Dollar-a-Serving Bean and Rice Pot
Beans, rice, and a spice packet. The cheapest hot dinner that still counts as food.
- calories
- 620
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 113
- protein
- 21 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 12 min
- total time
- 14 min
- water
- 600 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Campfire coals
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Bikepacking
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant rice | 3/4 cup | parboiled, not regular long grain |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated refried bean flakes | 1/2 cup | store brand is half the price of the outdoor brand |
| Bouillon powder | 1 tsp | vegetable, if you want the tag to hold |
| Chili powder and cumin | 1 tsp total | |
| Onion flakes | 1 tbsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Hot sauce packets | 2 | free at the taqueria |
Method
- Boil 600 ml of water. Add the rice, bouillon, onion flakes, and spices.
- Cover, pull it off the heat, and wait eight minutes. Instant rice does not need a flame, only hot water.
- Stir in the bean flakes a spoonful at a time. They thicken fast and lump if you dump them.
- Pour in the oil, squeeze in the hot sauce, and let it sit two more minutes before eating.
The original version of this was a stovetop pot of canned beans over simmered rice, which is cheap at home and useless in a pack. Cans are water you are already carrying, and long-grain rice burns twenty minutes of fuel. Instant rice and dehydrated bean flakes get you the same plate for about five ounces dry and one boil.
The bean flakes do the structural work. They turn what would be loose rice in broth into something that stays on a spoon, and they carry the oil rather than letting it pool on top. Add them slowly. Dumped all at once they set into gravel and never rehydrate evenly.
Packing
Rice, beans, bouillon, onion, and spices in one quart freezer bag. Oil and hot sauce ride in the lid pocket so a leak stays contained.
Variations
- A foil packet of tuna or chicken adds 20 g of protein and breaks the vegan tag.
- Crush a handful of corn chips over the top for fat and salt.
- Swap the bean flakes for lentil flakes if you want it to cook even faster.
https://positivelyfrugal.com/1-dollar-meals