Description
This classic Creole dish, Red Beans and Rice, features tender red kidney beans simmered with aromatic vegetables, smoked spices, and andouille sausage, served over fluffy white rice. It’s a hearty, comforting meal perfect for any day of the week and embodies the rich flavors of Southern Louisiana cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
Beans & Broth
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
Protein
- 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced
To Serve
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- Chopped green onions
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Add Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper (if using), black pepper, and salt. Cook for an additional minute until the spices release their aroma.
- Combine Beans and Broth: Add the soaked and drained red kidney beans, 6 cups of water or low-sodium chicken broth, and the bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Add Sausage and Simmer: Add the sliced andouille sausage to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and creamy. Add more water if the mixture becomes too thick during cooking.
- Finish and Thicken: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon to create a thicker, creamier consistency.
- Serve: Spoon the red beans and sausage over cooked white rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with hot sauce on the side for added heat.
Notes
- For a quicker version, substitute canned red kidney beans (about 3 cans drained and rinsed) and reduce the simmering time to approximately 30 minutes.
- To make this dish vegetarian, omit the andouille sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce if a spicier dish is desired.
- This recipe can be prepared in advance and reheated, as the flavors develop even more after resting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Creole, Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
