Cuba • Regional Dish • Side Dish

Moros y Cristianos (Beans and Rice)

A classic Cuban rice and black bean dish cooked with sofrito, cumin, oregano and bay until savory and tender.

Servings6

Prep Time15 min

Cook Time35 min

DifficultyEasy

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Ingredients

US Metric

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed

2 cups cooked black beans, drained, with 1 cup reserved bean cooking liquid or liquid from the can

1 1/4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil or butter, for finishing

2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley, optional

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

1 green bell pepper, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 bay leaves

300 g long-grain white rice, rinsed

340 g cooked black beans, drained, with 240 ml reserved bean cooking liquid or liquid from the can

300 ml chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil or 15 g butter, for finishing

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley, optional

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion and green bell pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
Stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 1 minute so the grains are lightly coated in the sofrito.
Add the black beans, reserved bean liquid and stock. Stir once, then bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves. Fluff gently with a fork, then stir in the vinegar and finishing oil or butter.
Taste and adjust salt. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley if using.

Cultural Context

Moros y Cristianos means “Moors and Christians,” a name rooted in Spain’s long history of conflict and cultural exchange between Muslim Moors and Christian kingdoms. In the dish, black beans represent the Moors and white rice represents the Christians, which is a lot of historical symbolism for a pot of rice.

Cuba adapted the idea into a deeply familiar everyday side dish. It is closely related to congrí, though Cuban cooks often distinguish the two by bean type and regional habit. Either way, the point is simple: rice and beans cooked together until they taste like they have known each other for years.

Fun Fact

Moros y Cristianos gets its dark color from the black beans and their cooking liquid. The rice absorbs that liquid as it cooks, turning plain white rice into something savory, earthy and much more interesting and tasty.

Cook’s Tip

Long-grain white rice gives the dish the best texture because the grains stay separate instead of turning sticky. Rinsing the rice first helps prevent a heavy or gummy finish. For deeper color and flavor, use liquid from home-cooked black beans. Canned black bean liquid also works, but choose low-sodium beans if possible so the dish does not become too salty before the rice finishes cooking.

Trivia

In Cuba, rice and beans can appear cooked together or served separately, depending on the dish and region. Moros y Cristianos belongs to the cooked-together family, where the beans season the rice from the inside out.

About This Recipe

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Moros y Cristianos (Beans and Rice)

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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