Slow Cooker Kidney Beans and Coconut Brown Rice

Inspired by Jamaican rice and peas, this slow cooker vegan red kidney beans and coconut rice recipe is easy, tasty and hearty. Allspice, nutmeg, thyme, coconut cream, dark red kidney beans and short grain brown rice create a creamy, savory and delicious family meal.

This easy budget friendly vegan coconut rice and beans recipe works well as a side dish or as a main dish. It tastes great paired with Jerk Jackfruit.

A few notes…

• ・Make sure to use canned kidney beans in this recipe. Using dried kidney beans in a slow cooker can lead to food poisoning. Learn more about it here.
• ・For a variation, add some torn up kale in with the chopped up roma tomatoes at the end, and let it steep for a few more minutes before serving to cook through.

I can’t wait for you to smell this cooking! Seriously, it’s incredible, and tastes even better 💚

Slow Cooker Kidney Beans and Coconut Brown Rice

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground allspice

2 tsp onion powder

1 ½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup broth (I used ½ cube of fake chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water)

2 bay leaves

1 ¼ cup short grain brown rice

15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (only use canned kidney beans – see note above)

13.66 ounce can of unsweetened coconut cream

1 roma tomato, finely chopped

¼-½ tsp salt

2-3 tsp lime juice

1. In a skillet, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until the onions are slightly golden (7-10 minutes). Then, add allspice, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and nutmeg. Stir around over medium-low heat for another minute. 

2. Add the broth to the onions in the skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom to loosen any of the spices that may have gotten stuck. Pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker.

3. Add the bay leaves, short grain brown rice, kidney beans, and coconut cream to the slow cooker. Stir until well combined. Cover with a lid, and cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours. The rice should be completely cooked through.

4. Stir in roma tomatoes, salt and lime juice. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the lid, taste, and make any last minute adjustments to the seasonings (more salt? more lime juice?). Serve as a side dish, main dish, or paired with Jerk Jackfruit.