When you’re craving Mexican food but are short on time, these colorful salad bowls come together in a flash. Start with a base of brown rice and black beans, and then pile on fresh ingredients such as crunchy bell peppers, sweet mangoes, and tangy red onion to create a rainbow feast. Choose a perfectly ripe avocado to make the fabulous creamy avocado-lime dressing that tops it all off.

Note that this recipe calls for cooked brown rice, so be sure to have that ready to go.

By Shelli McConnell,

Ingredients

  • ½ of a small avocado, pitted and peeled
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 2 ⅔ cups cooked brown rice (hot or cold)
  • 2 fresh mangoes, halved, pitted, peeled, and cubed or sliced (2 cups)
  • 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil
  • ¼ cup chopped red onion
  • Thinly sliced fresh jalapeño chile (optional)
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  • For dressing, in a blender or small food processor combine the first five ingredients (through salt). Cover and blend until smooth.
  • In bowls arrange rice, mangoes, beans, and bell pepper. Drizzle with avocado dressing. Top with cilantro, onion, and jalapeño (if using). Serve with lime wedges.

Comments (22)

(5 from 14 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Cheryl

Added the cilantro and jalapeño to the dressing. Put everything else in the bowl along with spinach, corn and flaxseed. It’s a keeper.

Trish French

Why is the "Add to meal plan" butto not available for this recipe?

Megan Edwards

Hi Trish, Thanks for bringing this to our attention! There was a glitch on the website that hid the meal planner button, you should be able to add it now. Let us know how you like the recipe!

Steve

We added cilantro and jalapeno to the dressing. We like it hot. Will be eating this on a weekly bases.

Amanda Short

We loved this recipe made as is. I think it really needs the whole amount of mango. We thought it was too much and only used half the amount but the next day we had it again and loved it with the full amount. This recipe will for sure go into our regular rotation!

Tracy

This was easy, yummy and a big hit with the kids.

Margaret

So good!!

Shannon

This meal was delicious. You have the spicy, the sweet, the nutty. I did modify it a bit - Dressing: 1 avocado, half a bunch of cilantro, 1 whole fresh jalapeno, 1 clove garlic, juice from 1/3 lime, salt, and enough cashew milk to make it able to be drizzled. I blitzed it with my immersion blender and added milk as necessary. - Black Beans: added a bit (I don't measure) of cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder with the beans and heated them. This is definitely a do-again recipe!

Jaqueline Bonniville

I enjoyed everything but the avocado dressing. I made vegan Siracha sauce and added chunks if advocates to add it instead and that was made it super good!

MELA Mcginnis

Why did this recipe not have a link to add it to my meal plan?

Carolyn Moore

Yep appears to be missing

becky

I sent an email to FOK. Let's see what response I get.

Jean Beck

I really enjoyed this salad because it has so many flavors and the beans makes up for the protein. Very easy to make and best of all, it was filling.

Tom Leggette

Is the rice and beans still supposed to be hot when you serve the dish?

Lydia

Delicious and refreshing! Used Allyson's trick of adding half a jalapeno to the dressing for the heat and the overall effect with the mangoes was delightful. One of my new favorites.

sven

I added a fresh serrano pepper to the dressing. nice tang!

Judy

This was one of the best meals that I have had in a long time! I did not care for the fresh garlic in the dressing, so second go round I just chunked the avocado on top with the mango and squeezed the juice of a lime over everything. So much flavor. I will definitely be making this again. And again. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!

Candice

I can’t handle raw garlic in dressings, so I always use a little bit of powdered garlic in its place.

Sarah Rooke

Made this dish for a brunch wirwhite beans. I served it cold. I enjoyed the flavor blended dressing too.

Allyson

This was delicious, and very easy! I added some jalapeño to the avocado dressing for a little extra heat. The mango was a tasty sweet touch to the salad. There are lots of ways to customize this salad too! I will definitely make again.

Chris Kepler

I have now made 2 of your recipes. The Grilled Mushroom Burger And The Mango Rice Salad Both of these turned out great. I recommend them to all.

Steven, FOK Team

That's fantastic to hear, Chris! We hope you enjoy many many more of the recipes on the website :-)

About the Author

Headshot of Shelli McConnell

About the Author

Shelli McConnell

Shelli McConnell graduated with a bachelor of science in consumer food science and a minor in journalism from Iowa State University. She began her career as a home economist in the Better Homes & Gardens test kitchen before moving into an editorial position within DotDash Meredith. She has since freelanced for 25 years and has served as an editorial project manager for many books and magazines, including three editions of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book. She has also developed thousands of recipes for publications including Forks Over Knives magazine; Eat This, Not That!; Diabetic Living; Better Homes & Gardens; The Magnolia Journal; and more. McConnell loves to entertain and inspire, so when she’s not in her office, she’s usually in her kitchen. Find her on LinkedIn.
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