Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe – A faster version of traditional Creole red beans and rice, this hearty recipe is made with smoked sausage, red kidney beans, and vegetables such as onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Filled with the same bold and delicious Cajun spices as traditional red beans and rice, the whole family will love this comforting Louisiana classic.
Cajun food will forever be one of my favorite cuisines to cook and eat! From classic recipes including jambalaya and gumbo to more creative fusions like this spicy Cajun sausage and chicken skillet or this creamy Cajun shrimp pasta.
Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe
As I mentioned, this is not how traditional red beans and rice is made in Louisiana. I will eventually include an authentic red beans and rice recipe here for you guys, but for now, I wanted to start with this “easy” version. This is a recipe anyone can make any day of the week. All in, it takes about an hour to make but approximately a third of the cooking time is spent allowing your red beans to simmer.
Before we get started, a few simple notes:
- This recipe has the potential to be extremely spicy. Hopefully, you love spicy foods as much as I do and this won’t be a problem. If you’re sensitive to spicy food, pick a smoked sausage that is mild (generally speaking, andouille sausage is on the spicier side). Also, careful with the cayenne as it is made from dried and ground hot chili peppers.
- As the name implies, this dish is traditionally served with rice. Any kind of long-grain white rice is perfect, but honestly, feel free to serve this with whatever you’re craving, like brown rice, quinoa or couscous.
- I have never tried Popeye’s red beans and rice so I definitely cannot even begin to compare the two.
- Feel free to mash some beans and softened veggies together with a fork. This will create a creamier texture and appearance, but the taste will be the same.
What is Red Beans and Rice?
Some of you may be wondering what true, authentic, red beans and rice actually is (and how this recipe differs). This is an awesome question.
Red beans and rice is a symbolic dish of Louisiana Creole cuisine. Traditionally made on Mondays, this comforting dish would be made using the leftover pork bones from Sunday’s dinner – ham was traditionally reserved for Sundays. It would also include red beans, vegetables like bell pepper, onion, and celery, and spices including thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. You may also find other meats such as ham and andouille or Chorizo sausage in many red bean and rice recipes.
In traditional New Orleans red beans and rice:
- Canned beans are never used. Instead, dry red beans are soaked overnight and simmered the next day.
- Once the stewed beans and vegetables are cooked and softened, part of the mixture (this varies from cook to cook) will be mashed with a fork creating a creamy, comforting, delicious recipe.
- Smoked sausage is great, but ham hocks or ham shanks were often added when simmering the beans. Any extra meat from the bones would be picked off and all the flavor from the bones would infuse with the beans.
- It wasn’t intended to be a fast-cooking meal. It was a cook-all-day kind of dinner.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Brown the sausage.
For best results, you’ll want to quickly sear your sausage before cooking any of the veggies. The reason? Flavor! Afterward, use the leftover fat in the pot to cook your delicious vegetables and really pump up the flavor.
To brown your sausage simply heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven (this is the one I used to make this recipe) or pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Once hot, add the sausage to the in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes before flipping to brown on the other side. Remove sausage from the skillet, leave any fat behind, and set aside.
Step 2. The “holy trinity” (mirepoix).
To the same pot over medium-low heat add the last tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the minced onions, bell pepper, and celery, mixing well to combine. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not burn. In this step, we want to cook these vegetables low and slow.
- What is this “holy trinity” I keep referring to? The backbone of Cajun and Creole cooking, the holy trinity is a variant of the French mirepoix. Unlike mirepoix, the holy trinity is made with equal parts onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Variations may include aromatics such as garlic, parsley, or shallots.
Next, add the minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and continue to cook for 1 more minute or just enough time to lightly toast the spices.
Step 3. Red beans and broth.
Add in the drained red beans, bay leaves, and broth (or water) to your pot. You may use any variation of broth you like including chicken, beef, vegetable, or even bone broth. Mix well to combine and add additional liquid if needed. Increase to medium-high heat and bring the red beans to a low boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 4. Prepare your rice.
This is the only way I will cook plain rice. It’s how my mother-in-law taught me many years ago when I kept cooking pot after pot of gluey, soggy white rice.
- Wash the rice. Before cooking any rice or rice recipe you always want to wash the rice. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer or in a bowl and wash with clean water several times.
- Add the rice to a medium saucepot. Add a pinch of salt and fill with water so that the rice is covered by approximately 2 inches of liquid. Bring to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
- Check the progress of the rice every 5 minutes. If you can squish it between your fingers, it’s done.
- Drain the rice in a fine-mesh strainer (similar to how you would cook and drain pasta) and transfer the rice back to the pot. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Step 5. Return the sausage.
Return the sausage back to the pot and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Now is also a good time to check if you want to add more cayenne pepper to increase the heat level.
Step 6. Serve.
Serve approximately 1 cup of beans and sausage in a shallow bowl topped with approximately equal amounts of rice. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, if desired.
What Goes With Red Beans and Rice
- Cornbread or biscuits
- Corn on the cob
- Coleslaw or a simple green salad
- Roasted or steamed vegetables
- Spicy collard greens (with or without bacon)
Can I Cook this Easy Red Beans Recipe in the Crockpot?
Yes, you can easily cook this in your slow cooker. For best results, I recommend browning your sausage and cooking your vegetables in a large pot (steps 1 and 2) on the stovetop first before transferring everything to your Crockpot.
Find the full instructions for cooking this red beans and rice recipe in the crockpot in the notes rection of the recipe card below.
More Cajun Recipes,
Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets (oven and grill)
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
If you try making this red beans and rice recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 pound Smoked Andouille Sausage (sliced into 1/2-inch rounds)
- 2 medium yellow onions (diced)
- 3 ribs celery (diced)
- 2 green bell peppers (stemmed, seeded and diced)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1.5 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (plus more if desired )
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 cans red kidney beans (drained, not rinsed)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups water or broth ((chicken stock, vegetable or beef broth), plus more as needed)
- 2 cups white rice (cooked according to package instructions or see notes below)
- Optional garnishes: (chopped parsley, green onions, cilantro, or hot sauce (like Tabasco))
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Once hot, add the sausage to the in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes before flipping to brown on the other side (see notes). Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
- The "holy trinity" (mirepoix). To the same pot over medium-low heat add the last tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the minced onions, bell pepper, and celery, mixing well to combine. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Red beans and broth. Add in the drained red beans, bay leaves, and broth (or water) to your pot. Mix well to combine and add additional liquid if needed. Increase heat and bring the red beans to a low boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Return the sausage. Return the sausage back to the pot and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve. Serve approximately 1 cup of beans and sausage in a shallow bowl topped with approximately equal amounts of rice. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, if desired.
Jessica's Notes
- Wash the rice. Before cooking any rice or rice recipe you always want to wash the rice. Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer or in a bowl and wash with clean water several times.
- Add the rice to a medium saucepot. Add a pinch of salt and fill with water so that the rice is covered by approximately 2 inches of liquid. Bring to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
- Check the progress of the rice every 5 minutes. If you can squish it between your fingers, it’s done. Drain any remaining liquid from the rice, transfer the rice back to the pot, fluff, and cool for a few minutes.
To cook this red beans and rice recipe in the crockpot:
- Follow steps 1 & 2 as outlined above.
- Transfer the browned sausage, softened vegetables and spices, drained beans, bay leaves, and broth to the bowl of your slow cooker. Mix well to combine.
- Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-4 hours.
- Serve with desired garnishes like parsley, cilantro, or hot sauce and rice.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
My family isn’t too fond of celery, will it make a big difference if I don’t include it.
No worries Victoria, you can exclude the celery 🙂 . But do keep in mind that celery is a core ingredient for the overall flavor of this dish.
This recipe sounds great… and I sure want to try it…. I hope you can tell me……… is there another type of beans I can use besides Kidney. I do not like the taste, and in my chili I always use chili beans… and the substitution works good…. I am wondering if you can recommend another bean I might use. I just discovered your site, and am thrilled with all the recipes (love all your pre recipe information, as although I am 70, only the last year, cooking has become a passion. and I so appreciate your tips, knowledge and ideas….. thank you… I’ll be writing recipe cards all night, I’m sure.
Hi Nancy,
I haven’t tried to substitute the red beans in this dish before, but I think a substitution could be white cannellini beans. Good luck and please let me know how it turns out 🙂