One of my favorite dinners from my childhood was a big bowl of rice, black beans, salsa, and cheese, or what I call “Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls.” Looking back I don’t know if that was our dinner because we couldn’t afford more, or if my mom didn’t have the energy to make something more complicated, but either way I loved that meal. It’s only a few ingredients, it’s super inexpensive, but somehow still so filling and so delicious!
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Why “Poor Man’s” Burrito Bowls?
In the age of Chipotle, when burrito bowls have become layers upon layers of fancy meats, creamy dressings, and crunchy tortilla strips, I’m scaling it back to the basics. No frills, no fancy ingredients, just the bare bones. The only ingredients you absolutely need to feel full and satisfied. And somehow, despite its simplicity, these super basic burrito bowls still make me so happy that my feet wiggle.
Add In Your Leftovers!
Another reason I love these Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls is because it’s a great “sweep the kitchen” meal, or a meal that is versatile enough that you can add in all sorts of leftovers you might have hanging out in your fridge or pantry. Here are some other ingredients that you can add, if you have them on hand, and they need to be used up:
- Cowboy Caviar
- Sour cream
- Roasted vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, onions)
- Frozen corn
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Lime crema
- Avocado
- Pickled red onion
- Cilantro
- Tomato
- Rotisserie chicken
- Ground beef
- Carnitas (I make big batches of this and then stash some in the freezer)
See? You can go as simple or as fancy as you want, but the “Poor Man’s” version, with just rice, beans, cheese, and salsa is all the deliciousness I need. This time around I also added green onion and jalapeño because I seem to always have extras of those in the fridge. :)
Can You Freeze Burrito Bowls?
Yes! These burrito bowls freeze great, so you can fix up a bunch and stash them in the freezer, cheese and all, for busy weeknights. As with any rice dish, it’s important that they are divided and cooled immediately after cooking. Once they are cooled completely in the refrigerator, you can transfer them to the freezer for long term storage.
Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls
Servings 6Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice ($1.32)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 15oz. cans black beans ($0.98)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1 16oz. jar salsa ($2.37)
- 6 oz. shredded cheese* ($1.27)
- 1 bunch green onions ($0.89)
- 1 jalapeño (optional) ($0.15)
Instructions
- Add the rice, salt, and 3 cups water to a medium sauce pot. Place a lid on top, turn the heat on to high, and allow the water to come up to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let it continue to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit, with the lid in place, for an additional five minutes. Fluff just before serving.
- While the rice is cooking, make the beans. Add both cans of black beans (undrained) to a small sauce pot, along with the cumin, and garlic powder. Heat over medium, stirring often, until heated through.
- Slice the green onions and jalapeño (if using).
- Once the rice is cooked, build the bowls. Add one cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup warm black beans, 1/3 cup salsa, and 1 oz. shredded cheese (about 1/4 cup) to each bowl. Top with a few sliced green onions and jalapeños, then serve.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Poor Man’s Burrito Bowls – Step by Step Photos
Begin the rice first because everything else will be finished by the time the rice is done cooking. Add 2 cups long grain white rice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3 cups water to a sauce pot. Place a lid on top and turn the heat on to high. Once it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it rest, with the lid in place, for an additional five minutes. Finally, fluff with a fork.
While the rice is cooking, season and heat the beans. Add two 15 oz. cans of black beans (undrained) to a sauce pot along with 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Heat over medium, stirring often, until heated through.
Slice a bunch of green onions and one jalapeño (optional). You’ll also need about 6 oz. (weight) shredded cheese (about 1.5 cups).
Then it’s time to build the burrito bowls! Add about 1 cup rice, 1/2 cup beans, and 1/2 cup salsa to each bowl.
Then add about 1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded cheese, sliced green onion, and sliced jalapeño (if desired). Enjoy!
The heat from the hot rice and beans will usually be enough to melt the cheese, once stirred.
Hey Beth, thanks for this recipe. I’ve used this for years to get me through tough times and it doesn’t disappoint!
Oh wow this is delicious! Just made another batch for this week too! So easy to make
This recipe is insanely good for how cheap and easy to prepare it is. I threw some frozen corn and chipotle mayo in mine and it is scrumptious. Thank you so so much for this recipe, it will go into the regular rotation!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was SO GOOD. Simple, yet incredibly satisfying. A comforting dish I will return to again and again. Thank you for the reminder that it doesn’t need to be fancy-schmancy to be delicious!
I had a lot leftover of your Easy Taco Rice that I wasn’t sure what to do with. Stumbled upon this recipe because it’s linked on the Taco Rice one as a serving suggestion.
So all I had to do was make the beans and slice the scallions and jalapeño! Dinner was ready in like 10 minutes. Topped my rice and beans with mild Pico de Gallo, shredded cheddar, jalapeño, scallions, and some pickled red onions that I also had kicking around. So cheap, quick, easy, delicious, and filling! (Bonus points for being meatless and nutritious!) From the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this recipe!
So good! It’s crazy how good these beans are with just a couple of basic spices. I like to cook them down for a while so they go a bit creamy. We usually use salsa verde instead of tomato salsa or just skip the salsa all together. I think I need to adjust this recipe to 3 cans of beans as we lick the pot clean and the kids are always asking for more!
Hi, I followed your recipe for my flat dinner tonight. It was very tasty and quite a fun meal to have.. I also put some tortilla wraps in the oven so we made ended making burritos from the bowl too. Thanks!
Finally something within my budget…
This is one of my favorite things to eat lately. So simple and delicious. We also make your slow cooker pulled pork, and we’ve been putting some of the leftover pork in these bowls. So good.
Have made this several times and love it! Not draining the black beans makes them taste SO much better than drained. I also added a fried egg on top and it took it to a whole new level. My favorite kind of meal…cheap, filling, tastes good and easy to make.
Awesome and easy
Made these tonight and they were a hit with the family. I used fajita-seasoned chicken strips from Target as well as a sautéed blend of onion & peppers with fajita sauce added to it. Also added more seasoning {Tony Chachere’s, onion powder, and salt} to the beans, as they were somewhat bland. The only thing I messed up on was not rinsing the rice first. I forgot, and it came out sticky. Still delicious, though! Served with most of the suggested add-ons.
So good!! Love adding toppings and eating w lime chips, also makes delicious nacho toppings for leftovers
Easy and good. I recommend more seasoning on the beans!
I agree, I found the recipe recommended nowhere near enough seasoning. Loved that it’s easy and cheap though!
Just discovered your website, as food is getting incredibly expensive in New Zealand and I want to start being smarter with how I spend when it comes to food, without compromising on nutrition. Thank you very much for providing these amazing ideas and resources for people like me!
My friends are crazy about a burrito bar in town, I cooked this for a bunch of them a while back, along with some home made salsa, guacamole, etc. and they said it was the closest thing they’d ever tasted to the real burritos we get in town. How on earth can such simple flavours become something so perfect?! :)
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve been preparing this a lot lately, and it doesn’t get old. And it’s so cheap, too!
Much better tasting than I thought it would be. The cooking and seasoning of the beans makes it. Also much easier than most bowl recipes. My son says the name is classist though. :-)
Love this pantry staple recipe! I could not resist sharing my recent addition to the recipe: oven roasted butternut squash cubes, roasted with smoked paprika, garlic salt, and cumin! Mind blowing deliciousness!
This is such a great recipe. Everything is easy peasy and totally customizable. I also added some veggies that I’d stir fried with a packet of fajita seasoning. Really delicious !
Not normally a fan of beans, but somehow they worked in this recipe! I really liked it. The salsa and everything else worked together to make a great combination. Next time Imma use mild salsa rather than medium so it’s not overwhelming and I think I’ll either ditch the jalapeno or slice it super thin and not refrigerate, it was too strong the way I made it the first time.
I made this today and added 1 lb. of ground beef and some sour cream. It was really good and made so many servings! I did double up the seasonings because of the extra meat though.
Where have you been all my life? This dish ticked ALL the boxes for ALL 5 members in my family from husband to 9yr old! A regular on our menu now!
A staple recipe.
Amazing Recipe.. Will try to make it at home.
Made this today for lunch and it was so good!
I used 2 cans of pinto beans to have extra to freeze. I was excited to try your method of seasoning the beans and it is perfect! No chopping, just shake in whatever spices you want and let warm until you need them. Moist, flavorful and so easy. My method from now on!
We made this tonight, since going out is discouraged. Rice, beans, corn, roasted green pepper and onion, tomatoes, shredded cheddar, sour cream, salsa, lime juice and cumin sprinkles. Yummy! We forgot about the avocado we bought. So, maybe avocado toast for breakfast tomorrow. An easy meal to throw together!
Perfecto! I am a big fat lover of black beans and salsa (a bit spicy one). The recipe sounds delicious and pinned it for the next family gathering. I would like to replace shredded cheese with cheddar and green onions with the red ones plus add some tomatoes too. Will it be okay to do so? Any suggestions KELLY?
Sure! I think that would be great. This recipe is very versatile and ready for any extra toppings or swaps you have in mind!
This method for preparing the black beans makes them so creamy and luscious! So much better than any other way I’ve had them. It’s opened a whole new world to me; now I get the appeal of beans and rice. I’ve been bringing the beans and rice for lunch, topped with a few veggies (butternut squash, cauliflower, and corn most recently) and sprinkled with chili powder. Thanks!
That’s awesome to hear Tina!
This is a frequent flyer in my house. We add sour cream and fried eggs on top. Absolute perfection.
Yes! Amazing!
This is one of our three fallback quick and easy recipes. We always have the beans (blacks are favorites, but pintos work too), rice, salsa, and grated cheddar. Additions are whatever, but hopefully we have avocado and sour cream! I don’t add salt or cumin (not a fan), however I do like your idea of adding roasted vegetables. If I have leftover rice this meal can be made in minutes. Always so yummy and we never get tired of it. Our other two easy “recipes” are three ingredient enchiladas and chili dogs.
Thanks Karen! It is a perfect pantry meal.
Love the idea and will surely try it soon. But is there anything that I can use instead of salsa? I don’t eat onions and as we all know, those are a main in the store bought ones. And I’m in the UK, so options are limited when it comes to variations. Would it work with… tomato sauce?
Thanks!
You could make a homemade one and just omit the onion all together. This is a favorite of mine https://www.budgetbytes.com/fire-roasted-salsa/
Homemade salsa is easy and easily altered to fit your taste and/or food allergies/likes. A simple one is:
2 cans diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, garlic powder, salt, pepper, jalapenos (optional). Mix and enjoy. If you make it the day before and let it sit in the fridge the flavors meld better.
Mash up and add an avocado or two and you have guacamole!
Love it! I used the recipe as a base and added my own ingredients, making it more of a taco bowl than a burrito bowl. I used 1/2 pound of beef instead of beans and added corn as well! As a seasoning i used the pre-made taco mix and put it into the beef. It was super yummy! Im a college student so this is a good way for me to get creative with my meals and not just eat rice all of the time aha
Yum! Happy to hear it!
amazing. I added corn and fresh cut tomatoes as well as a bit of sour cream and colby & monterey jack cheese and it came out perfect . Will make again, thanks so much for this inexpensive recipe !
I love the name you have given to this recipe Lol!!! I live alone and it’s hard to cook something fancy every time. This recipe has become my lifesaver now!!! Please come up with more recipes that are easy to prepare and are full of nutrients.
These are now a favorite go-to meal in our house. It’s perfect for the nights that I’m too worn out to cook a big meal, yet still want something satisfying. It’s so easy to mix up the ingredients! Each person in my family has a favorite item they’ve added to the mix.
As others have said – so simple and yet I never thought to try it on my own. Had it for the 1st time last night & again today for lunch. It’s my new go-to comfort food.
Today was the third time we’ve eaten these. So simple, yet I never thought of it on my own. Thanks Beth!
I had some left over rice to use up. My kids hobbled this right up. They all loved it. A few of them added a little sour cream to cut the hey of the salsa I used.
Super tasty! We are meat lovers but didn’t even miss it in this recipe.
I’d like to try this with pinto beans. Would you still recommend not draining the canned pinto beans also?
I love this dish. It is so easy to prepare and very good and filling.
Having followed your recipe, I definitely learned something, as when I’ve made my burrito bowls in the past, I have drained the beans. Cooking the beans undrained makes all the difference to the beans as it leaves them much more moist. I have always disliked how the beans were dried out, as I have never not drained them.
Also, adding the cumin and garlic is a great way to add flavor, and having salsa in the dish also helps add flavor.
I also used a lot of cheese.
I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. I feel like you make it easy with the step-by-step guide in addition to the recipe.
Thanks for this website.
Thanks for the inspiration! These look easy and delicious!
This recipe was amazing! Very flavorful and much more filling than I thought. Perfect recipes for vegetarians (like me) and makes a lot for the week. Thank you Beth!
Question: has anyone had success freezing this meal? If so, how long do you heat it up for once it’s been frozen? Thanks in advance!
I freeze dishes like this all the time. :) I usually try to eat them up within a few months because the rice can tend to dry out over time.
This recipe is really simple and leaves lots of room for experimentation. I love it with the green onions and corn, and I look forward to trying out different meats with it. :)
I really, REALLY wanna make this but all I have at the moment is refried beans. Would they work for this recipe in place of the black beans?
Actually, I have dried beans! But– I don’t know how to cook them to make them soft and all that. :(
I think refried beans are great in burrito bowls. :)
To be honest I was not expecting something so simple to taste so dang good! But it really does. Simple to make, quick and I froze some for a week of work. Easy meal prep amd tastes delicious.
Right? It’s like, barely even a “recipe” but it’s so delicious and satisfying! Hahah
I was worried that this recipe wouldn’t have any flavor. However, it was delicious. Easy to prepare and quick to make! Family hit!
So simple, easy and filling. I upped my green onions and dressed with a bit of 2% plain greek yogurt to get some more protein but this took maybe 15 minutes to prep for a week of meals. Thank you!
This is so good! I added a fried egg, Sriracha, and a dollop of Greek yogurt (didn’t have sour cream at home). Cheap, delicious, filling. All the things.
oh my gosh I am so happy I read your comment. It tasted AMAZING with a fried egg!
After making this dish probably around 20 times, I’ve finally got around to leaving it it’s much deserved review! This recipe is THE BEST! It’s so freaking easy to make, and it has become my go-to dinner when I’m in a pinch, low on time, or just feeling way too lazy to make anything. And the best part is, it’s absolutely delicious! You wouldn’t think that all of these ingredients mixed together would create a punch of flavor, but trust me when I say, once you taste it you will definitely be proven wrong. Even my sister, who groaned and whined when I told her we were having this for supper once, was turned into a fan after trying it, and I have since had to send my mom the recipe so she can have it again!
Don’t leave out any of the ingredients– each one plays a crucial role, in my opinion. The amounts of each one that you add, however, is definitely customizable.
I always have a can of black beans in my pantry now because of this recipe. Do not hesitate to try, you will not regret it! This is a family favorite, and sure to please anyone who tries it!
Why aren’t you supposed to drain the black beans? Like what do you do with the aquafaba, just throw it on top of the rice along with the beans without boiling it away or anything? I just drained the beans and it was fine, but I still don’t know why the recipe specifies not to drain them.
I keep the liquid in the pot while heating them so they don’t dry out. Then you can just scoop them from the pot (and liquid) into your bowl.
I used to make something nearly identical to this while in university. I made it with canned tomatoes (cheaper than salsa for me), corn and zucchini, plus hot sauce and chili powder and possibly jalepenos to pep it up. I would use loads of garlic and put in a ton of cheese. I made it for my mom who was sceptical it could be any good, but she loved it. I even made it in China and used jasmine rice and free hot sauce packets from a restaurant.
Made the “fancy” version w sour cream, cilantro and corn. Mixed in the bean and corns with some ground turkey I cooked in taco seasoning sauce. Came out Sooo good and was very filling! You never disappoint Beth! Another go-to recipe :)
Thank you so much!!! I’m pregnant and have had no motivation to make dinner but I bought some tomatoes and green onions (to make everyone feel like I was trying) and whipped these together. They were fantastic! Probably the best reviews across the board than any dinner I can think of in the last few months. Thank you for reminding me that dinner doesn’t have to be rocket science and sometimes the easiest options are the best!
I made this just now! It was wonderful! I just love how fast it is. When you have five hungry kids, sometimes you need something right now! I didn’t change a thing, except I doubled it, and it is all gone with no leftovers for daddy when he gets home, so next time I will have to triple it!!
i was going to make this for dinner and I forgot salsa! Help, can I maybe use a can of tomatoes doctored up with peppers and seasonings?
Thanks!l
Lori
Hmm, IMHO the salsa really represents most of the flavor in this recipe. I don’t think doctored canned tomatoes would really be the same. :(
Oh man!! Made this last night and it was soooo good! We’re paleo so I subbed the rice with lettuce and it was perfect! Thanks once again for helping a budget momma out : )
I am amazed at the bang for the buck in this dish — buck meaning both price and effort. It’s so simple I thought it would be bland, but no, it was delightful. And there’s a ton of it left — I love love love recipes that I can make once and then eat all week.
My salsa (I buy cheap large plastic things of store brand) lives in the fridge, so when I added that and the cheese (also from the fridge) the dish wasn’t really *hot* anymore. If this applies to anyone else I recommend 30 seconds in the microwave after you build the bowl. Of course when I eat the leftovers I’ll be nuking anyway.
Really delish! Thanks!
How would you freeze this to bring to work for lunch. Can I portion out everything in to individual containers so I can take one from the freezer and microwave at work or do you need to reheat each piece separately?
I portion out all the ingredients together into single serving bowls (just as if I was going to eat it at that moment), then freeze. I reheat it all together in the microwave, stirring once or twice just to make sure it heats evenly. :)
I have some leftover black beans and rice from my birthday party last Thursday. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any green onions, so the burrito was absolutely delicious! I made some for myself, since my sister refused to eat this recipe without meat, but the bowl was very filling. I’ll definitely make this recipe again, and thank you, Beth!! :-)
As with everything I’ve made from your site, this was good. Even without the meat, this was very hearty. I added a small salad to get a few more veggies. Looking forward to the leftovers.
I made this last night, and I was surprised how flavorful it was for so few ingredients! I added some diced avocado in place of the onions. Another winner, Beth!
I made this for a quick dinner last night and lunch today, and used some kidney beans in chili sauce from my pantry. Have to say, it was delicious! My favorite type of food: low-cost, simple, quick and tasty. Can’t go wrong. Thanks for the idea!
Hi, love your recipes so far, just wanted to ask how you heated the beans up that you had already precooked? Just in a pot with the seasoning or did you add a bit of water so they didn’t dry out?
Thanks
Yep, just in a pot with the seasoning. I had frozen the beans in the cooking liquid, so I didn’t have to add any to the pot when reheating them. :) You can do whatever is easiest for you, though.
Alright that’s great thanks, I just heated them up with a bit of water. Great recipe, nice with some avocado, and a bit of sriracha as well.
Had this for the first time for a quick supper for my wife and I. I made the recipe as written plus adding 1 avacado split four ways.
It’s an easy recipe that tastes terrific.
This is a favorite of mine as well, I’ve been making it for a few years now. I use half chicken stock and half spicy tomato sauce for the liquid in the rice, for extra flavor.
Another similar recipe that’s also relatively inexpensive and very flavorful is “Hoppin’ John”, made with black eyed peas, onions, peppers, and celery, garlic, and cajun seasoning, cooked in bacon fat and served over rice. Garnish with some green onions and crumbled bacon.
Another great, simple, fast recipe for chaotic weeknights. I purchased shredded cheese instead of grating a block of cheese. I also purchased the Trader Joe’s Tomatillo Salsa (best store salsa ever) and it really amped up the dish. Im thinking of making a corn salsa like Chipotles. Im doing all in my power to replicate their recipe since Im hooked on their burrito bowls. Thanks again!
I made a vegan version of this recipe using some Daiya “cheese” and it’s absolutely fantastic. I used brown rice instead of white and today added some avocado and a squeeze of lime. Yum! Definitely adding it to my rotation.
Thanks so much for all the inspiring recipes.
!!!!! It never occurred to me to precook beans and then freeze them!!! Sometimes your blog makes me feel like an idiot, but in a very good way.
I made your recipe for the Roasted Zucchini and Corn Tacos earlier this week with a gift of a huge zucchini from a gardening co-worker. That’s an awesome recipe! Last night the leftover filling went on a burrito bowl – I’m in love!
I made this last night as specified (except that I used canned beans) and it was a HUGE success. The kids even brought leftovers to school for lunch. I’m going to double this one the next time I make it.
I made something similar to this recently with another ingredient that’s cheap this time of year- sweet potatoes! I chopped one up, cooked the pieces ahead of time by boiling them, then tossed them in the pan with everything else I had. Whatever you call them, I have yet to find a dish that’s a variation on rice and beans that’s not absolutely delicious. :)
This was a college staple for me! I’d mostly-cook a sweet potato in the microwave, cube it up, and toss it in a skillet with some beans (and maybe even some corn, onion, etc.) I’d even substitute sour cream for the cheese most of the time, which makes it a bit cheaper. This is great in a bowl, as burrito filling, etc..
Another great recipe. I added sliced black olives and avocado chunks. No one even missed the meat.
The ”poor man’s” name, considering that this is the September challenge month, made me a bit uncomfortable… But to be fair, it’s highly possible that as a person born in poverty and who only just started approaching middle class, this is my inferiority complex speaking. The recipe looks so good, but the name left a bad taste in my mouth. :/
I totally understand. I actually wondered if anyone might be offended by it, but in the end I kept the name because I don’t find being “poor” or in poverty as a judgement on someone’s character. :) I’ve been “poor” and I know many “poor” people who are quite happy and wonderful human beings. I guess I mainly wanted a way to differentiate this very “simple” burrito bowl from the complex monstrosities that you find at places like Chipotle, and when I was poor everything I did was more simple and no-frills, like this bowl. Sorry for the offense and please know that it was not used with any sort of negative connotation.
Currently on food stamps (hope to be off soon). My family is considered poor. The name didn’t bother me at all. Actually I like it. It makes me feel less guilty about making something like this because it just sounds inexpensive but tastes expensive.
As someone who grew up with little money and two siblings, I understand that certain conditions affect people differently – even in the same family. I embrace recipes titled “poor-man’s” anything. For me, it marks a creative approach despite lack of resources. I know the stigma of growing up poor – it’s not “hip”. As an adult, my husband and I were unemployed at the same time and signed up with our food bank. It changed my life, as I am now in school for nutrition to help people with little money eat healthfully. As Beth said: being poor is not a judgement of character. Shit happens to so many of us. Anyway, my favorite food bank staples that I never used before: canned fruit (peach and pineapple buckle), powdered milk (I don’t’ drink milk, but it stays in the fridge for whenever you need it for baking/soups, whatever) and my favorite: potato flakes! (look up recipe for “Poor man’s peirogies”!) Jacques Pepin uses potato flakes all the time! Yes, I prefer local, fresh, and organic. We get that when we can, and sign petitions against Monsanto and factory farms until we are all allowed healthy, affordable food. I’m going to fight the good fight! Thank you for fighting too, Beth!
Thanks for this comment; I had the same reaction.
Don’t forget to plant the ends of the green onions…they will grow back and then you have more for free. (I do this all the time with certain food items. Onions are the easiest though.)
Are you planting just the root? Or the roots with bulbs? Or? This sounds like an amazing tip for my windowsill this winter.
You chop it off just above the bulbs and plant. We do this and the taste tends to mellow out a little the more you do it, but you can just keep cutting off what you need and re-growing.
You can also plop them in a cup of water on a windowsill and let them grow in there.
I plant the root end with a little bit of bulb.
Also, if your garlic cloves start to grow, plant them to get garlic scapes (which are lighter in taste than garlic in clove form but can be used in place of green onion).
Ginger is also easy to regrow.
Lookup “Foods you can regrow from kitchen scraps” for more info.
Oh, man – awesome tips, even in the comments! :)
I seek out and embrace recipes that are called “Poor Man’s” anything, because there’s a good chance that I’ll be able to afford it. And to have it be one of my favorites is a big bonus.
Thanks, Beth and commenters! I’ve been unemployed for most of the past 7 years and surviving by grace. I don’t know how I could’ve made it this far without these cost-cutting recipes and tips.
I made a burrito bowl with your slow cooker chicken ropa vieja a couple days ago! It was so tasty!
I started making this sort of thing in college, with shredded chicken and sometimes quinoa instead of rice if we had any. Sooo cheap and delicious, and I usually don’t have to go out and buy anything. Definitely making this for dinner tonight
Love me some burrito bowls. One of my favorite cheap toppings that makes rice and beans feel fancy is homemade pickled red onions or jalapenos! They are soooo simple and cheap to make and really make the dish pop. You can find recipes online just about anywhere and adjust it to your liking.
Yaassss, I love those! I actually have a recipe on the blog for them. So easy and I could eat the entire batch! :D
Made this for supper last night and had it for lunch today (and tomorrow too, probably!). My only “this is missing” was some kind of crunch — the beans and rice and salsa make for a rather monotone texture. Maybe the green onions would have helped? (I forgot them.) Next time I will add a few extras to help the texture, maybe some onions cooked with the beans, and frozen corn. I also have some old tortillas I need to make into chips, I bet that would be tasty here too :)
Some lettuce might be good too, if you want to try varying the texture. Especially the spines of romaine lettuce leaves!
I vote for tortilla chips. They would be amazing in it and give a lot of crunch. :)
Love this concept, easy way to put a weeks worth of healthy lunches together we not much more effort of preparing one. I always drain & rinse my beans though so I added the spices to the water I cooked the rice in.
I made this tonight with leftover quinoa. I used canned beans (rinsed) with the species and a drop of olive oil. It was really really good. Bonus is that I used reduced fat cheese :)
spices – sorry for typo !!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent. Thanks for the idea!
Super excited to try this recipe. Beth, every recipe I have made of yours has always been a hit! :)
The cool thing is, it’s easy to find coupons on coupons.com, coupons.walmart.com, or grocery weekly ads for Kraft blocks of cheese. Hey, $0.75 is $0.75.
There isn’t a lot of taste in these, but they do in a pinch. If your eggs are $4 for a dozen, adding one egg with up the serving price by about $0.33. If you can get 18 for $4, it’s less than $0.25.
If you can get rice for $1/lb or less at either something like an Asian grocery store, Aldi’s, or just in 20-50 lb bulk, you won’t be paying anything near $1 for 6 cups rice (2 cups uncooked, 320 grams, or about 3/4 pound). $1.06 for 2 cups is finding rice around $1.50/lb.
If you find rice at $1/lb you could add an egg and keep the cost about the same.
That’s good information, and thank you for sharing it!!! :-)
If I’m using the dry cooked beans that I froze do I add water and if so how much?
I used beans that I had cooked from dry and frozen, but I froze them in the cooking water/liquid. If you drained them first, you can add a little water, but not too much because it won’t be nice and thick and starchy like that cooking water (or liquid in a can) is. Just enough to distribute the spices and help the beans heat evenly.
What is your procedure for freezing for future meals? Do you divide the ingredients among the containers and top with green onions to freeze?
Yep, pretty much! I make single serving portions in those little blue top Ziploc plastic containers. That way I can take one out at a time and reheat. I like those containers because they can go straight from the freezer to the microwave.
Yay this is one of our favorites. i cook brown rice ahead of time and freeze it in flattened zip lock bags, makes for a super quick meal. And if you want to change things up, make Gallo Pinto instead – add some ginger and Worcestershire or steak sauce to the beans. Yummy!
I love Gallo Pinto. Rice, black beans with the sauce, onion, garlic, red pepper. Then topped with Lizano salsa, a vegetable salsa (sorta) from Costa Rica. I buy the Lizano from Amazon. I guess it’s used like ketchup in Costa Rica. Good on scrambled eggs too.
I have been making the same thing lately. The only difference is that I use pinto beans instead of black beans. If I have leftover meat on it, I put some but it is great either way. Thanks for the great blog.
This is my go-to lunch! I make a big batch on Sunday and it keeps all week. Brown rice, black beans, sauteed bell pepper + red onion, frozen corn, a big scoop of salsa, sour cream, spinach. So satisfying and full of fiber.
We ate beans and rice a lot during childhood- sometimes just the beans and rice. A real treat was using the beans and rice as a meatless base for crunchy tacos.
Can you freeze the assembled bowls, or do you need to keep the components separate (I already freeze beans and rice in bags, but would love to be able to freeze the bowls)?
I freeze the entire assembled bowl. :)
Oh, this is one of my favorite cheap/lazy meals! I always have rice, black beans and seasonings on hand, so it has saved me from eating cereal or popcorn for dinner many times.
Hi. If I were to make extra to freeze, what is the best way to reheat them? Thanks!
I just pop them in the microwave. :)
I’m with you on the simplicity of this dish, Beth. While I will never pass up Chipotle, I love making dishes like this which only have a few ingredients (gimme those carbs and that cheese) and they really do make me the happiest. It’s quick, easy, satisfying, delicious, and wallet friendly. Can’t get any better than that.
Burrito bowls aka rice bowls have become a favorite of mine. Cooked rice in the fridge or freezer is the start of many a good, cheap (not to mention quick!) meal.
Burrito bowls are one of our favorite meals too! So easy, cheap, filling, and delicious. Great idea.
I use plain chopped tomatoes instead of salsa, but otherwise this is one of my favorite ways to use up leftovers from fajitas.
My parent’s version of “poor man’s” beans and rice was: beans and rice, the end. Sometimes we’d have corn chips to go along with it but mostly it was corn tortillas which were cheaper. One time we went to someone’s house for lunch and she apologized and said that they “just” had beans and rice for lunch and then she had salsa, chips, AND cheese. We thought that was so awesome. Only as an adult have I realized how truly poor my parents were at times when we were growing up! Even though we ate a ton of beans and rice, I still enjoy beans and rice (plain, usually, even though I do have the money to add some of the extras).
My in laws had a few “microbiotic” years when my husband was 5 y o.
Meaning all they could afford to eat was azuki beans and rice. At least it was healthy!
Haha I mean MACRObiotic!
I LOVE burrito bowls!! :-)
I made this the other night. Only I didn’t have any cheese, but I did have some leftover pulled pork. So handy when you have more than enough of a meat leftover for one person, but not enough for two or more.