Red Beans and Rice
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So thick, so creamy and so flavorful! The beans are cooked just right – perfectly tender, served with rice and smoky andouille sausage.
Featured Comment
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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Instead of the stovetop cooking at the end do you think you could throw it all in a crockpot for an hour or so?
What a great idea, Amanda! But unfortunately, without having tried this ourselves, we cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let us know how it turns out! 🙂
Does this recipe freeze well?
Freezing sounds like an amazing idea but unfortunately, we cannot answer this with certainty as we have never tried freezing this ourselves. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I have frozen the leftovers from this. It freezes well and reheats fine. I simply put in a pot while frozen and let it heat to a boil. Then simmer for about ten minutes and it thickens up a little.
Damn, you did it again… Great recipe!!!
I have not tried this recipe yet, but it looks yummy! I am on a very low salt diet so, I would like to eliminate the sausage – can I use chicken instead?
Sure, but I cannot speak for how much the flavor profile will change with this substitution. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
I use ham hocks, pickled pork, cayenne, and dried beans soaked overnight (or speed soaked by boiling for 1 minute and soaking off heat for 1 hour) then I cook the beans 3 hours and then add the andouille and cook another hour. That’s how my Gran’mere taught me. Hot sauce is added at the table.
Pickled pork, like pigs feet?
Red beans (pinto beans) and kidney beans are TWO different bean. Kidneys are tougher than Pintos and pintos have a better flavor IMO.
Why not use both but canned, rinse them or don’t rinse them it is your choice/common sense, read the recipe that is what she said rinse!!
I haven’t tried this recipe, but it looks like a quick and easy fix for those times when you just gotta have red beans and rice!! Been there! As you can tell, you have a lot of red beans and rice experts for the long cook method. Glad to have their suggestions, but thanks for the quick fix! Can’t wait to try it for a middle of the busy week meal! Thanks!
Its better if you make a roux first.
Still yours looks delicious!!
Would love to make this recipe for just my husband and I. How would I cut it down to 2 or 3 portions? Also are red beans the same as kidney beans?
You can halve the recipe as needed.
Red beans and kidney beans are actually different types of beans. Hope that helps, Anne!
There are different types of red beans but in New Orleans and South Louisiana, Red Kidney beans are what we use to make red beans and rice.
OMG, amen to your comment, (damned delicious)..
Fixing red beans, make with dried Kidney beans, for 2 people cook half a pound soak over night and then simmer with
your seasoning and andouille.
How would you convert this to an instant pot recipe?
Janet, you can try this recipe instead:
https://damndelicious.net/2018/04/30/instant-pot-red-beans-and-rice/.