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Congrí, a Cuban black beans and rice dish, topped with crispy bacon and cilantro.

Congrí Recipe

Smiling woman with glasses and dark hair, professional portrait for Baked Bree website.Diane Goodman
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine cuban
Servings 8 servings
Calories 512 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces dried black beans rinsed
  • 7 cups water for cooking the beans
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for the beans
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 5 strips bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/3 cup diced green pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cups parboiled long-grain rice washed and drained
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for the sofrito and rice
  • 5 cups reserved bean liquid
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh cilantro chopped, for optional garnish

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the dried black beans and add them to a pressure cooker with the water, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and cumin.
    Adding dried black beans, water, olive oil, and cumin to a pressure cooker for Congrí.
  • Seal and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. After cooking, strain the beans and reserve 5 cups of the cooking liquid.
    Cooked black beans for Congrí in a white bowl.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, add the bacon pieces and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes.
    Cooking bacon pieces until crispy in a pot for Congrí.
  • Remove the bacon and set aside, keeping the bacon fat in the pot. Add the diced onion, green pepper, and minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
    Sautéing onion, green pepper, and garlic for Congrí.
  • Stir in the washed and drained rice, along with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, into the pot with the sautéed vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the reserved bean liquid and add the cooked beans. Season with the bay leaf, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
    Stirring rice, black beans, green peppers, and a bay leaf into the pot for Congrí.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil; then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
    Congrí rice and black beans cooked in a metal pot.
  • Stir in the crispy bacon, let the dish sit for 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning as needed, then serve warm. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
    Congrí, a Cuban rice and black beans dish with crispy bacon.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 25gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 136mgFiber: 7g
Keyword Congri
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