texas caviar rice & beans

Texas Caviar Rice & Beans recipe is a light and healthy twist on the classic!

First things first: Texas Caviar Rice & Beans is genius. I’m a big fan of bean salad (you’re aware of this: black bean & corn relish + more recent obsession with simple bean salads) so this recipe caught my eye almost immediately.

But let’s back up. I was sent The Slim Down South Cookbook, Eating Well and Living Healthy in the Land of Biscuits and Bacon (affiliate) written by Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD. In addition to the standard, breakfast/lunch/dinner recipes, the book also includes “Stay Slim Secrets” and features “Slim and Savvy Southerners” who share their strategies for enjoying southern food while staying healthy. The images are beautiful (a must for me) and each recipe includes nutrition facts. 

I oddly enough love Southern food. Odd only because I’ve never lived in the South and because well, we all know that Southern food is known for being anything but healthy. While I definitely don’t eat perfectly (or even close) I still don’t like that it frequently seems obnoxiously-rich, and way over the top. But this book changes that. It lightens up the classic recipes that we all love, like fried chicken and grits, to calorie levels that are more acceptable for every day eating.

And let me tell y’all something – you want to try this texas caviar rice & beans! It’s a fresh, flavorful, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying. We loved it!

Canned beans and pre-made rice make this salad come together quickly. And the combination of rice and beans with fresh celery, tomatoes and cilantro is great. If you like spice, top the salad with lots of hot sauce and pickled jalapeños!

And if you’re looking for even more grain salads, I’ve got plenty:

Farro & Broccolini Salad
Israeli Couscous & Artichoke Salad
Quinoa & Arugula Salad
Summer Quinoa Salad

Texas Caviar Rice & Beans

• Author: Emily Dingmann
• Prep Time: 20
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

Texas Caviar Rice & Beans recipe is a light and healthy twist on the classic!

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Ingredients

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For the Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1½ Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1½ Tbsp. hot sauce
• 1 minced garlic clove
• ¼ tsp. chili powder
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin

For the Salad:

• 1 (15.8-oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz.) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
• ⅓ cup finely chopped roasted red bell peppers
• ¼ cup seeded and finely chopped poblano pepper
• 2 (8.8-oz.) pouches fully cooked basmati rice
• ⅔ cup thinly sliced celery
• ¾ cup (3 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1¼ cups chopped tomatoes
• ¾ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions
• 6 oz. tortilla chips
• Garnish: sliced pickled jalapeño peppers

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Instructions

For the Dressing:

1. Whisk all ingredients together. *You’ll need only half of this dressing for the Texas Caviar Rice and Beans. Store the remainder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For the Salad:

1. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a medium-size microwave-safe glass bowl; let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring at 30-second intervals.
2. Heat rice according to package directions; fluff with a fork. Layer rice, bean mixture, celery, cheese, tomato, cilantro, and green onions in 2-qt. trifle bowl or straight-sided bowl. Drizzle with dressing and serve with tortilla chips.

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Notes

• The original recipe tested with Tasty Bite Basmati Rice. I used brown basmati rice.
• 1 Tbsp. of dressing adds 53 calories, 6 grams of fat

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Nutrition

• Calories: 451
• Fat: 19
• Carbohydrates: 60
• Fiber: 8
• Protein: 13