This is a bowl that is SO simple but (thanks to the sauce) really packs in lots of tropical delicious flavor. A bowl of rice, beans, slaw and mango gets smothered in a delicious coconut lime cilantro dressing that is packed with bright, creamy, herby flavor. When I say smothered, I mean you should have some dressing pooling on the bottom of your bowl. Crunchy cashews and fresh cilantro finish it off for the perfect bite!
Ingredient highlight
Coconut milk! Is a wonderful alternative to cream and milk for those of us who are lactose intolerant or vegan. It’s also a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium, and selenium. Don’t fear that saturated fat – it only can become a problem if you’re consuming a ton of it on a regular basis (as with anything else!). In fact, coconut oil is high in medium chain triglycerides, which may improve your GOOD cholesterol levels along with other health benefits.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes 
Total Time 29 minutes Ingredients
- 2 cups brown or white rice
- 2 (15 oz) cans pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups worth)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed (optional)
- 4 cups shredded or thinly sliced crunchy veggies (cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, and/or snap peas, etc…)
- ½-1 cup thinly sliced mango (about 1 mango)
- Chopped toasted nuts, for topping (cashews, peanuts, or almonds)
- Fresh cilantro, for topping
For the Coconut Lime Dressing:
- 1 packed cup cilantro (leaves and stems)
- 1 cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Protein bump! ~ This recipe is delicious with the addition of cooked fish, shrimp, or chicken.
Instructions
- Cook the rice (instructions here).
- In a high speed blender, add all of the dressing ingredients. Blend on high until smooth.
- Add beans to a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to warm them up (this will help them absorb more flavor). Toss the warm beans with ½ teaspoon salt and garlic (if using).
- To your bowl, add a scoop of rice, beans, raw veggies, and mango. Pour dressing generously over top (the dressing is what flavors everything, so be generous). Top with nuts and cilantro.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 2 cups rice
- Prep 4 cups thinly sliced or shredded veggies
- Slice 1 mango
- Make the dressing
Substitutions:
- Use rice noodles in place of rice to turn it into a noodle salad – it’s delicious!
- Skip the mango or substitute with pineapple
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge
- Rice and beans: up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer
- Coconut lime dressing: up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer
- Slaw: up to 5 days in the fridge
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Turn it into a cold noodle salad by tossing noodles with the veggies, mango and beans + toss with dressing. Top with nuts and cilantro!
- The dressing is delicious on a bowl of simple rice and beans (or rice and any protein), so double it and freeze extra!
leave your comments!