Red Beans and Rice
by Chungah
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Louisiana red beans and rice! With smoky andouille sausage, the holy trinity, and the creamiest red beans, topped with white rice.
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Why you’ll love this red beans and rice recipe
- Comfort food goodness. Firstly, this dish is quintessential comfort food, consisting of thick, creamy, tender beans, smoky andouille sausage, and Cajun seasoning.
- Budget-friendly. Red beans and rice is not only budget-friendly, but also incredibly filling, making it an economical, high protein, and high fiber dinner for the entire family to enjoy.
- Versatile and flexible. This recipe can easily be customized with different proteins or made vegetarian-friendly!
- Makes for the best leftovers. The flavors meld even more overnight, making for the most perfect leftovers and meal prep.
What is red beans and rice?
Red beans and rice is a classic Louisiana dish made with red beans, sausage, and the “holy trinity” (onions, bell pepper, and celery), typically served over white rice alongside cornbread and hot sauce.
Monday tradition
This dish was served on Mondays known as the “wash day” tradition, a day devoted to laundry. Cooking a pot of red beans, a slow cooked, no-fuss meal, allowed more time for chores to be completed.
How to make red beans and rice
- Cook the rice. Cook the rice to package instructions. Long grain white rice (ex. jasmine) is generally the gold standard for red beans and rice.
- Brown the sausage. While the rice is cooking, brown the sausage in batches until lightly browned; set aside.
- Add the holy trinity. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery until tender.
- Cook the aromatics. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and Cajun seasoning until fragrant.
- Simmer. Add the red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf, and cooked sausage, simmering for 15 minutes covered, and then an additional 15 minutes uncovered.
- Mash the beans. Using a wooden spoon, mash the beans for a creamier consistency.
- Serve. Top with the cooked rice, garnished with parsley, and served alongside some cornbread.
what to serve with red beans and rice
Red Beans and Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all! There is no need for an overnight or quick soak here. This is a super quick recipe using canned red beans – perfect for when you just don’t have the time to soak dry beans.
I recommend using small red beans or kidney beans.
Traditionally red beans and rice is prepared with spicy andouille sausage but kielbasa is also a solid option.
The spice level can be adjusted to mild by using mild andouille sausage and omitting the hot sauce.
Absolutely! Similar to lasagna, red beans and rice taste better the very next day, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify overnight.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the rice (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked rice when serving.
Red Beans and Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning, salt-free
- 3 (15-ounce) cans small red beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
- Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon, mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with rice and garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Serve with long grain white rice. Use long grain, basmati or jasmine rice – all light and fluffy to absorb and soak up the creamy, saucy beans. Avoid short grain, sushi rice or instant rice.
- Tomato paste adds so much flavor. Tomato paste adds body and richness in small amounts without adding too much liquid. Opt for tomato paste in a tube, using up only what you need at a time without having to open up a whole can.
- Use small red beans or kidney beans. Soaking dry beans is not required here. Canned red beans (or kidney beans) allows this recipe to come together so fast, making it a true weeknight hero.
- Mash the beans. Add the finishing touches by mashing up about 1 cup of the softened beans off to the side of the pot – this is what makes the red beans and rice so thick and velvety creamy.
- Make it vegetarian. For our vegetarian friends, substitute plant-based sausage for the andouille sausage, and vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
- Pair with cornbread. Serve with a scoop of rice and a side of cornbread, a quintessential pairing.
Did you make this recipe?
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I had never eaten nor made red beans and rice. I must say that this recipe is DELICIOUS!!! I read several other recipes, but most of them start with a pound of dry beans, and at my age (73) I just don’t feel up to all that rigmarole. Plus, those recipes made enough for a small army, and it is just hubby and me. We will eat it twice and have enough to freeze for one more meal. I found mashing the beans against the side of the pan quite tedious, so I spooned out about a cup and blended them with an immersion blender. Done. (Maybe you can tell I’m kind of sick of cooking after 61 years?) LOL! I can’t wait to try some more of your recipes! If they are as good as this one, maybe you will have inspired me to sprint to the finish line!
Very happy with this recipe I make it different every time this time I added ground smoked Chipotle for heat and I had a little smoke pulled pork that I added with the andouille sausage. Always comes out great
See previous comment from me. Chambers, not Cjambers.
I have made your Red Beans and rice too many times to count! Always delicious and never get tired of it! A KEEPER, INDEED!
We are so happy to hear it, Shari! Thank you for leaving such a lovely review.
I have made this Red Beans and Recipe too many times to count, and it is always as “delicious” as the first time! I love Damn Delicious recipes–always the best! Chungah, you are the best!!!
I make this on a regular basis and it is one of our family faves! Thanks for the recipe.
Just used your recipe for red beans and rice. It is delicious! Thank you.
I made this recipe, as written, for my wife and her uncle in his kitchen. I had to eyeball every measure except cup measures. I thought the largest pot he had would be too small but all worked out. I used light red kidney beans and Tabasco sauce. It looked as though there were too many onions, bell pepper, and celery, but it all turned out great. We loved it.
Almost done cooking this but at what point do I return the sausage to the pot??
Guessing you found the answer by now in Step #5, but in case others have the same question…. enjoy!!!
Step 5
Excellent recipe. Used polka kielbasa instead of andouille because that is what I had on hand. Came out creamy and delicious. Thank you.
This is the very best means of making easy red beans and rice.
I sautéd the veggies a bit longer than called for and then added the sausage. Follow the rest of the recipe as written. This is better than could ever be imagined.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve served it many times and it’s such a hit that I’ve been asked to share the recipe every time. Easy and yummy.
Fantastic! Tasty recipe to make in a pinch. Used turkey sausage as that was what I had on hand and everyone enjoyed it! All the recipes I’ve made from your site have been winners, and I’ll be adding this one to the list! Thank you!
This was delicious! We both loved it. This recipe is a keeper for sure.
Made this for the second time today because it’s such a wonderful recipe! Thank you for it!
Easy and flavorful! Excited to have a go to comfort recipe that uses pantry staples and comes together in under an hour!
I forgot to leave my 5 star rating on my comment. I got too excited.
This recipe is Damn Delicious. Even with my tweaks and omissions. It was perfection. Thank you!
I made this recipe and I was really glad for the guidance. It was very pleasant and forgiving as I put together the different ingredients!
Made this with Conecuh sausage – so good!!! I even had a brain cramp because I was distracted and forgot to drain my beans. Excellent recipe! Can’t wait to make it again!