Mango Black Bean Brown Rice (Printable)

Wholesome bowl with mango, black beans, brown rice, fresh vegetables, and tangy lime dressing.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Beans

04 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Fruits & Vegetables

05 - 1 ripe mango, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
08 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
09 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed frozen
10 - 1 avocado, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

12 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - Juice of 2 limes
14 - 1 teaspoon agave syrup
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
17 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

18 - Lime wedges

# Method:

01 - Rinse brown rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - While rice cooks, dice the mango, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red onion and bell pepper, and chop the cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, agave syrup, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
04 - Heat the black beans and corn together in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed through, then set aside.
05 - Divide cooked brown rice among 4 bowls. Top each with black beans and corn mixture, diced mango, cherry tomatoes, red onion, red bell pepper, avocado slices, and chopped cilantro.
06 - Drizzle each bowl with lime dressing and garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore and more like an actual celebration.
  • Every bite surprises you with a different texture and flavor, so even the simplest ingredients feel exciting.
  • The dressing ties everything together in a way that makes you want to drizzle it on everything for days afterward.
02 -
  • The dressing is the actual main character here, not the rice or beans—a weak or overly oily dressing will flatten everything, so taste it and adjust boldly.
  • Warm rice and room-temperature vegetables and avocado create a contrast that makes the whole bowl feel more alive than if everything matched in temperature.
03 -
  • Don't assemble these bowls more than 15 minutes before eating or the avocado will brown and the rice will keep absorbing the dressing, turning it gluey.
  • If you're cooking for people with different preferences, set everything out in bowls and let them build their own—it feels interactive and ensures everyone gets exactly what they want.
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