Filled with greens, beans, and carbs, this all-in-one pot spinach rice recipe is healthy and full of proteins, fibers, and vitamins.
One-pot meals are so easy to prepare! Just dump in all the ingredients, set the timer, and the dish is ready to enjoy. And it’s less messy, too! For example, vegetable orzo soup with pesto, Mexican chicken and rice are some wholesome dishes to try in one pot.
This fresh spinach rice recipe is also a one-pot meal. It hardly takes 10 minutes for the initial prep and 15-20 minutes for actual cooking. It is our favorite option when we are tired or don’t have time to cook.
One reader said - "I made this tonight for dinner for my family of 3 and everyone loved it. Perfect ratios, great curry flavor, and I love that this is truly a one pot meal. Great recipe! Thanks!"
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Ingredients
Here are the key ingredients you will need for making this spinach rice with beans.
- Rice - This dish calls for long-grain white rice. I prefer aromatic Indian Basmati rice. In addition to Indian stores, you can easily find this in Costco, Samsclub, or even some local grocery stores. I always buy it from Costco.
- Spinach - Baby spinach leaves work best in this recipe. They are tender, and you don't have to remove the hard stems or clean them as much.
- Curry powder - Good quality curry powder flavors the rice very well.
- Liquid - I usually add 50-50 water and chicken broth. However, if you are vegan or vegetarian, use veggie broth or stock.
- Beans - I always use either pinto beans or black beans to add protein.
- Tomato - Use fresh tomatoes whenever possible.
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
You can also use the substitutions mentioned below. Readers have tried some of them and suggested them in the comment section.
- White rice - You can use short-grain rice. However, it may result in a risotto-style texture in the final dish.
- Beans - You can use your favorite choice of beans. Replace black or pinto beans with kidney or white beans, chickpeas, or green peas.
- Curry powder - If you are not a fan of curry powder, you can also use garam masala or a Mediterranean spice blend to flavor the rice.
- For an easy and simple meal, cook this spinach rice in an Instant Pot. See the recipe notes in the recipe card below for more details. You can also follow this Instant Pot spinach brown rice recipe with slight variations.
- Meat lovers can add cooked or grilled chicken pieces once the rice is well done.
Best rice to use
I prefer using long-grain white basmati rice for making one-pot recipes. It is easy to cook and takes about 15 minutes to fully cook. You can use your choice of white rice. Just make sure to use enough water and cook it for the time given on the package. Different varieties of rice may take different amounts of water and time to cook.
Preparation tips
- Garlic - peel and chop it finely or mince or grate using a grater.
- Onion - trim the ends, peel, and then dice into small pieces. To avoid tears, after peeling cut the onion in half, rinse with cold water, and then dice.
- Tomato - clean with water, cut in half, and then dice into ½" pieces.
How to make healthy spinach rice
Step 1—In a large skillet, sauté fresh chopped garlic in oil on medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent.
Step 2—Then add diced tomatoes and cook them until they soften.
Step 3—Now add fresh spinach leaves and rice to the pan. Stir-fry for a few seconds or until the spinach just wilts.
Step 4—Now add cooked beans and liquid (water + chicken/vegetable stock or use only stock); gently mix to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
Chef's Tip for even better results - Instead of using store-bought canned beans, soak the raw pinto beans overnight and then cook them in an Instant Pot on manual high pressure for 8 minutes and release the pressure immediately. These home-cooked beans are way more delicious than canned ones.
Step 5—Add seasonings, including curry powder, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and cook the rice until tender. Serve warm.
Serving suggestions!
- Garnish the rice with chopped fresh cilantro, spinach leaves, and a slice of lime. Serve while it is fresh and warm to enjoy the flavors. A bowl of these beans and spinach rice is sufficient for a wholesome lunch or dinner.
- Prepare cucumber and avocado salad to serve on the side.
- You can also prepare light soups such as turmeric cauliflower soup or roasted tomato soup, detox broccoli soup to pair with this bowl of rice.
- Make these roasted sweet potato fries, breaded ground chicken nuggets, or Air Fryer bbq cauliflower bites to serve on the side.
Helpful tips!
- Buy organic baby spinach leaves whenever possible. If you love gardening, grow them in your yard or balcony. Spinach is very easy to grow. You can also grow them in containers or fabric grow bags.
- I always use 50-50 water and chicken/veggie broth instead of only the broth. This method still provides flavor to the dish and helps to cut down on the cost. I never noticed any difference in the taste.
- After adding cooked beans, gently mix them with other ingredients to avoid breaking the whole beans.
How is this spinach rice healthy?
This rice recipe is full of nutrients. Fresh green spinach is rich in vitamins A and C. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber. This rice dish is prepared without using any saturated fat, like butter.
Recipe FAQs
You can store leftover spinach rice in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Cooked rice tends to dry up over time. Before using it the next day, sprinkle some water over the rice and stir-fry it in the skillet until it gets steamy hot.
You can also microwave it for 1-2 min or until it gets steamy hot.
Yes. You can use frozen spinach to make this rice.
However, I recommend using fresh spinach as it adds a nice color to the dish and is also easily available in grocery stores.
Yes, you can use brown rice instead of white rice. However, it will take at least 30-35 min to cook on the stovetop.
Or you can try this Instant Pot brown rice and spinach recipe. It is a slight variation of this dish and is made with brown rice.
More spinach recipes to try
More one-pot meals you will love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments if you REALLY like this recipe. Thank You!
📖 Recipe
Easy Healthy One Pot Spinach Rice
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice (rinsed and drained)
- 2-3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup pinto/black beans canned (rinsed and drained)
- 2 cup chicken stock low sodium (or vegetable stock or water if vegan)
- 1 ½ teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- salt and pepper
Optional
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro to garnish
- 1 lime sliced to garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant for about 30 sec.
- Add onion and saute until translucent for about 2-3 min. Then add diced tomatoes and cook them until they soften for about 3-4 mins.
- Add spinach and rice and stir to combine or until spinach just wilts.
- Now add cooked beans and chicken or vegetable stock (if vegan). Gently mix and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Season with curry powder, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer the rice mixture for 18-20 min (or until rice is tender) on low heat.
- Garnish with fresh spinach leaves, chopped cilantro, lime slices, and serve warm.
Notes
- Tips on cooking: Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover and then cook it on low heat to avoid burning the rice.
- Taste test: After adding seasonings taste test the liquid and add more seasonings if necessary.
- Cook it in an Instant Pot: You can prepare this dish in an Instant Pot. Turn on saute mode and follow the steps from 1 to 3. Then, after adding liquid in step 3, add seasonings (there is no need to bring the mixture to a boil here), mix to combine, cover, and cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes, then immediately release the steam.
- Tips on garnishing: Cut a few fresh spinach leaves into stripes and use them to garnish the final dish. Also, cut lime into thin slices and tuck them on the side of the bowl of rice.
Ellen says
This was delicious! I had no pinto beans, so used black beans. My husband and I enjoyed thoroughly!
Cindi says
I made this with red curry because I couldn’t find my powdered currry! It was absolutely delicious. I also made the recipe with the rice separate because my husband likes basmati and I prefer brown. At the end, I mixed each kind of rice in our respective bowls. The red curry was delicious, but as soon as I find that powdered curry, I’m going to make it as written! Great recipe!!
Gretchen says
Tried this dish last night, as my husband has gout and needs a different diet. This recipe was super easy and beyond flavorful! It was a hit at my house and will go into heavy rotation in the weekly menu. Thank you for posting. Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes!
Lindsay Green says
Can you make this is the instant pot? I saw the brown rice version and wanted to make it but with white rice.
Hi Lindsay,
Yes, you can make this rice in the Instant Pot. You can cook the rice for 5 min on manual high-pressure mode. Then release the steam once the cooking time is over. Please let us know your feedback if you try it in the IP.
Kristina says
This is super easy & delicious!! I made the rice in my instant pot using brown basmati rice (20 min) and cooked the other ingredients in a pan on the stove. I didn’t have tomatoes so I used half a can of tomato sauce I had left in my fridge. Then I combined all of the ingredients and added some cilantro. I will definitely be remaking this on the regular. The curry powder makes this pop. I love it!! Ty!!
Christina A Donaldson says
This came out delicious! Love the flavor.
Marguerite says
So simple but delicious! Thank you for the recipe! What did you garnish with the in pictures? Lime and basil?
Thank you Marguerite, I did use lime slices, fresh cilantro and raw spinach leaves to garnish the final dish.
Isabella says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. We just loved it. So easy, fast and nutritious. Next time I will make it for my vegan daughter.
Mariana says
Absolutely delicious. Did not have Pinto beans so substituted with garbanzo beans. So good. Thank you!
Jodie says
Delicious recipe! I substituted the curry powder for a Moroccan spice mix, and it came out beautifully, I also served with a drizzle of lemon juice. Halved the recipe to create smaller portions, but still came with enough for 3 to 4 servings!