’t skip the toasting step — it adds this whisper of nuttiness. Use broth when you can; water is fine but less thrilling. And spin the lemon like you mean it (juice, not cries).

Why I cook: nostalgia, identity, and the smell of home

Cooking is how I map my life: my grandmother’s kitchen was oregano-scented chaos, my college dorm was microwave grief and instant ramen convenience (and humiliation), and now my apartment smells like garlic most weekends. Food keeps memory sticky; it’s how I remember people. Making this rice and beans feels like folding decades of kitchen mishaps into something steady — a bowl that says “you’re okay” when the rest of life is dramatic.

Also, sometimes I pair it with a protein I didn’t overthink — salmon bites that are fast and kind to my schedule, and they make the meal feel like less of a solo dinner pity party.

Tiny, ridiculous anecdote you’ll like

Once I tried to impress a date by adding pine nuts. I forgot the pine nuts in the oven and learned a new meaning for “blackened.” He still texted later: “10/10, would char again.” We did not have a second date, but the pine nuts lived on in my shame jar.

Okay, I’ll stop narrating my kitchen confessions. Just cook it. Pour the wine for the non-cooking partner, call your neighbor, sprinkle too much feta, eat it straight from the pot at midnight — all valid. This is the sort of recipe that shows up when life is messy and demands you feed yourself like you matter. You do.

Frequently asked questions — chaotic edition

Daily Calorie Needs Calculator: quick check before you plate

Estimate your portions and calorie needs here if you’re tracking macros or just curious.

Mediterranean Rice and Beans

A quick, comforting, and forgiving dish that combines rice, beans, fresh vegetables, and spices, perfect for a busy day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Mediterranean

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• to taste Salt and pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 of a lemon Juice of
• Fresh parsley or mint, chopped (for garnish)
• Optional: crumbled feta cheese, olives, or pine nuts

Method

 

Preparation

1. In a large skillet or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and chopped tomato. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

Cooking

1. Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir to combine.
2. Add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast it slightly.
3. Pour in the vegetable broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
5. Stir in the drained and rinsed chickpeas and cannellini beans, as well as the chopped spinach.
6. Cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the spinach wilts and everything is heated through.
7. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture and fluff it with a fork.
8. Top with freshly chopped parsley or mint, and add any optional toppings like feta cheese, olives, or pine nuts. Serve warm.

Notes

Toasting the rice adds a nutty flavor. Using broth instead of water enhances the dish’s flavor. Feel free to add more vegetables or proteins as desired.