Italian-Style Vegetarian Rice and Beans Recipe

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 05/24/22
Italian style vegetarian rice and beans

The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 12 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
173 Calories
1g Fat
33g Carbs
10g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 173
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 200mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 9g 34%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 14mg 72%
Calcium 109mg 8%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 605mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Looking for the perfect quick and easy way to cook cannellini beans and rice or another kind of white beans and rice? Here's one simple Italian-inspired way.

Using just five ingredients, you can serve this easy vegetarian rice and beans dish with Italian seasonings as a side, or, add some sautéed tofu or seitan to make it a main meal. All you need is a can of tomatoes, ​a can of beans, some instant rice (or you can use leftover rice if you have some on hand that you need to use up), a bit of Italian seasoning, and a dash of salt and pepper, and you've got yourself a meal.

Whip up a side green salad or stick some garlic bread in the oven to make it a full healthy vegetarian dinner as quick as can be and, of course, rice and beans are a staple of anyone trying to eat cheap, whether you're vegetarian, vegan or not!

This Italian white beans and rice recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and completely gluten free. 

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or any kind of white bean, drained and rinsed

  • 2/3 cup instant rice, uncooked

  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • Sea salt, or kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Italian style vegetarian rice and beans
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  2. Place the diced tomatoes and their juice, the Great Northern beans or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), instant rice (or you can also use leftover pre-cooked rice) uncooked in a medium saucepan, and season lightly with a bit of Italian seasoning and a bit of sea salt or kosher salt and fresh black pepper. 

    Place tomatoes and rice in pot
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  3. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The dish is done once the rice is cooked and the beans and tomatoes are cooked through. There will still be a bit of saucy moisture, some of which will evaporate as the dish cools slightly. 

    Place saucepan over medium high heat
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  4. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

    Adjust the seasoning
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

Recipe Variations

  • Add a bit more sea salt or perhaps even seasoned salt, to taste.
  • You can also top it off with nutritional yeast or another vegan Parmesan cheese substitute.
  • Or, if you and your family aren't eating fully vegan, serve with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Bush's® Beans.