Red beans and rice is budget friendly and quick to put together on a busy weeknight! Served with a flavorful tomato sauce and green beans on the side, this meal has everything you need for a little midweek pick-me-up. Smarts: This recipe makes enough tomato sauce for Thursday night's calzones.
Green beans / Onions / Bell peppers / Garlic / Thyme - Prep as directed. Store green beans in one container. Combine onions and bell peppers in another container. Combine garlic and thyme in a third container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make tomato sauce - (This makes enough for Thursday’s meal. If prepping right before cooking, get water for green beans boiling before continuing with prep.) Heat a saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers and saute until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and saute for 1 minute. Pour tomatoes over top and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Beans - Drain and rinse beans.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil.
While water is coming to a boil, combine pinto beans and tomato sauce (reserve half for Thursday) in a large skillet. Place skillet over medium heat and cover. Simmer beans and sauce for 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Once water in the stock pot comes to a boil add green beans and simmer until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain.
Return to beans and sauce. Gently mash some of the beans with a fork or spatula. (Note: Mashing some of the beans will give the dish a creamier texture.) Season with some salt and pepper. Stir in some hot sauce if you’d like the beans spicy.
Toss green beans with butter. Season with some salt and pepper.
Reheat leftover rice in the microwave.
Serve red beans / sauce over rice. Enjoy green beans on the side.