I came across a recipe for black bean and cilantro rice forever ago, and it’s one of those sides that has become a favourite. We usually keep a big container of it in the fridge as a go to for chicken dishes. We use that as the base for this bowl, adding in charred corn, fresh pico and top it with tequila prawns for a solid protein finish. These charred corn and pico rice bowls are perfect for weekly meal prep.

The longer the rice sits, the more the flavours dance together so this one is GREAT for meal planning. My favourite thing about this rice bowl is that the base is the best part of it. You can swap out any protein that you choose to go with it. In this recipe I use Tequila Prawns for the protein but if you are not into seafood or shellfish you can use anything. I like the prawns for this because they have bags of flavour, are super low calorie and are still a great protein source.

These easy lunch bowls are so colourful and beautiful, with just a ton of flavour. Think cilantro, lime, pico, charred corn, zesty sweet prawns and a hint of jalapeno. We’ve started keeping black bean and cilantro rice base in our fridge as a go to side for all things when we are in a hurry. Even the baby loves it (!), so you know it’s a winner.

The best piece of advice for this recipe is chop before you start! The whole the comes together very quickly, so be prepared with all your ingredients ready to go.

If you’re looking for other great meal prep options try this spicy Thai red curry, these Miso chicken thighs or this slow cooker turkey chili.

The original recipe for the black bean and cilantro rice came from Julia’s Album and can be found here.

Enjoy! xo

Let me know if you make this dish! Tag us on Instagram @stringbeankitchen and hashtag #StringbeanKitchen, or comment below.