Red Beans and Rice
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So thick, creamy, flavorful! Beans are cooked just right. Perfectly tender served with rice and smoky andouille sausage!
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I kind of have a thing for Louisiana. I don’t know if it’s all the beignets and the powdered sugar I leave on my pants or if it’s the classic red beans and rice, but I keep returning to this state again and again.
We just got back last week and I’m ready for another trip back. But until then, I’ll be making the creamiest (and quickest) red beans and rice every. single. day.
tips and tricks for success
- 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 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.
- Serve with cornbread. Serve with a scoop of rice and a side of cornbread, a quintessential pairing.
what to serve with red beans and rice
Red Beans and Rice: Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! 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.
We recommend using small red beans or kidney beans.
Traditionally red beans and rice is prepared with spicy andouille sausage but you can substitute any sausage (such as kielbasa) to your liking.
The spice level can be adjusted to mild by using mild andouille sausage and omitting the hot sauce.
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
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
Equipment
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.
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Love your recipes and your is one of the few websites I visit again and again. Thank you!
Chungah, I have been addicted to your website for a while now and recommend it to all I know (most recently my 23 year old niece who is starting to cook)! How is it that you are not on the Food Network yet? Your meals are super delicious, always fresh, easy to follow, beautifully photographed, etc. You are the full package! Thanks so much!
Tried this recipe with spicy Italian sausage and it turned out awesome! I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more protein and fiber and this fits the bill!
Thanks!
What kind of beans should I use if I don’t care for kidney?
Question for any/all: Because I like to use dried beans but also the Instapot,how would you convert timing/liquid for this recipe to be done in the IP?
There is an instapot version of this recipe on her blog
This looks so amazing and I’m eager to try it! My family is unfortunately a non-spice family. Any tips on what ingredients I could use to keep it mild?
Make your own Cajun seasoning and leave out the cayenne. Just paprika, garlic powder, thyme, pepper, oregano and onion powder.
I have made this, on numerous occasions. It’s always, damn delicious, and almost perfect on consistency. I haven’t been able to tear myself away from this website. This is my go to website for most of my meals. Once this is removed from heat, and set aside. The consistency changes, and makes it more hearty. The rice absorbs the juices and it makes for a great meal on a cold day. This. Is. Delicious.
This was Amazing!!! My store had no Cajun seasonings so I made my own. First time making this and will now be a staple in my house I added ham shanks to mine and let it simmer for more than an hour. Comfort food at its finest. Mahalo for sharing this recipe.
Very well described and I loved it..Thank-you!
This is the second time I’ve prepared this dish and it’s so delicious. I added a 1/2 tsp more of cajun this time. This recipe will be part of our rotation collection of delicious recipes.
Great recipe, I simmered it longer and the flavor was wonderful
Delicious made a few adjustments due to what was in our pantry used corn and ranch style beans. Cavendars seasoning and chili paste instead. Loads of flavors!
Great recipe! I used kidney beans and thanks to the reviews below, cooked it for double the amount of time. It wasn’t too soupy or tomato-y, like some of the reviews. There was enough for 3 of us and then some leftovers. I had it with homemade cornbread and a salad, with Franks Red Hot on the side.
If your red beans are too “soupy” then you did it wrong. Mash some of the beans in the pot (as you’re supposed to) after the stated cook time. Typically takes about 15 min. Do this while simmering. Come on y’all, figure it out
As written this tastes like tomato sauce with andouille. I’ll skip the tomato paste next time
Ummm um good
This is my go-to red beans and rice recipe! Finally decided to review it.
I make the recipe as written usually (with the exception that I make the basmati rice in my instant pot). Sometimes I add in natural chopped ham with the anduoille sausage. Sometimes I use my homemade chicken stock instead of store bought.
Usually serve it with a crisp romaine salad and healthy ranch dressing and either sweet potato biscuits or sweet potato bread.
I’m from the south and absolutely love these flavors. Definitely try this one out– trust me! Thank you for this recipe!
If I could give this an extra star I would! I used to stop at a place in Lake Charles, LA on my way home to TX for lunch and I’d almost always get their red beans and rice. Unfortunately the last hurricane that went through there wiped out their building and they haven’t been able to open back up yet. This recipe was almost a copy cat of that! I skipped the celery (because I honestly forgot it at the store). And let it simmer for a while, other than that followed the recipe and am so very pleased!
I made this for my family a few nights ago and everybody LOVED it, even my picky 3 year old. It’s so flavorful…I simmered it for 20 mins longer to thicken up the sauce. One star docked because the consistency would have been too soupy for my preference without the extra simmer time.
Perfect recipe!
This was soooo delicious!! My 9 year old doesn’t like anything, and he ate this up!! I didn’t add celery and used only turkey kielbasa for the meat. Thank you for this recipe!! I’m making it for the second time tonight.