Red beans and rice is a classic Louisiana dish made with dried red beans, spicy smoked sausage, and chopped vegetables cooked low and slow with a couple of unexpected ingredients added to really turn up the flavor. This dish is comforting, hearty, and loaded with flavor!
I grew up just three hours outside New Orleans and have several friends and family members living in the Big Easy. I've been to New Orleans more times than I can count and have had my fair share of authentic Cajun and Creole food.
This red beans and rice recipe was adapted from my aunt's recipe who lives right outside New Orleans, and the flavors in this dish are magnificent! For more Cajun and Creole recipes, check out our Crawfish Etouffee and Cajun Shrimp and Grits recipes next!
Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
- Dried red beans or kidney beans. Dried beans are soaked overnight for this recipe. I recommend Louisiana Camelia Red Beans!
- Extra virgin olive oil. To cook the veggies and sausage.
- Spicy smoked pork sausage. Louisiana-style spicy smoked pork sausage and Andouille work great for this recipe, but you can also use mild pork, beef, or turkey smoked sausage.
- Yellow onion. For added flavor.
- Green bell pepper. For flavor and freshness.
- Celery. For freshness and flavor. Gotta have the "holy trinity" (onion, bell pepper, and celery) in Cajun cooking!
- Fresh garlic. A must-have!
- Fresh jalapenos. This is not a traditional Louisiana ingredient, but trust me on this one!
- Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper. Plenty of spices and herbs add plenty of flavor to this dish.
- Worcestershire sauce. Again, not a traditional ingredient but it adds delicious depth and flavor!
- Liquid smoke. Traditional red beans are typically cooked with a smoked ham hock, which we are not using in this recipe. The addition of liquid smoke gives us the same smokiness we would get from smoked pork.
- Bay leaves. To enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Low sodium chicken stock. For added flavor while simmering the beans.
- Water. To cook the beans.
- Cooked white rice. Red beans and rice is traditionally served over white rice.
- Fresh chopped parsley and greens onions. For serving.
How To Make This Recipe
- Rinse and pick through the beans, removing any misshapen or discolored beans and any small pebbles. Place the red beans in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover the beans by about 3 inches.
- Cover the pot and allow the beans to soak overnight at room temperature. Discard the soaking water and rinse the beans before cooking them.
- Heat the olive oil in a 6 to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapenos and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Season the sausage and veggies with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook while stirring with a wooden spoon for about a minute.
- Add the red beans, chicken stock, water, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and bay leaves. Give everything a good stir, allow the ingredients to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the beans for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- After 1 ½ hours, smash some of the beans against the pot with the back of the wooden spoon. Cover the pot and cook the beans for another hour until very tender. Add more water as needed if the beans become too dry.
- Discard the bay leaves and serve red beans and rice over white rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and green onions if desired.
How To Soak Red Beans
Dried red beans must be soaked to ensure they cook completely and evenly. It is also said that soaking the beans helps them become more easily digestible.
To properly soak dried red beans, first, pick through the beans and discard any misshapen or discolored beans and any small pebbles. Place the beans in a large pot, cover the beans with about 3 inches of water, and soak the beans, covered, overnight at room temperature.
The next morning, drain and rinse the beans and discard the soaking liquid. Your beans are now ready to cook.
More FAQs
Yes! Red beans and rice is a very healthy dish and is packed with protein, fiber, and many vitamins and minerals. Just be mindful of the amount of sodium and fat in the meat you use.
While they are often referred to interchangeably, red beans and kidney beans are two different types of beans. Red beans are smaller and more of a pinkish color than kidney beans. The flavor is also slightly different.
Red beans are done when they are tender and creamy. The best way to check red beans for doneness is to taste a few. If you can easily smash a bean against the roof of your mouth with your tongue, your beans are done.
What To Serve With Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice is a hearty dish that can serve as a complete meal all on its own. But if you really to serve up a Southern/Cajun feast, serve red beans and rice with some of the following:
- Louisiana red beans and rice tastes phenomenal served with delicious bread like Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits, Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins, or Sweet Potato Cornbread.
- Vegetables like Southern Fried Okra, Southern Green Beans, or Southern Collard Greens make great accompaniments to red beans and rice.
- Serve red beans and rice with some classic southern desserts like Bread Pudding, New Orleans King Cake, or New Orleans Beignets.
Make Ahead and Storing Instructions
Red beans and rice reheats well and can be made a day or two in advance, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated on the stovetop when ready to serve. Add more liquid as needed so that the beans are creamy when served.
Leftover red beans and rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recommended Tools for This Recipe
More Cajun Recipes You Will Love!
- Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
- Easy Cajun Salmon
- Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- New Orleans Remoulade Sauce
- Cajun Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage
- Creamy Cajun Mushroom Pasta
- Authentic Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
📖 Recipe
Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried red beans or kidney beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 pound spicy smoked pork sausage such as andouille, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh jalapenos seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 4-5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups cooked white rice for serving
- Freshly chopped parsley and green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pick through the beans, removing any misshapen or discolored beans and any small pebbles. Place the red beans in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover the beans by about 3 inches.
- Cover the pot and allow the beans to soak overnight at room temperature. Discard the soaking water and rinse the beans before cooking them.
- Heat the olive oil in a 6 to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapenos and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Season the sausage and veggies with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook while stirring with a wooden spoon for about a minute.
- Add the red beans, chicken stock, water, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and bay leaves. Give everything a good stir, allow the ingredients to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the beans for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- After 1 ½ hours, smash some of the beans against the pot with the back of the wooden spoon. Cover the pot and cook the beans for another hour until very tender. Add more water as needed if the beans become too dry.
- Discard the bay leaves and serve red beans and rice over white rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and green onions if desired.
Notes
- Louisiana-style spicy smoked pork sausage and Andouille work great for this recipe, but you can also use mild pork, beef, or turkey smoked sausage.
- Leftover red beans and rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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