Red Beans and Rice (Printable)
Smoky sausage and tender red beans simmered with bell pepper, celery and spices; served over fluffy white rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 10 oz smoked Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
→ Vegetables & Beans
02 - 2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
03 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 bell pepper, cored and chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 bay leaves
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Cooking Liquid & Seasonings
11 - 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
→ For Serving
15 - 2 cups long-grain white rice, cooked according to package instructions
16 - 2 spring onions, sliced (optional garnish)
# How To Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sliced sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - In the same pot with the residual drippings, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
03 - Stir in the soaked and drained kidney beans, bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the beans are just tender and cooked through.
05 - Return the browned sausage to the pot. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, using the back of a spoon to mash some beans against the side of the pot to naturally thicken the broth. Season generously with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaves. Ladle the hot red beans and sausage over cooked long-grain white rice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and sliced spring onions if desired. Serve with hot sauce on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beans practically make their own gravy as they cook, so you get that rich, saucy texture without any flour or complicated techniques.
- It feeds six people from a single pot, which means fewer dishes and more time to actually enjoy your evening.
02 -
- Adding salt too early can toughen the bean skins and leave you waiting much longer for them to soften, so save the serious seasoning for the final twenty minutes.
- The mashed beans trick is not optional if you want that thick, gravy-like consistency people expect from this dish.
03 -
- If you forgot to soak the beans overnight, use the quick soak method by boiling them for two minutes then letting them sit covered for one hour.
- Use a heavy bottomed pot like a Dutch oven because it distributes heat evenly and prevents scorching during the long simmer.