Mexican-inspired · Easy
Black bean & corn family bowls
Warm brown rice, black beans, sweet corn, and fresh avocado. Put the components on the table and let everyone build a bowl they enjoy.
Estimated nutrition
Per portion and for your whole batch. These are ingredient-based estimates, not laboratory-tested nutrition facts. Optional ingredients are excluded.
| Nutrient | Per portion | Whole batch |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 538 kcal | 2152 kcal |
| Protein | 16.3 g | 65.2 g |
| Carbs | 89.1 g | 356.5 g |
| Fiber | 15.7 g | 62.8 g |
| Sugars | 4.5 g | 17.9 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 15.1 g | 60.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.4 g | 9.7 g |
| Sodium | 475 mg | 1902 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
USDA FoodData Central references. Brands, food varieties, preparation and portion size change the result. Added sugars assume plain, unsweetened ingredients; for prepared breads and sauces, a range shows zero to the reference food’s total sugar because the added amount is unspecified.
Ingredients, sources & assumptions
All listed edible food and oil are counted as eaten. Cooking losses and final cooked weight are not measured. Some ingredients use a stated reference food or a proxy for a missing nutrient. No personalized dietary advice.
Rice, brown, long-grain, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) · 240 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceBeans, black, canned, sodium added, drained and rinsed · 480 g in the original batch
Missing sugar and cholesterol use generic undrained canned black turtle beans as a proxy. Missing saturated fat uses that proxy’s saturated-to-total-fat ratio applied to the drained/rinsed food’s total fat. Other primary values, including sodium, stay unchanged.
USDA food reference USDA supplementary referenceCorn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, unprepared (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) · 240 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceAvocados, raw, all commercial varieties · 200 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceTomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average · 300 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceOil, olive, salad or cooking · 15 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceSalt, table · 2 g in the original batch
USDA food referenceBeverages, water, tap, drinking · 810 g in the original batch
Generic USDA tap water reference; local sodium and mineral content varies.
USDA food referenceCalculation version 2. Source records and method are documented in our nutrition guide.
Nutrition guidanceLet’s make it
Amounts below match your selected batch. Follow each short step, and use timers as reminders to check the food.
Equipment
Stovetop · Saucepan with lid · Skillet · Sieve
- 1
Wash and prepare the produce
Wash the avocado skin before cutting. Remove the pit and peel; measure 200 g avocado of edible flesh, then dice it.
Wash 300 g tomatoes, remove the cores, then dice evenly into 1 cm pieces. Keep any juices with the prepared tomatoes.
- 2
Prepare the remaining ingredients
Measure 240 g brown rice, rinse in a sieve and drain.
Drain black beans and rinse well, then weigh 480 g black beans after draining.
Measure 240 g sweet corn.
- 3
Measure and set out
Measure 15 g olive oil.
Measure 2 g table salt.
Measure 810 ml water.
Keep these measured amounts nearby. The cooking steps below specify how much to use at each stage.
- 4
Cook the rice
Bring 240 g rice, 750 ml water, and 1 g salt to a boil in a saucepan.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 35–40 minutes, or follow the package directions.
Set the rice check timer and continue with the next step while it cooks. When the timer rings, go to step 9 to check the rice and step 10 to rest it, even if the other component is still cooking. Then return to where you left off. The timer is a reminder to check, not a guarantee that the rice is ready.
Start the 25-minute "Start beans and corn" reminder at the same time as the rice check timer. It tells you when to begin the next cooking step.
- 5
Warm the beans and corn
After the rice has simmered for 25 minutes, begin this step while it continues cooking: heat 15 g oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 6
Warm the beans and corn
Add 480 g drained beans, 240 g frozen corn, 60 ml water, and 1 g salt.
Stir and simmer for 7–10 minutes until steaming throughout and the corn is tender.
- 7
Prepare the fresh toppings
Wash tomatoes before dicing.
Wash the avocado skin before cutting; remove pit and peel, then dice the flesh.
- 8
Prepare the fresh toppings
Keep toppings separate for anyone who prefers a simpler bowl.
- 9
Check the rice
When the rice check timer rings, check a few grains: they should be tender.
If firm and dry, add 30 ml water, cover, and cook on low for another 5 minutes, then check again. Repeat only if needed.
If there is still water in the pan, keep cooking on low and check again in 5 minutes. Once tender, follow the rice-rest step.
- 10
Rest the cooked rice
Once the rice is tender, turn off the heat and leave the saucepan covered for at least 5 minutes. If you already rested it when the rice timer rang, continue to the next step.
- 11
Portion and serve
Divide rice, bean and corn mixture, tomatoes, and avocado among 4 bowls.
Refrigerate cooked components promptly and store toppings separately.
- 12
Build your bowls
Add avocado close to serving for best quality.
Make it work for you
For kids & different preferences
Offer the components separately if preferred. Let caregivers choose portions and suitable textures; appetites vary.
Substitutions
Use frozen cooked brown rice according to its package for a quicker meal. Use an equivalent cooked yield, not the same dry weight.
Storage & packed lunches
Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Keep at 40°F / 4°C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Freeze portions intended for later in the week. Keep packed lunches cold with ice packs until eaten.
Freezing & reheating
Freeze the rice and bean mixture for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Add fresh tomato and avocado after reheating.
Reheat leftovers throughout to 165°F / 74°C. Stir microwave portions and check several places with a food thermometer.
If something looks different
Check the food itself as well as the clock. Equipment, batch depth, and ingredient size affect timing.
Print & sharing options
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Something wrong with an ingredient or instruction? Tell usVersion 3 · Updated 2026-10-21
Bethany’s Kitchen · /recipes/black-bean-bowls · Original instructions prepared for this project; no third-party recipe prose or photography reproduced. Not kitchen tested.