Hello! This is a delicious dish bursting with flavor. Red beans over rice with pico has three different parts to it. Each part contributes in its unique way. I was inspired to make this dish when a friend brought me a meal after the birth of my first kid. She paired a bean dish with a pico. Call it postpartum brain, but I was unsure the mixture would go well together. Oh was I wrong. That meal inspired me to recreate the same feeling I had back then. Aren't friends the best?
How to make Red Beans and Rice
The red beans mixture is a sautéed onion, turkey kielbasa, and red beans simmered in chicken broth. I have also used traditional kielbasa with the same delicious results. First, you sauté the onions until they become slightly transparent. Then, you add in the chopped kielbasa and the red beans. Continue to sauté the three together until the kielbasa is slightly browned on the edges. Add in the chicken broth and simmer until the broth reduces by ½.
I often use canned red beans for simplicity. I can make this meal in a pinch without having to worry about soaking beans. If you are using soaked beans, that's about 1.5 cups. Want more beans? Feeding a larger group? Add another can or another cup or two. You can't go wrong!
How to make a delicious pico
Next comes my favorite part, the Pico! I love vegetables. I especially love fresh vegetables. I also love all things vinegar. So putting vegetables with vinegar makes my mouth so happy. This pico blend is onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers all mixed together. Mix that with white vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic and you have a near perfect blend.
Make the pico ahead of time to allow the flavors to marinate together. I like to make the pico the morning or afternoon before I make this for dinner. You can use the extra pico with your favorite tortilla chips. Yum!
Don't be skeptical of the idea of putting cucumbers in this pico! It gives the blend a wonderful crunch. Also, have you had cucumbers and vinegar, life changing! I prefer to use english cucumbers when making this dish.
The third part of this magical trio is the rice. Ok so it isn't anything special, but when you top it with the red beans mixture, and the pico, it turns into a master piece.
Red beans over rice with pico is delicious the next day. It gives the pico time to marinate!
Recipe
Red Bean over Rice with Pico
Equipment
- medium saute pan
- medium sauce pan
Ingredients
Red Beans
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 can Red Beans rinsed and drained (1.5 cups)
- ½ medium onion chopped
- ½ lb turkey kielbasa
- 1 cup chicken broth
Pico
- ½ cup cucumbers chopped,
- ½ cup tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup bell peppers chopped
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the chopped onions until almost transparent. About 3 minutes. Add the kielbasa and red beans and cook until kielbasa is browned on the edges.
- Add the chicken broth to the mixture and let simmer until reduced by ½.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onions. Add vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix together until flavors a spread throughout. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Make the pico ahead of time to let the flavors marinate together.
- Assemble on a bed of rice. First rice, then the red beans mixture, and then topped with the vegetable vinegar pico.
Notes
- Don't like as much onion? Cut back the onion when making the red beans mixture. Or omit from the pico.
- Store pico in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.
- I prefer english cucumbers when making this dish.
Nicole
My kid ate this up! So yummy and easy!