Red Beans and Rice (stovetop, authentic cajun recipe) (2024)

Savor the taste of New Orleans with this simple yet delicious red beans and rice recipe. Perfect for bringing a piece of Southern Louisiana charm to your kitchen table.

This red beans and rice is perfect for upcoming Mardi Gras, Super Bowl or anytime! We eat this all times of the year, whenever we get a craving for delicious cajun cooking.

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Side note: if you prefer slow cooking or pressure cooking be sure and check out the other versions of this recipe:

• Instant Pot red beans and rice can be made in the pressure cooker
• Slow cooker red beans and rice is made in the crock pot/ slow cooker

How to Make Red Beans and Rice

First, gather your ingredients.

Ingredients

For best taste, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to.

To make this Red Beans and Rice recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• Small red beans (dry beans, dry red kidney beans work well as a sub if you can’t find the small red beans in your local grocery store)
• salt and black pepper
• Avocado oil
• Onion
• Bell pepper
• Celery stalks
• Garlic
• Andouille sausage (chicken, turkey, beef or pork)
• White pepper (optional – still very good without it)
• Hot sauce
• Fresh or dried thyme
• Bay leaves
• Cooked rice – white rice, brown rice, or your favorite rice
• Green onions – optional, for garnish

Adding ingredients like smoked sausage or a ham bone/ ham hock can give this dish an extra depth of flavor. The spicy andouille sausage is important because it flavors the dish. Subbing chicken broth for the water is also a great way to add even more flavor, if you wish.

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 creole seasoning (such as Tony Chacherie’s) 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.

I do not recommend using canned beans for this recipe. The texture will not work out well.

Cooking Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Rice is a simple recipe that can be made in just a few simple steps. Here is how to make it.

Rinse the kidney beans and drain. To a large dutch oven pot (or other soup pot), add the beans, water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes. Alternatively, soak overnight in water. Strain the beans through a colander and set beans aside.

In the now-empty pot, turn the heat to medium, and add the avocado oil, onions, pepper, celery, garlic, and sausage. Side note: true cajun folks refer to this veggie mixture (celery + onion + pepper) as the holy trinity since it is the base of so many wonderful cajun dishes. Sauté for 15 minutes, mixing occasionally.

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. When there is 30 minutes remaining, use a potato masher to mash up some of the beans. This helps thicken the bean mixture.

Cook the rice in a separate pot, according to package directions. I used white jasmine rice and cooked it in my rice cooker.

Tip: Taste test the bean mixture prior to serving, and see if you want to add any more salt.

Serve the beans mixture with a scoop of rice (about a cup or so). Garnish with sliced green onion and serve some extra hot sauce on the side.

Leftovers

So how long does red beans and rice last in the refrigerator? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This recipe makes fantastic leftovers, and we really enjoy having extra to eat over the next several days.

Always use common sense and good judgement when it comes to leftovers, though! If something looks or smells funky, don’t eat it.

Can I freeze red beans and rice? Yes! I would suggest freezing only the bean mixture alone. To cook it, let it thaw fully, and reheat on the stove. I always make a batch of fresh rice when we do this, and I do not recommend freezing rice.

History of red beans and rice

Red beans and rice is traditional to Louisiana culture, and the back story shines a light on some of the cultural traditions at the time of its origin. Traditionally, ham was often served for Sunday dinner, usually after attending church service. It was customary to prepare a nice big family meal following a church service on Sundays.

The leftover ham bone was saved and used to make a big pot of red beans and rice for the next day on Monday, which was traditionally laundry day. It was convenient to let a big pot of beans cook for a long time without much hands on time needed. It was a reliable, simple dinner that allowed family members to focus on other chores.

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