One-Pot Beans and Rice, Rinse-Free
Instant rice and bean flakes cooked in exactly the water they absorb, so there is nothing left to scrub.
- calories
- 670
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 122
- protein
- 18 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- 420 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
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Bikepacking
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant white rice | 2/3 cup | the parcooked kind that rehydrates off heat |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated refried bean flakes | 1/2 cup | |
| Chili powder | 1 tsp | |
| Ground cumin | 1/2 tsp | |
| Granulated garlic | 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Corn nuts | 1/4 cup | crushed in the bag before the trip |
Method
- Bring 420 ml of water to a boil and pull the pot off the flame.
- Pour in the rice, stir once, and put the lid on for five minutes.
- Add the bean flakes and spices. Stir hard for thirty seconds. The flakes thicken fast and will clump if you dump them in cold water instead.
- Let it sit two more minutes, then stir in the oil and top with the crushed corn nuts.
The water ratio is the whole point. Instant rice takes about twice its volume, bean flakes take a little more, and 420 ml lands close enough that everything absorbs and the pot comes out nearly dry. A dry pot means a wipe with a spoon and a splash, not a basin of dishwater you have to carry away from camp and strain.
Bean flakes are also the thickener. They turn what would be loose rice into something that holds on a spoon, and they carry the oil instead of letting it pool. Add them after the rice has already softened, or the starch seizes around the grains and the middle stays hard.
Packing
Rice, bean flakes, and spices premixed in one quart bag. Corn nuts ride separately so they stay crunchy.
Variations
- A foil packet of chicken or a handful of jerky bits adds 15-20 g of protein.
- Hot sauce packets weigh nothing and cover a lot of ground.
- Swap half the water for a bouillon cube's worth of broth if you carry them.
https://casambu.com/products/bassine-souple-etanche-sea-to-summit