Red Beans and Rice

Do you love New Orleans style cooking? Then this Red Beans and Rice is an absolute MUST in your repertoire!

One of the most iconic NOLA dishes, it’s an easy and budget friendly meal that is super tasty and super satisfying.

This Cajun classic delivers big time on flavors!

Have you noticed that we love Cajun and Creole cuisines? We’ve cooked up some crackers here on GypsyPlate like Grillades and Grits, Shrimp Creole, and their favorite street food, Yakamein.

But perhaps no dish better represents their everyday home cooking like Red Beans and Rice. It’s pure comfort food, perfect for any night of the week.

Cook this up in your own kitchen, and be ready to get hooked!

Why We Love Red Beans and Rice

• It’s super tasty, thanks to andouille sausage and a good dose of Creole seasoning.
• As with other bean recipes, like our Cannellini Beans and Habichuelas Guisadas, it’s very easy on the pockets.
• With healthy protein and a good dose of veggies, it’s a healthy complete meal.
• It’s very easy to make, and can feed a big crowd.

Red Beans and Rice Ingredients

• Red beans – We are using canned, but will include directions for dried as well.
• Andouille sausage – A big flavor contributor. If you can’t find it, use other smoked sausage, like kielbasa.
• Veggies – Onion, celery and green bell pepper. The “Holy Trinity” of Louisiana cooking.
• Chicken broth
• Tomato paste
• Seasonings – Creole seasoning and bay leaves.
• White rice – We use basmati.

How to Make Red Beans and Rice

Brown up the sausage with a little oil, then remove to a plate.

Add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Sauté till it becomes soft.

Add the tomato paste, garlic and Creole seasoning. Cook 3-4 minutes.

Tip: Look for a lower sodium Creole seasoning, as some store bought brands are way too salty. Or better yet, make your own Homemade Creole Seasoning.

Return the sausage to the pan, along with drained beans, chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a low simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.

While the beans are simmering, cook the rice according to the directions on the package.

Serve up a generous portion of both red beans and rice.

How to Prep Dried Red Beans

If using dried beans, they must first be soaked and cooked. For this recipe, use about 1.5 cups of dried beans

Add the beans to a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water. Soak at least 8 hours.

Drain, then refill the pot with water. Salt generously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours, or until the beans are soft to your liking.

Variations

• Replace the sausage with ham or bacon. Not traditional, but still super yum.
• You can make it entirely vegan friendly by omitting the sausage and replacing the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Make it spicier by adding hot sauce or red chili flakes.
• Add other veggies like carrots. Again, not traditional, but they’re your beans!

Leftovers and Storage

Red beans and rice make great leftovers. Refrigerate the beans and rice separately in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat on stovetop, or in the microwave, with a splash of additional water added to the beans.

TIP: Cooked rice can grow bacteria quickly if not kept at proper temperature. After cooking, allow rice to come to room temperature, then refrigerate within one hour.

The red beans also freeze great in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge the day before eating them, and serve with fresh rice.

Cook up a big batch of New Orleans red beans and rice in your kitchen. We’re sure it will become one of your favorite comfort foods.

Make sure to save or pin this recipe, so you always know where to find it. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new recipes for you!

Red Beans and Rice, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other great Cajun and Creole recipes!
Jambalaya Soup
Dirty Rice
Cochon de Lait
Shrimp Remoulade
Maque Choux
Pastalaya

Red Beans and Rice

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This Red Beans and Rice recipe is pure New Orleans comfort food. It's an easy and budget friendly weeknight dinner full of flavor.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 14oz andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp Creole seasoning
• 3 cans red beans, drained
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 cups white rice (uncooked)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook till brown on both sides. Remove to a plate.
2. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Sauté till it becomes soft.
3. Add the tomato paste, garlic and Creole seasoning. Cook 3-4 minutes.
4. Return the sausage to the pan, along with drained beans, chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a low simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.
5. While the beans are simmering, cook the rice according to the directions on the package.
6. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 325Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 32mgSodium 654mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 5gSugar 2gProtein 14g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.