Y’all trust ya girl, Jocelyn, when I tell you that this is indeed the very BEST Red Beans and Rice Recipe you will find on this here internet. Some folks play around with watered down flavors and pretend their recipe is hitting. Just no! This red beans and rice recipe does everything a Cajun style recipe should do! It’s got insanely flavorful kidney beans that are cooked low and slow until silky and thickened with hints of spice and meaty goodness. Spoon this over a heaping bowl of white rice and get your whole life!! Popeye’s ain’t got nothing on this boos!!
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I grew up eating recipes like this red beans and rice at least once a week. From pinto beans to butter beans, beans with smoked turkey were a cheap option for my mama to throw in a crockpot that fed our whole family with leftovers on deck. While I would get sick of them from time to time, there was something super cozy about a big ole filling bowl of them.
Now fast forward to the present where I literally throw this red beans recipe on the stove each week. I started working on it after multiple visits to New Orleans. I wanted to make sure this dish had all of the authentic vibes and flavors it is known for. This red beans and rice has got soul y’all! And it tastes so darn good too. A big bowl is about as comforting as a meal can get. And once you try it, your family might beg for it once a week too! And trust, you won’t be craving that Popeye’s red beans and rice no mo!
What are Red Beans and Rice?
Red beans and rice has its roots in Louisiana cooking. While it started out being a staple in Creole cuisine, it also ended up becoming a fave in Cajun cuisine as well. Kidney beans simmer away in a pot of spices, aromatic veggies, meat and intense flavors until it thickens into a stew consistency. Kidney beans and rice became a must have on Mondays in New Orleans. Southern folks would use leftover meat from Sunday suppers and throw it in the pot along with the beans to flavor it up. That’s basically a Louisiana red beans and rice recipe in a nutshell.
The Lowdown on this Cajun Red Beans Recipe
- Cuisine Inspiration: Creole Louisiana Comfort Food with Cajun Vibes
- Primary Cooking Method: Simmering
- Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free but super flexible
- Key Flavor: Savory, smoky, spiced up and on point!
- Skill Level: Beginner-friendly!
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make My Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Olive Oil: This gets our veggies sizzled up and tenderized.
- Holy Trinity: You must begin with the holy trinity (onions, bell pepper, and celery) in cajun cooking. You will find this base in most New Orleans recipes, and it adds a ton of flavor.
- Smoky Sausage: I use andouille sausage because it adds a ton of smoky flavor to our base. Dice it up so you can get it distributed throughout the entire pot of beans.
- Garlic: Minced up, this adds such a savory kick. It helps with our flavor building.
- Chicken Stock: Using stock instead of water adds additional essence to our red beans recipe base making it taste even better. If you don’t have any lying around, water is fine or throw in some bouillon.
- Spice it Up! Sprinkle some of that hot sauce in the mix y’all for that extra kick of spice. To season it up properly, I add some Cajun seasoning. It adds so much intensity! You can make your own cajun seasoning or grab a brand like Slap Yo Mama. Finally my trick is to add a splash of Worcestershire to add some dimension and depth. It livens that whole pot up.
- Red Beans of course: Dried red beans are the star here. Soak them overnight for the best texture.
- Rice: Cook up a whole pot of some good ole white rice here. It’s the best way to soak up all that flavorful stewy goodness.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
- Cook the onions, celery, and bell peppers in oil until they begin to caramelize and tenderize.
- Add the sausage and brown for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir it frequently and make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Add the chicken stock, water, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, creole seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pot.
- The red beans go in next. After it boils, turn down the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 – 2½ hours until they are tender and liquid as thickened.
- When they’re ready, check the flavor and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let them cool and thicken a bit before serving.
How to Serve the Best Red Beans and Rice Recipe
You could just serve this up and that would be some good eating y’all. But I’mma show you how you can make this into the ultimate Creole and Cajun inspired feast.
- Cornbread: The rice is perfect for sopping up that glorious sauce but a hearty cornbread also does the trick too! This Southern cornbread is always a fave but you can also serve it with hot water cornbread, hush puppies, or some freshly baked corn muffins!
- Veggies: Get your vegetable on with some Southern classics like these collard greens, vinegar coleslaw or Southern green beans.
- Fry it Up: Now you know some fried catfish or fried chicken with this recipe for red beans and rice sounds just about as good as it can get!
- Other Cajun and Creole dishes: If you’re looking to combine your spicy red beans and rice with other dishes, I love this seafood gumbo, shrimp creole and blackened fish. They are Cajun classics that everyone will love with the ultimate traditional flavors!
- Dessert: Don’t forget those beignets or bananas foster boos!
Recipe Substitutions
- Beans: While this is a kidney beans recipe through and through, you can make this same pot with pinto beans, butter beans, black beans or a mix. You will get some different textures and flavors going on.
- Rice: It wouldn’t be the best red beans and rice recipe without the rice y’all. If you want to switch up the classic, go for brown rice to make it healthier. Or really switch it up with some dirty rice.
- Sausage: Not getting down with the swine? You can switch out the sausage for smoked turkey sausage or even chicken sausages. There are some amazing options that will also keep the dish lighter too. Just make sure you check the packaging to ensure the casing isn’t made with pork. You can even add in other types of meat like smoked turkey necks or shredded chicken.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Veggie Version: I literally adjust this recipe on a weekly basis to make it without meat. Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, replace the worcestershire with a vegan variety and remove the sausage or replace with vegan sausage.
- Make it Creamy: While these kidney beans and rice are super rich and smooth, you can make them creamier but taking some of the beans out, mashing them down then stirring them back into the pot.
- Get Herby: Amp this New Orleans red beans and rice with a little sophistication by tossing in some herbs like parsley, a bay leaf and thyme. It can really take those beans to another level.
How to Store this Recipe for Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
Y’all I love to make a big ole batch of this so I can eat on it all week. Here’s how you can store up those leftovers. Just in case y’all didn’t know, it tastes even better the next day.
- Fridge: Make sure the beans cool down to room temperature before you store them up. Add them to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag letting out all the air. Store the leftover beans and rice in separate containers in the fridge for about 4 days.
- Freezer: These freeze super well. They last up to 6 months.
- Reheat: If frozen, thaw them out overnight in the fridge. Return the cajun red beans and rice to a pot and heat on the stove until warmed through. If they dry out a bit, just toss some more stock in the pot. Cook fresh rice for serving or reheat leftover rice in the microwave.
Expert Tips for Kidney Beans and Rice
- Don’t forget to soak those beans! Overnight is best so you can make the beans are easily digestible. If you forget, just quick soak! Add the beans to a large pot over high heat until boiling. Boil for 5 minutes then cover with a lid and turn off the heat letting them sit for at least an hour. Drain and use.
- Really let the flavors of the trinity develop. This is crucial for adding more bomb flavor to the base of this dish. Make sure the veggies are soft before moving on with cooking.
- Check on the beans as they cook. They will take a while to cook but it’s a good idea to give them a stir every now and then.
- Let the the pot sit after cooking. They will cool down slightly during this time and the liquid with thicken up slightly making them even better. About 15 minutes is good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Saute all of your trinity ingredients upfront. Then add all the ingredients to a standard-sized crockpot and cook until tender, thick and delicious! You can add all of the ingredients in the morning and have an incredible dinner in the evening!
Absolutely. Not only does it help the beans cook up in less time but it makes the easier to digest which alleviates some of the uncomfortable side effects of eating beans. If you forget to soak them the night before, you can do a quick soak. Boil the dry beans for five minutes in water. Then turn it off and let it sit for an hour. Then you can drain the water and continue making the recipe.
Yes, most definitely! You can easily make vegan or vegetarian red beans and rice using this recipe. Here are the easy steps to take: Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, remove the sausage from the recipe and replace the worchestershire with soy sauce.
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Red Beans and Rice Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely chopped bell peppers
- 3 85g andouille sausage links, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper up to 1/4 tsp but taste later
- 1 pound dried red beans already soaked overnight and drained
- Cooked rice to serve with beans
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, celery and bell peppers and cook about 10-12 minutes or until they begin to caramelize and tenderize. Next add in sausage and brown for about 4-5 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute making sure not to burn.
- Turn heat up to medium high and add chicken stock, water, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, creole seasoning, salt and pepper then stir in red beans.
- Bring liquid to a boil then turn heat down to low, cover with lid and cook for 2 – 2½ hours until beans are tender and liquid as thickened. Check flavor of beans and season with salt and pepper to taste, stir and turn off heat.
- Let cool for 15 minutes and allow beans to continue thickening. Serve with rice.
Notes
- How to Store and Reheat your Red Beans and Rice
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- Fridge: Make sure the beans cool down to room temperature before you store them up. Add them to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag letting out all the air. Store the leftover beans and rice in separate containers in the fridge for about 4 days.
- Freezer: These freeze super well. They last up to 6 months.
- Reheat: If frozen, thaw them out overnight in the fridge. Return the cajun red beans and rice to a pot and heat on the stove until warmed through. If they dry out a bit, just toss some more stock in the pot. Cook fresh rice for serving or reheat leftover rice in the microwave.
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Amazing recipe! I left out the water and used a little more chicken stock also added black beans with my kidney beans and some cumin and red pepper spice and it came out delicious!!!
Yay, so happy to hear that, Deb!