Mango Black Bean Brown Rice (Printable Version)

A wholesome bowl combining mango, black beans, brown rice, fresh veggies, and a zesty lime dressing.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Grains

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

→ Beans

04 - 1 (15 oz) can 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 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

# Preparation Steps:

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 red bell pepper, slice the avocado, and chop the fresh cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, agave syrup, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - In a small saucepan, heat black beans and corn together over low heat until warmed through, then set aside.
05 - Divide cooked brown rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with warmed black beans and corn, diced mango, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, diced red bell pepper, avocado slices, and fresh cilantro.
06 - Drizzle each bowl generously with lime dressing. Garnish with lime wedges and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're just assembling when hunger strikes.
  • The lime dressing is bright enough to wake up your whole palate, turning simple ingredients into something that feels special.
02 -
  • Don't add the avocado until you're ready to eat, or it'll oxidize and turn gray-brown even though it'll still taste fine—appearance matters when you're aiming for vibrant.
  • The dressing should taste a little too salty and too limey on its own because it mellows once it hits all the rice and beans, so resist the urge to dial it back too much.
03 -
  • Cook the rice ahead if you're busy, then just reheat it gently or serve it at room temperature—brown rice holds up beautifully either way and you'll save yourself a chunk of time.
  • Buy the ripest, most fragrant mango you can find because it's the star and there's no saving a mediocre one, so really squeeze those at the farmers market with confidence.
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