Mexican rice and beans is a popular side dish that often accompanies Mexican entrees like tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. It’s a flavorful combination of rice, beans, and spices. But many people wonder just how many calories are in a typical side of Mexican rice and beans. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the calorie count and nutrition information for Mexican rice and beans.
What’s in Mexican Rice and Beans?
A basic side of Mexican rice and beans consists of cooked white rice, pinto beans or black beans, onions, garlic, tomato sauce or paste, chicken broth or stock, and Mexican seasoning blends. Some key ingredients include:
- Rice: White rice supplies carbohydrates and a small amount of protein.
- Beans: Pinto or black beans add fiber, protein, and nutrients like folate.
- Onion and garlic: The onion and garlic provide depth of flavor.
- Tomato product: Tomato sauce or paste gives the dish its reddish-orange color.
- Chicken broth: The broth provides moisture and savory flavor.
- Mexican seasoning: Spices like cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne add Mexican flavor.
The exact ingredients and proportions may vary slightly depending on the recipe. But rice, beans, and tomato-based seasonings are the core components.
Calories in Mexican Rice
Since rice makes up a large portion of Mexican rice and beans, it significantly contributes to the calorie count. Here are the calories for 1 cup of cooked white rice (source):
- White long grain rice: 242 calories
- White medium grain rice: 233 calories
- Converted/parboiled rice: 241 calories
Mexican rice is typically made with long grain white rice. A cup of cooked long grain white rice provides around 242 calories.
Factors that affect calories in rice
Several factors can cause the calorie count of rice to vary:
- Type of rice: Medium or short grain rice has slightly fewer calories than long grain per cup.
- Cooking method: Oil is sometimes added for flavor when cooking Mexican rice, which increases calories.
- Additions: Mix-ins like diced veggies will add minimal extra calories.
- Serving size: The more rice included in the serving, the more calories it will contain.
But in most cases, a serving of Mexican rice made with long grain white rice has around 240-250 calories per cup.
Calories in Beans
Beans are the other key component of Mexican rice and beans. Here are the calories for 1 cup of cooked beans (source):
- Pinto beans: 245 calories
- Black beans: 227 calories
- Refried beans: 192 calories
Pinto beans or black beans are most common in Mexican rice and beans. They both provide around 230-250 calories per cooked cup.
Factors that affect bean calories
A few things can cause the calorie count in beans to vary slightly:
- Type of bean: Pinto and black beans have the most calories. Refried or mashed beans are lower in calories.
- Cooking method: If beans are fried after cooking, oil will add calories.
- Added ingredients: Refried beans sometimes contain cheese, sour cream, or other additions that add calories.
- Serving size: The more beans in a serving, the more calories the dish will have.
For plain cooked beans without any extras, pinto and black beans contain around 230-250 calories per cup.
Total Calories in Mexican Rice and Beans
Now that we know the average calories in rice and beans alone, we can estimate the total calories in a typical serving of Mexican rice and beans.
A standard side portion of rice and beans contains around 1 cup of cooked rice and 1/2 cup of beans. That equals:
- Rice: 242 calories (based on 1 cup white long grain rice)
- Beans: 115 calories (based on 1/2 cup pinto beans)
So a total calorie count for a basic 1 cup rice and 1/2 cup bean side dish is:
357 calories
This estimate provides a general idea of how many calories are in a typical side of Mexican rice and beans. But the exact amount can vary based on the specific ingredients and recipe.
Nutrition Facts for Mexican Rice and Beans
In addition to calories, rice and beans offer other important nutrients. Here is the nutrition information for a 1 cup serving of Mexican rice and beans (source):
Mexican Rice and Beans Nutrition Facts
| Amount | Daily Value* |
|---|---|
| Calories | 357 |
| Total Fat | 1.1g |
| Sodium | 604mg |
| Potassium | 497mg |
| Total Carbs | 69.5g |
| Dietary Fiber | 12.1g |
| Protein | 16.8g |
*Based on a 2000 calorie diet
Key Nutrients
Some of the key vitamins, minerals, and health benefits found in Mexican rice and beans include:
- Protein: Beans and rice provide plant-based protein, about 17g per serving.
- Fiber: Beans have a high fiber content to support digestive health.
- Iron: Beans supply a considerable amount of iron, which aids in transporting oxygen.
- Magnesium: Rice contains magnesium, which plays a role in muscle and nerve function.
- Folate: Black beans are an excellent source of folate, important for cell growth.
- Manganese: Rice provides manganese, a mineral that assists bone formation.
- Antioxidants: Beans contain antioxidants that can boost overall health.
Rice complements the nutritional profile of beans by providing several important micronutrients. Together, they make a well-rounded plant-based side dish.
Ways to Modify Calories in Mexican Rice and Beans
There are a few easy ways to tweak a Mexican rice and beans recipe to increase or reduce the calorie count:
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for lower calories.
- Skip oil when cooking rice to avoid extra calories from fat.
- Add more or less rice to adjust the overall calories up or down.
- Replace refried beans, which are lower in calories than whole beans.
- Load up on extra veggies like corn, peppers, or onions to bulk it up.
- Top with low-calorie garnishes like cilantro, lime juice, or hot sauce.
- Avoid high-calorie toppings like cheese, sour cream, or guacamole.
With small tweaks like these, you can lower or raise the calorie content to meet your needs.
Comparing Calories in Rice and Bean Sides
Mexican rice and beans is lower in calories than some other bean and rice dishes. Here’s how it compares (based on 1 cup serving sizes):
| Food | Total Calories |
|---|---|
| Mexican rice and beans | 357 |
| Cajun red beans and rice | 402 |
| Jambalaya | 233 |
| Dirty rice | 440 |
| Fried rice | 300 |
| Rice pilaf | 175 |
The rice and bean combinations with oil, sausage, and other additions tend to be higher in calories than plain Mexican rice and beans.
Low Calorie Mexican Rice and Beans Recipe
To lighten up Mexican rice and beans, try this easy recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 15-oz can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 lime, juiced
- Fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
Instructions
- In a pot, combine the rice, black beans, salsa, vegetable broth, onion, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Top with fresh cilantro before serving if desired.
Nutrition
This lighter take on Mexican rice and beans clocks in at around 285 calories per 1 cup serving. It’s also vegetarian, gluten-free, and lower in sodium.
Conclusion
Mexican rice and beans is a satisfying side dish that provides around 357 calories per 1 cup serving. Exact counts can vary based on ingredients like rice, bean type, and additions. But the base of rice and beans keeps this side reasonably low in calories for a flavorful complement to Mexican meals. With a few tweaks, it can easily be adjusted to be higher or lower in calories. Beans and rice are a fiber-rich, plant-based pairing that offers protein and important nutrients.