Fried Rice with Black Beans & Egg
Black beans, brown rice, and a scrambled egg share a single pan in this 15-minute fried rice that hits 652 kcal with 17g of fiber and 24g of protein.
The beans bring weight. The egg breaks into loose curds between the rice grains. Two tablespoons of soy sauce pull the whole thing together while garden peas and carrot add color and crunch. Filling, simple, done.
Ingredients
- brown rice 3 ounces
- egg 1
- carrot 1
- onion 0.25
- garlic 1 clove
- scallion 1
- black beans 2.5 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- garden peas (frozen) 2.5 ounces
- soy sauce 2 tablespoons
Method
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Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package.
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Crack the egg into a bowl. Beat the egg with a fork and some salt and pepper.
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Peel the carrot and cut into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and press the garlic clove. Slice the scallion into thin rings. Rinse the black beans in a colander with cold water and let drain.
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Heat half of the oil in a pan. Add the beaten egg and stir-fry until just cooked. Remove the egg from the pan and set aside.
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Heat the other half of the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a minute. Then add the carrot and cook for about 7 minutes until the carrot softens slightly. Add the peas and cook for another 3 minutes.
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Add the rice and black beans to the pan and stir well. Add the soy sauce and continue stirring and cooking until the rice becomes slightly crispy. Finally, add the egg and scallion rings and heat for another minute.
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Serve the fried rice on a plate.
Those two tablespoons of soy sauce in Step 6 do more than season the rice. A 1990 trial found that fermented soy sauce tripled iron absorption from plant foods in a rice meal (3.5% to 11.4%). The black beans and brown rice here are packed with exactly that kind of iron.
A 2010 study found that onion and garlic increased iron availability from grains and pulses by up to 73%. Natural compounds in both ingredients keep iron in a form the body can actually use. This recipe sautés onion and garlic in Step 5 before the black beans and brown rice join the pan — the exact pairing the researchers tested.
Why This Works
Behind this recipe
Can I use white rice instead of brown?
Yes. A 2025 systematic review of 11 randomized controlled trials (227 participants) found no significant difference between white and brown rice for muscle building. Brown rice adds fiber — this recipe gets 17g partly from it — but swapping to white won't meaningfully change the protein or calorie profile.
Read the full evidence reviewWhy rinse the black beans?
Canned black beans sit in a starchy, salty liquid. Rinsing removes excess sodium and that slightly slimy coating, giving you a cleaner texture when they hit the hot pan. If you cooked dried beans yourself, skip this step.
Is 17g of fiber a lot for one meal?
A Lancet-backed meta-analysis identified 25–29g per day as the fiber target range linked to weight-management benefits. This plate covers 67% of that in a single sitting — from black beans, garden peas, brown rice, and carrot rather than supplements.
Read the full evidence reviewDoes soy sauce actually help absorb iron from beans?
Research says yes. A 1990 trial found that fermented soy sauce tripled iron absorption from plant foods in a rice meal (3.5% to 11.4%). The fermentation process creates compounds that keep iron available for absorption in the gut. This recipe pours soy sauce over black beans and brown rice — both concentrated sources of plant-based iron.
