Description
Enjoy the flavors of the Big Easy with this hearty and comforting dish of New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice. Tender red kidney beans simmered with aromatic vegetables and spices, served over fluffy white rice – a classic Creole favorite!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Red Beans:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- Chopped green onions for garnish
- Hot sauce for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic and cook briefly.
- Cook Beans: Add soaked beans, water or broth, seasonings, and simmer for 2-2.5 hours, mashing some beans to thicken.
- Add Sausage: Brown sausage separately, add to beans, and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves, serve beans over rice, and garnish with green onions and hot sauce.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and use vegetable broth.
- You can use canned red beans for a quicker version—reduce simmer time to 45 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
