You just can’t trust everyone’s red beans and rice boos. But you can trust this one. I cook mine low and slow with tons of spices and meat until it thickens up like a stick to ya bones stew. I make a huge pot of this at least once a week, and everyone is straight up satisfied. Spoon this over a bowl of white rice and get your whole life!! Popeye’s ain’t got nothing on this!
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How to Make Red Beans and Rice
These step-by-step photos show how to make red beans and rice, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Red Beans and Rice Recipe
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1. Sauté the veggies
Cook the onions, celery, and bell peppers in olive oil until they caramelize and become tender.
2. Add the sausage
Brown the sliced sausage, then stir in the garlic and cook briefly without burning.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients
Increase the heat and add the stock, water, Worcestershire, hot sauce, creole seasoning, salt, pepper, and beans.
4. Simmer the red beans and serve with rice
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the beans soften and the pot thickens before serving with rice.
Full Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Red Beans and Rice Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup finely chopped bell peppers
- 3 andouille sausage links, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 4-5 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 medium low, cover with lid and cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours or until beans are tender and liquid as thickened. Check flavor of beans and season with salt and pepper to taste if necessary, 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.
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- Freezer: These freeze super well. They last up to 6 months.
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- 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.
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Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Don’t forget to soak those beans! Overnight is best but 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. Make sure the veggies are soft before moving on with cooking to add more bomb flavor.
- 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 15-20 minutes is good!
Serving Suggetions
- Cornbread: This Southern cornbread is always a fave but you can also serve it with hot water cornbread, hush puppies, or some 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: Fried catfish or fried chicken is a great country protein to pair with this.
- 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.
- Dessert: Don’t forget those beignets or bananas foster boos!
Recipe Help
Yep! Saute all of your trinity ingredients upfront. Then add all the ingredients to a standard-sized crockpot and cook until tender. You can add all of the ingredients in the morning and have dinner in the evening!
Yep. 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.
Yep! Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock, remove the sausage from the recipe and replace the worchestershire with soy sauce.
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Awesome dish! The first time I had Cajun food was in Colorado actually, just last year. This place called the Lost Cajun and it has rave reviews. All of the owners and chefs came from Louisiana. It as pretty awesome! I think my boyfriend would like it if I recreated these dishes at home!
Oh yeah there is seriously nothing like cajun food. I am an addict for life!
Soulful is the perfect description for this, absolutely love the flavors!
Thanks so much Matt!!
I love bean recipes also! Plus they are so cheap, its a good meat replacement if you are on a budget. This recipe looks so good!
Yes I love how economical they are too. And I seriously eat leftovers from a full pot all week!
Rice and beans is my weakness!!! This looks so good girl
Girl same here. Comfort food at its very best right?
Fantastic!! I am SUCH a big fan of red beans and rice! I have got to try this!
Woot woot!
J, I lovvvvvveeeeee red beans and rice!!! now that you mention it, I can’t remember when I ate them for the first time but dude, I love that I now have a recipe to try!!!
Oh yeah girlfriend. Oh yeah!
Red beans and rice! Yes! I love slow cooked meals like this. They come out tasting incredible!
Yes they totally do Jen!
There is something so special about putting a bunch of things in a pot and letting them sit for hours, only to come back to something insanely delicious! I’m coming over this week for a bowl 🙂
Don’t forget a spoon girl! Let’s dig in!
Yeah! Red beans and rice. Looks delicious. Thanx for posting it.
Indeed thanks Karen!
Oh my gosh- I LOVE red beans and rice and I’ve been wanting to make them ever since I visited New Orleans! I’m so glad you posted this Jocelyn! They look fantastic 😉
Thanks so much my dear. Girl I love them too!