Both beans and rice contain a variety of amino acids, but neither one contains all 9 essential amino acids. Beans and rice together make a complete protein, meaning you get all 9 essential amino acids if you eat them both. However, our bodies know how to assemble amino acids to form complete proteins without us having to worry about food combinations when meal planning. Just be sure to eat a wide variety of plant-based whole foods to get all the nutrients you need. Check out my most recent cookbook, The Plant-Based Diet Cookbook For Dummies, for more information.