Mexican Fried Rice Skillet
Mexican Fried Rice Skillet
I created this recipe a few years ago after seeing another rice skillet recipe on one of my favourite food blogs, Naturally Ella. The recipe I created is spicy, cheesy, and full of flavour. It’s an easy and filling vegetarian dinner. Also, this recipe is what inspired me to get back into food blogging after I posted photos of this dish on my Instagram and got requests for the recipe, which at that moment, only existed in my head.
This dish is also great for food prep for lunches for the week! Portion into tupperware and keep in the fridge for quick lunches for up to 4 days.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeño, diced
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper (about half a large pepper)
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. Mexican chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika (plus more for garnish)
1/2 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne (depending on preferred spice level)
3 oz. (75 grams) marbled cheddar cheese
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
YIELD
Feeds 4 as an entree.
TIME
Prep - 20 minutes
Cook - 25 minutes
TOOLS
Cast iron skillet (or any frying pan you can put in the oven)
DIRECTIONS
Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside.
Heat oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeño, and pepper. Add your spices. Fry for 10 minutes, frequently mixing to ensure vegetables are not burning.
Add tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes. Add cooked rice and beans. Fry for another 5 minutes. If your mixture is becoming dry, add more oil or water. Taste and add additional chili powder, cumin, or paprika if needed.
Remove skillet from heat. Turn oven on to low broil. Smooth out the mixture in the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add sliced avocado on the top and shred cheese over it. Add a sprinkle of paprika.
Place your skillet in the middle rack of your oven. Broil for 5 minutes on low until cheese is melted. If you would like a crispier top, broil for an additional 2 minutes on high.
Optionally garnish with cilantro if you aren’t serving this to someone who thinks cilantro tastes like soap.
ADAPTATIONS
You can add in chipotle powder and reduce the amount of chili powder you use. You can also add other beans or vegetables in, just adjust the amount of spices if you are adding more.
