Brown Rice with Beans Root Vegetables and Kale

Introduction

Brown rice cooks in the rice cooker with beans and cubed root vegetables, then chopped kale gets added at the end for a quick steam. You get a full one-bowl meal with steady texture from the rice, softer vegetables, and flexible toppings like soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and sesame seeds.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Servings: 1

Ingredients

Base

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 cups water

Additions

• 1 cup soaked and boiled black, pinto, kidney or other beans
• 1 cup cubed potato
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato
• 1 cup cubed squash
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup cubed beet
• 1 cup chopped kale

Serving

• Olive oil, hemp oil, flaxseed oil, or other nutritious oil
• Nutritional yeast
• Soy sauce
• Black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Add the brown rice and water to a rice cooker.
2. Drain, rinse, and add the beans to the rice cooker.
3. If using, add the garlic to the cooker.
4. If using, add the sweet potato, squash, beet, or potato.
5. If using a fuzzy logic (i.e. programmable) cooker, set the cooker to the brown rice setting and turn it on. If using an on/off cooker, simply turn it on.
6. In about 20-40 minutes, your cooker should finish cooking the rice. When the finished, open the lid, add the kale, close the lid, and wait about another minute or two.
7. Open and serve. Top with oil, yeast, soy sauce and/or sesame seeds, to taste.

Variations

• Change the beans from black to pinto or kidney beans to shift the texture slightly; black beans stay firmer, while pinto beans turn creamier.
• Use only potato and sweet potato in the vegetable mix if you want a softer, more uniform bowl with less earthy flavor from the beet and squash.
• Swap the kale for spinach and stir it in at the same point; spinach wilts faster and gives you a softer final texture.
• Replace the soy sauce topping with tamari or coconut aminos if you want a similar savory finish with a different salt level and flavor profile.
• Use black sesame seeds more heavily if you want extra crunch; keep the oil lighter in that case so the bowl does not feel heavy.

Tips for Success

• Cut the potato, sweet potato, squash, and beet into similar-size cubes so they finish cooking at the same rate.
• Make sure the beans are fully soaked and boiled before they go into the rice cooker; this recipe is not designed to cook dry beans from scratch.
• Add the kale only after the cooker finishes, as written, so it stays green and does not turn dull or overcooked.
• If your rice cooker runs hot, check the bowl as soon as the cycle ends so the brown rice does not start drying around the edges.
• Season after cooking with soy sauce, oil, nutritional yeast, and sesame seeds rather than adding them early, so you can adjust the balance to taste.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water, covered loosely, for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through. You can also reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a small splash of water and a lid until warmed through.

FAQ

Can you use canned beans instead of soaked and boiled beans?

Yes. Drain and rinse them well before adding so the rice cooker does not get extra starch or salt from the canning liquid.

Do you need to use all of the root vegetables listed?

No. The instructions are built to let you include the vegetables you want, so you can use one or several depending on what you have.

Can you make this without a rice cooker?

Yes. Cook the brown rice with water on the stovetop, then stir in the cooked beans and vegetables until heated through, and add the kale at the end to wilt.

What can you use instead of soy sauce?

Tamari works well with a similar savory effect, and coconut aminos give a milder, slightly sweeter finish.