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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
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
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
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
-
-
-
- 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.
-
-
-
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.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
Made this about two weeks ago and we loved it. So much flavor!!!
Looks delish!! Only right now and for the next few days it’s blah! weather out and I want my red beans and rice pronto. So I’m going to skip the fresh beans and go with canned kidney beans (fortunately the skins are no problem). Other than that I’m sticking with this recipe. Unfortunately most of my ingredients are frozen, canned or packaged but that won’t stop me from making something edible and tasty with the ingredients listed. I look forward to this experiment, I’m sure I can stir up something edible and nourishing. Gotta go, it won’t cook itself!
Forgot to hit the stars. It’s a five of course! Gold ones!
So delicious. I’ve made them several times, but keep forgetting to say thanks for the recipe. I grew up on pinto beans in Texas, but these are a *lovely* alternative!
I love this recipe! I never use kidney beans though because I don’t like the skins. Small red beans work great. They soak faster and they come out tender, closer to black bean in texture. They are somewhat hard to find up here in West Michigan though.
Order pinto beans online if you have trouble finding them locally. Not wanting to advertise, but Amazon has free shipping if you have prime. I buy a number of food products from them
I am quite anxious to try this recipe. I have yet to find a red bean recipe I have fallen in love with after many years of living where it is served religiously. What kind of hot sauce do you prefer? It’s always Tabasco vs. Crystal – sometimes I will use one while cooking the dish and the opposite to taste on the table afterwards. Same question for creole seasoning. I think I am the only person I know who is not a fan of Tony Chachere’s. I love Kevin Belton’s Creole Kick – warning, powerful stuff. Thanks.
I used Tabasco which I had on hand here. I think you can go with whatever you prefer in terms of creole seasoning but honestly if it is super powerful like the Creole Kick, only add a little and amp up as it comes together if you need more.
We have been making this for 4 years now and man is it always amazing, My husband loves red beans and rice so I was happy to fine and amazing recipe that wasnt super hard.
Made this tonight for the first time…hubby and I loved it! Thanks!
Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes. I am from the south so I know good food. Some of the recipes remind me of my childhood. My mom was a wonderful cook. Keep up the good work. You are in my prayers.
That’s so amazing! I appreciate the prayers so much!
Great Recipe my red beans with Turkey leg came out amazing Thanks
Hooray I’m so glad!
Amazing recipe! I saw a lot of recipes, but some of them didn’t look so authentic and I’m picky. This one is spot on and came out perfect. I especially like the Worcestershire sauce in this. The flavor, spices and texture reminded me of my first bowl of red beans and rice when I was in in college in Jackson, MS. I will definitely keep this recipe.
BTW…I also decided to make biscuits to go along…the way I had it back then.
Thanks so much!
Fantastic!!! That makes me so happy Patrick.