When you have a vegan recipe and your carnivore of a husband loves it, you definitely have a keeper.  This is one such dish.  This is done in fifteen minutes using leftover rice, seasonings from your cupboard and two good old standbys, namely, store bought salsa and red kidney beans.  It can be a meal in itself with a huge salad or a delicious side dish.

Easy Vegan Red Beans and Rice

1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth (Note 1)

1/4-1/2 cup salsa (Note 1)

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 -1/2 tsp chili powder

1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups cooked rice (Note 2)

salt and pepper to taste

Add the  first six ingredients in a skillet and mix at medium heat with stirring.  Then add the rice and beans and mix and heat through with stirring at medium low heat.  Add more broth if needed as well as salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can garnish with cilantro and green onions if you like.

Notes:

1.  The amount depends on the consistency of your leftover rice.  If  it is on the soft side start with the lesser amount and go from there.

2. Best cooked rice for this is one cooked with less water than recommended.  In my case I found using approximately half cup less in cooking 3 cups raw rice gave the best texture.

3 .You can add other seasonings like dry oregano if you like. I did  not and it was good enough for me and also my husband, my picky taster/eater, is a straight shooter.  The simpler the better to please his palate.