Red Beans and Rice (stovetop)
Savor the taste of New Orleans with this simple yet delicious red beans and rice recipe. Bring southern Louisiana charm to your table.
Ingredients
- 1 pound small red beans (dried, you can sub red kidneys if needed)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pounds andouille sausage cut into thin slices
- 8 cups water (plus more to pre soak or parboil the beans - enough to cover the beans with an inch over top)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp white pepper optional
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 leaves bay
- 10 cups cooked rice
Instructions
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Rinse the beans and drain.
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To a large dutch oven pot (or other soup pot), add the beans, water, and 1 teaspoon salt.
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Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes. Alternatively, soak overnight in water
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Strain the beans through a colander and set beans aside.
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In the now-empty pot from earlier, turn the heat to medium, and add the avocado oil,
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onions, pepper, celery, garlic and sausage. Saute for 15 minutes, mixing occasionally.
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Next, add the beans back to the pot with 8 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, optional white pepper, hot sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook partially covered for 1 hour. Then, uncover and simmer for 30 minutes.
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When there is 30 minutes remaining, use a potato masher to go in and mash up some of the beans.
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Cook the rice in a separate pot, according to package directions. I used white jasmine rice and cooked it in my rice cooker.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. Nutrition info includes one tenth of the recipe served over 1 cup of cooked rice.
We prefer chicken andouille, which we get at Sprouts or Costco. Any type of andouille works. I know many of you (especially in Alabama where I live!) prefer Conecuh, which also works. You just have to brown it first and remove from the pot before cooking the veggies. Add back prior to brining to a boil.Tip: you may need to add some extra cajun seasoning if you use non-andouille sausage to get that same cajun flavor.
For those on a plant-based diet, vegan red beans are an option by omitting the sausage (add some extra cajun seasoning for additional flavor), or using a plant-based andouille sausage as a substitute.
This recipe uses avocado oil, which is my go to. It can be subbed with vegetable oil or oil of choice.
Subbing water with broth or stock gives this additional flavor.