Cilantro Lime Rice in Rice Cooker

If you’ve made plain rice in the rice cooker or instant pot, this Cilantro Lime Rice in Rice Cooker just takes a couple extra ingredients to elevate your grain with so much flavor!

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Cilantro Lime Rice in Rice Cooker

Simple, zesty cilantro lime rice with black beans

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Keyword: rice

Equipment

• Rice Cooker OR Instant Pot Stovetop pot can also be used to make rice base

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups rice, uncooked white or brown
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 14.5 oz
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Rinse uncooked rice in mesh colander and follow instructions on package to cook in rice cooker or instant pot (see note 2).
• After rice is cooked, add cilantro, lime juice, black beans and salt. Mix. Top with extra cilantro.

Notes

1) I used short grain brown rice, which tends to be my favorite for leftovers as it retains more water. 

2)The amount of water needed may vary depending on rice type and cooking method. For example when I use short grain brown rice in the rice cooker I do a 2:1 water to rice ratio, while when cooking it in the instant pot I do closer to 1:1. 

1, 2, and Done!

This recipe is just 2 steps. It just takes some regular rice cooking and addition of cilantro, lime juice, black beans, and salt to really take your rice to the next level.

Why I Use Short Grain Brown Rice

Short answer is, because I like it! What rice should you use? Short answer, the one you like.

I like the smaller grain since it keeps more moisture and makes leftovers more enjoyable than a longer grain IMO. I also enjoy that the texture has a bit more structure than white rice. Brown rice does have more fiber, though it probably won’t make a huge difference on its own in your daily intake, especially if you have other fiber sources in the meal. If you enjoy white rice better, go ahead and use that instead! It’s ok to eat grains that are not whole grains FYI.

What to Pair with Cilantro Lime Rice in Rice Cooker

As a grain that contains a protein source, this cilantro lime rice is on it’s way to becoming a meal. Here are a few ideas for how to complete it:

• Use it as a base of a burrito bowl (add lettuce, tomato, avocado, meat or added beans, cheese, etc…)
• Use it in a taco (add shredded chicken or beef, add toppings)
• Use it in a lettuce wrap (again consider adding another protein source if desired)
• Use it as a side to another dish
• Add it to a taco salad

Why is the Recipe First?

I’m glad you asked! I know it can get overwhelming to be excited about a recipe, then have to scroll through a seemingly never-ending life story before finally finding the recipe. I started to notice it becoming a difficulty for some of my nutrition counseling clients. So that’s why I’ve created No Guilt Nutrition Recipes – a place where finding the actual recipe isn’t so difficult or cumbersome. Usually the recipe is hidden in a blog post or you have to pay a subscription to see the recipe quickly, but here you’ll find it first on the page!