Red Beans and Rice
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
So thick, creamy, flavorful! 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.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a recipe with so many 5 star ratings until now, and now I know why. This recipe made flat-out the best red beans & rice dish that I’ve ever eaten. Per helpful suggestions here, I used 2 cups of broth instead of 3, upped the hot sauce to 1 tbsp., the Cajun seasoning up to 2 tsps., and added the 1/2 cup of Goya red bean juice that I had strained from the beans before rinsing them. Thanks again, Chungah and team!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! It’s now on our regular rotation of meals! Filling and so easy to make!
This has become a staple at our house. It’s such a delicious meal and so much lower maintenance than some other read beans and rice dishes.
In the photo, is that cojita cheese on top? And how about stirring the rice into the finished bean dish?
It’s rice.
Does this freeze well?
Freezes very well
This is sooo good. I’ve made different recipes before, but this is the best one by far. I forgot to add the hot sauce, but I didn’t realize it, so it’s great without it. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
This recipe is the best red beans and rice ever! It has the perfect amount of seasoning and I plan on making it again and again.
what type of sausages do you guys use?
Smoked andouille sausage as recommended here.
Making this right now. Awesome recipe! Have been making it at least once a month for a few months now. Boyfriend doesn’t like spicy so omitted hot sauce and used turkey kielbasa. Didn’t tell him that I added a little extra Cajun seasoning. My culinary skills aren’t very expert but this easy dinner makes me look like I know my way around a kitchen! Thank you for an uncomplicated recipe that is delicious!
Great flavors for a recipe that is fast and easy to prepare. This is a keeper!
You really did it !!!! Mmmm!!!
Easy, delicious, and brings me back to New Orleans vacations every time. This has definitely become a favourite, thank you for this recipe!
This is amazing. Fits the craving.i never thought I could make delicious red beans and rice first try. I made my own seasoning and used louisiana hot links!
This was soooooo good, even our children liked it. Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe.
This recipe is delicious, and I am not a Southerner. Try it, you’ll like it!
This was incredible!! Most red bean and rice recipies take hours but this came together relatively quickly and was packed with flavor!! Definitely adding it to the winter rotation!
This was delicious. I veganized the recipe by substituting vegetable broth and Beyond Meat brat sausages. So yummy!
Very delicious! Even better the next day and freezes great. I add a cornstarch slurry to it to make it thicker but otherwise, I follow the recipe exactly. A family favorite!
AMAZING recipe! Takes a lot of forethought to time everything correctly but worth the work. For example, you don’t really need to start cooking rice until the base recipe is ready to come to a boil. Otherwise the rice sits for like 30+min. Recipe itself is hearty, a little spicy, and very nutritious.
My family and I have this at least once a month or as often as twice a week! It’s amazing! When I cook this I make a triple batch plus 2 cans of black beans, use New Orleans seasoning in addition to the other seasonings and add an extra beef Kalbausa. I spelled it as close as possible. It’s absolutely wonderful! I make a triple batch and that leaves about 1 batch for left overs. It’s even better the next day!! Oh, I also thicken it a bit more with a corn starch white wash. Thank you for this! It’s going to be a passed down recipe!!
I’d eat it every week