Rice Cakes with Black Beans & Salsa
Black beans and salsa piled on a rice cake, topped with shredded cheddar that melts into bubbly golden patches in the oven. That is the entire recipe. Four ingredients, ten minutes, 234 calories.
The rice cake stays crisp underneath while everything on top goes warm and soft. 12g of protein and 6g of fiber from a snack that builds like nachos but lands as a single serving you can eat between meals without a second thought.
Black beans and salsa piled on a rice cake, topped with shredded cheddar that melts into bubbly golden patches in the oven. That is the entire recipe. Four ingredients, ten minutes, 234 calories.
The rice cake stays crisp underneath while everything on top goes warm and soft. 12g of protein and 6g of fiber from a snack that builds like nachos but lands as a single serving you can eat between meals without a second thought.
Ingredients
- black beans 2 ounces
- salsa 1 tablespoon
- rice cakes 2
- cheddar cheese, shredded 1 ounce
Method
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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In a small bowl, mix together the black beans, salsa and a pinch of salt and pepper.
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Spread the black bean and salsa mixture evenly over the rice cakes.
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Sprinkle the cheese on top of each rice cake.
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Place the rice cakes on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Serve immediately.
Drain the black beans well before mixing with salsa. Extra liquid soaks into the rice cake base and turns it soft before the cheese has time to melt. A quick pat with a paper towel after draining keeps the crunch.
Behind this recipe
Can I make this without turning on the oven?
Yes. Skip the baking step entirely and eat the rice cakes cold with the bean-salsa mixture and cheese on top. You lose the melted cheese texture but keep the same 234 calories, 12g protein, and 6g fiber. Works when you need a snack in under three minutes.
Is 12g of protein enough for a snack?
Research on how the body uses protein suggests that spreading intake across the day matters more than hitting a large amount in one sitting. A snack delivering 12g of protein, roughly 20% of its total calories from protein, adds meaningfully to the daily total without the calorie load of a full meal.
Read the full evidence reviewWhere does the fiber come from?
The recipe's 6g of fiber comes primarily from the black beans. Even at just two ounces, black beans deliver a dense mix of soluble fiber and resistant starch. The rice cakes add a small amount. Combined, the fiber makes this snack notably filling relative to its 234 calories.
Read the full evidence review
