Italian-Style Vegetarian Rice and Beans Recipe

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 05/24/22
Italian style vegetarian rice and beans

The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 12 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Looking for the perfect quick and easy way to cook cannellini beans and rice or another kind of white beans and rice? Here's one simple Italian-inspired way.

Using just five ingredients, you can serve this easy vegetarian rice and beans dish with Italian seasonings as a side, or, add some sautéed tofu or seitan to make it a main meal. All you need is a can of tomatoes, ​a can of beans, some instant rice (or you can use leftover rice if you have some on hand that you need to use up), a bit of Italian seasoning, and a dash of salt and pepper, and you've got yourself a meal.

Whip up a side green salad or stick some garlic bread in the oven to make it a full healthy vegetarian dinner as quick as can be and, of course, rice and beans are a staple of anyone trying to eat cheap, whether you're vegetarian, vegan or not!

This Italian white beans and rice recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and completely gluten free. 

Ingredients

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, or any kind of white bean, drained and rinsed

  • 2/3 cup instant rice, uncooked

  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • Sea salt, or kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Italian style vegetarian rice and beans
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  2. Place the diced tomatoes and their juice, the Great Northern beans or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), instant rice (or you can also use leftover pre-cooked rice) uncooked in a medium saucepan, and season lightly with a bit of Italian seasoning and a bit of sea salt or kosher salt and fresh black pepper. 

    Place tomatoes and rice in pot
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  3. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The dish is done once the rice is cooked and the beans and tomatoes are cooked through. There will still be a bit of saucy moisture, some of which will evaporate as the dish cools slightly. 

    Place saucepan over medium high heat
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  4. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

    Adjust the seasoning
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

Recipe Variations

  • Add a bit more sea salt or perhaps even seasoned salt, to taste.
  • You can also top it off with nutritional yeast or another vegan Parmesan cheese substitute.
  • Or, if you and your family aren't eating fully vegan, serve with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Bush's® Beans.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
173 Calories
1g Fat
33g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 173
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 200mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 9g 34%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 14mg 72%
Calcium 109mg 8%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 605mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)