Spanish Rice and Beans with Bacon

A perfect side dish to serve with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or any Mexican food you are craving.

Step: 1

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Discard half of the bacon grease left in the pan.

Step: 2

Return the skillet to the stovetop and toss in bacon, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, diced onion, and cilantro. Stir in pinto beans. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.

Step: 3

Heat canola oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and chopped onion and cook until rice is brown and onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover saucepan and cook until rice has absorbed the liquids, about 20 minutes. Stir in bacon mixture.

Per Serving: 232 calories; protein 9.2g; carbohydrates 36.8g; fat 5.6g; cholesterol 7.6mg; sodium 660mg.

The most obvious way to choose a side dish is to caught at your main dish (pasta, chicken, seared tofu) and pick more different. When you’re cooking pasta, make sure for a simple vegetable . Making steak? Go for something light. If you’re making stir-fry with rice, it must not a best idea to also make a rice salad.

One make sure is also can apply to cooking method . You don’t want to push more often your oven by scheduling three dishes at once in there, or be juggling four pans on the cooking items . But often you can made a dish do double-duty .