Juice stays. Specifically, orange juice for smoothies or fizzing up water. But another liquid is creeping into my pantry. Not for drinking. Not for mixing into a fancy cocktail. For dinner.
V8 vegetable juice.
My grandpa hoarded mini cans. He loved Bloody Marys. He liked sipping them straight. I keep them for a totally different reason. Rice and beans.
The usual method feels like homework. Chopping onions. Slicing celery. Sautéing tomatoes. I’d rather eat than prep. I skip the mirepoix. I go straight to the payoff.
Why it works
Open a can. It sings. It feeds my lazy side. You get carrot sweetness. Tomato richness. Celery savory notes. Parsley undertones. All blended.
It tastes like a rich broth. But it isn’t. Salt levels are lower. That means control. I can season it however I want. No chopping. No fuss. Just shelf-stable convenience.
The method
I use a rice cooker. Simple 1:1 ratio. Usually water. Today. V8.
Combine these in the cooker:
- 1 cup long-grain rice. Stick with long-grain. Short-grain gets mushy. I trust Lundberg.
- 2 cups V8. That’s three 5.5-ounce cans. Or one and a half 11-ounce cans.
- Seasonings. A few teaspoons of Goya Sazón work well. Or salt, pepper, and cumin. Crank it up.
- 1 can beans. Black or pinto. Rinsed. Drained. Whatever mood I’m in.
Turn it on. Follow the cooker instructions. Or the bag instructions. Whichever comes first.
Wait for it to cook. The result isn’t just rice and beans. It’s more. Better. Complex without effort.
Add hot sauce. Sprinkle cotija or queso fresco. Build a tower of empty V8 cans on the counter. A monument to ease.
Why boil water when you can boil vegetables?
Buy it
V8 Original 100%, $4.94 for eight 5.5-oz cans. Amazon link
The Weekly Checkout
Sign up for grocery news. No spam. Just food.
Email address
[Subscribe]
Terms of Use apply.
More to love
Other hacks wait elsewhere on the site.
