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Red Beans And Rice Recipe

Red Beans and Rice

Creamy New Orleans-style red beans slowly simmered with smoky sausage, ham hock and the holy trinity of vegetables, served over fluffy white rice. A budget-friendly, make-ahead dinner that tastes better the next day.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Soak time 8 hours
Total Time 10 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 8 (unit: servings)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beans
  • 1 lb 450 g dried small red beans or red kidney beans
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 12 oz 340 g andouille or smoked sausage, sliced into coins
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 smoked ham hock about 1 lb / 450 g
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 6 cups 1.4 L chicken broth or water, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce optional
To serve
  • 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
  • Sliced green onions
  • Hot sauce

Equipment

  • Large heavy pot or Dutch oven (6 quarts or larger)
  • Large bowl for soaking
  • Colander
  • Sharp knife and cutting board
  • Wooden spoon and ladle
  • Potato masher
  • Medium pot with lid for rice
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Rinse the beans and pick out any stones or broken pieces. Place them in a large bowl, cover with water by 3 inches and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse.
  2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and starting to turn golden.
  4. Stir in the garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, cayenne and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  5. Add the drained beans, ham hock, bay leaves, broth and Worcestershire sauce, if using. Stir to combine.
  6. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and boil hard for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam.
  7. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes and adding water or broth if the pot looks dry, until the beans are completely tender and creamy.
  8. Remove the ham hock and bay leaves. Shred the meat from the hock, discard the skin and bone, and return the meat to the pot.
  9. Mash about 1 cup of the beans and stir them back in to thicken the pot.
  10. Add the browned sausage and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and hot sauce.
  11. Serve hot over rice, topped with green onions and a few drops of hot sauce.

Notes

  • Always boil dried red kidney beans hard for at least 10 minutes before simmering. Undercooked red kidney beans can cause illness.
  • Soak the beans overnight, or use the quick soak: boil 2 minutes, then stand covered for 1 hour.
  • Mash some beans for the creamy texture the dish is known for.
  • Taste for salt at the end, since the sausage, ham hock and broth are salty.
  • The pot thickens as it cools. Add water or broth when reheating.
  • Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze (without rice) for up to 3 months.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage and ham hock, use vegetable broth and add extra smoked paprika.
  • Contains pork. Check sausage and Worcestershire sauce labels for wheat and other allergens.
Tip: If the beans still taste firm after 2 hours, keep simmering. Age and variety of dried beans make cooking time vary.