This Red Beans and Rice recipe is classic Louisiana comfort food dish, with perfectly spiced beans simmered slowly in a pot with smoked andouille sausage, onions, bell peppers and celery, served up with rice for surprisingly complex flavor.
Recipe for Red Beans and Rice
Red Beans and Rice is a dish that needs a special place in your go-to recipe box. Huge on flavor, easily adjustable, and infinitely satisfying, it works as a simple weeknight meal, a hearty weekend side dish, or as a way to fill up the bellies of your hungriest party goers.
It also freezes wonderfully, so you can make an extra large batch like I do and freeze some for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week.
Bonus for me! And you!
The great thing about red beans and rice is that your beans and other ingredients sit in a pot and simmers until the beans are soft and creamy, and all those amazing flavors mingle and develop.
Then, you simply serve it over cooked rice.
There is hardly any work for you. Isn't that great? I'll take an EASY recipe any day of the week.
The Story of Red Beans and Rice
Red Beans and Rice is traditionally cooked on Mondays in the south, where southern cooks were able to use some of the leftover stew meat and/or bones from their Sunday night suppers. It was also popular on Fridays during Catholic lent, made without meat.
It's really transformed over the years, where now Cajun or Creole style Red Beans and Rice is made with andouille smoked sausage and/or smoked ham, though other meats are certainly welcomed in this dish.
It truly is a southern staple dish, so hearty and satisfying, a signature of New Orleans and Cajun cuisine.
Let's talk about how to make red beans and rice, shall we?
Red Beans and Rice Ingredients
- Vegetables. Onion, Celery, Green Bell Pepper (I use Jalapeno Pepper for some spicy heat), Garlic.
- Meats. Smoked Ham (or use ham hock), Andouille Sausage.
- Seasonings. Cajun seasoning blend, dried thyme, dried sage, salt and black pepper.
- Beans. Use dried red beans for this recipe, though you can use canned. Red kidney beans can be used.
- Liquids. Chicken broth or chicken stock, apple cider vinegar. You can also use water.
- Rice. White rice is ideal.
- Extras. Olive oil for cooking, chopped parsley for serving.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice - the Recipe Method
First, heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil. Heat the oil.
Add the onion, peppers and celery and cook them until softened, about 5 minutes. This is your Cajun holy trinity of vegetables.
Add the garlic and smoked ham and cook another minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the andouille sausage, Cajun seasonings, bay leaves, thyme, sage, red beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
Simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender and slightly creamy. It could take longer. Just keep testing to your desired doneness.
If the dish starts to dry out, add a bit more stock or water and simmer until done. Cooking times can vary a bit depending on the beans and cooking temperatures.
NOTE: This dish is easy to make in a slow cooker as well.
Stir in the vinegar and mash up the beans a bit with a spoon, if desired, for a creamier consistency.
Serve over rice and garnish with chopped parsley.
I always serve it with some hot sauce on the side for those who want to spice it up a little. So good with hot sauce!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Recipe Variations. I used smoked andouille sausage and smoked ham for my recipe, though other meats are welcomed here. Try smoked turkey or leftover turkey. Bacon is good, as well as boudin, or ham hocks, or pickled ham. It works great with chicken, too.
- Ham Bone. Try simmering the whole pot with a ham bone for some outstanding flavor. You can also vary up your seasonings here, with your favorite Cajun or Creole seasoning blend.
- The Beans. Also, red beans are traditional here, per the recipe name, but you can make this with other beans, such as kidney beans.
- Dried or Canned Beans. Regarding the beans, I like to use dried beans, then soak them overnight in a large bowl. See below for how to do that. However, canned beans will work for this recipe as well. You just won't need to simmer the pot as long.
- The Rice. I cook mine without rice and serve it over rice, sometimes as the meal, though you can cook the rice into the pot the last half hour or so. When serving as a side, I cook the rice into the pot.
- Seasonings. Feel free to use other seasonings to your preference, like Creole seasonings, cayenne pepper for extra heat, bay leaves and even green onions for garnish.
NOTE: Pickled pork is an often used ingredients with Red Beans and Rice, but it’s hard to find. Instead, just add a bit of apple cider vinegar to add some vibrancy to the flavor, though this is not required. Purely optional for you.
How to Soak the Beans
First, sort and rinse the beans. Add the rinsed beans to a pot with 6 cups of cold water. Leave it overnight, 6-8 hours for a long soak.
For a quick soak method, add the rinsed beans to a pot with 6 cups of water, then bring to a quick boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Cover and soak for 1 hour. Be careful not to over-soak the beans, or they can split.
NOTE: A 1 pound package of dried beans will result in 5-6 cups of cooked beans.
To Soak or Not to Soak the Beans?
Big discussion here, with opinions for both methods. Soaking can reduce cooking time and softening of the beans.
However, if you drain the beans, you may be losing some of the nutrients from the beans that have leached into the water. Soaking does help to soften the tough bean skins.
I like to add about 3 tablespoons of salt to the cold water for more of a brine when soaking, which helps soften the beans and adds a bit more flavor and creamy bean interiors. Also, some people report experiencing bad gas from unsoaked beans, so consider and decide accordingly.
Cooking time for soaked beans is about 1 hour to soften them up, though it can take longer depending on a number of factors, including the age of the beans.
Storage Information
Store leftover red beans and rice in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze it in sealed containers for 3 months or longer. To enjoy again, thaw in the refrigerator, then gently reheat in a pot and serve.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your Red Beans and Rice! Let me know how it turns out for you!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Cajun and Creole cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes.
- Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of These Other Popular Southern Recipes
- Hoppin' John
- Black Eyed Peas Recipe
- Succotash
- Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Shrimp Creole
- Cajun Shrimp
- Seriously Awesome Jambalaya
- Crockpot Jambalaya
- Maque Choux (Cajun Corn)
- Cajun Boiled Peanuts
- Dirty Rice
- Boudin Balls
- Red Eye Gravy
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS.Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped (optional – I like it for a bit of extra heat)
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound chopped smoked ham (Or use a ham hock instead)
- 1 pound andouille sausage sliced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning blend (or use Creole seasonings)
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound dried red beans (sorted through, rinsed, soaked and drained)
- 6 cups chicken broth (or use water)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (optional, to brighten up the flavor)
- 4 cups cooked white rice for serving
- Chopped parsley for serving
- Hot sauce to taste Use Crystal for a local hot sauce
Instructions
- Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the onion, peppers and celery and cook them until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and smoked ham and cook another minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the andouille sausage, Cajun seasonings, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, red beans and chicken broth. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat.
- Simmer for 90 minutes, or until the beans are tender and slightly creamy. It could take longer. Just keep testing to your desired doneness.
- Stir in the vinegar and mash up the beans a bit with a spoon.
- Serve over rice and garnish with chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This poste was updated on 8/5/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 1/7/19.
Kimberlie Carrell says
This is one of my favorite recipes. I use it all the time. I make it for a crowd or make it and freeze it for just us - as both a main dish and a side dish. We moved way further north a few years ago and I really miss great cajun and creole. I use this as a taste of home. We have used all kinds of leftover meat in this, and a lot of times I'll serve it with sautéed shrimp.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much for sharing this, Kimberlie. I'm very happy you're able to enjoy it.
Vince says
This looks amazing! I'm substituting the chopped ham for ham hocks. What are the cooking variations for using ham hocks? Do I add it the same time as the beans and simmer for the same amount of time? Cook the ham hocks prior to adding to the recipe? Please advise. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Vince, add the ham hock in step 3 (in place of or with the ham), then proceed with the recipe. At the end, you can pick out the bone and shred up the ham. Enjoy!
Debbie says
Lots of intriguing recipes on here! I love red beans and rice, but I'm vegetarian. Is there any way to achieve a similar taste profile without the ham and sausage? Thanks for any suggestions!
Mike Hultquist says
Debbie, you can still get GREAT flavor by skipping the ham and sausage and using a great flavored vegetable broth and extra vegetables (peppers in particular), preferably homemade. Also, mushrooms would bring a nice touch of flavor to the dish. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Aliza H says
Just to add: I've gotten great results from recipes here w/o pork products, adding liquid or powdered umami (coconut aminos, soy sauce, veg Worcestershire, TJs mushroom umami etc) and *esp* liquid smoke! Gotta be careful w/the smoke, but it bridges the gap. Veg "meats" often work. I miss Field Roast Andouille so much, can't find it anywhere! A few are similar but not as perfect for bayou yums. Several good veg-hams out there too, tho I stand by liquid smoke & umami in a pinch (or for less processed food 🙂
PS Litelife makes a killer uncased "sausage" but it's better for Asian IMO.
I hope to make this soon, will rate it when I do - prolly 5⭐, if I mess up a sub it's not the site's fault, tho literally everything here has been good veg.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing, Aliza! I appreciate it!
Kathryn says
If you use canned red beans do you drain them?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, Kathryn, drain them. Enjoy!
Stacy says
how long should I simmer if using canned beans?
Mike Hultquist says
Stacy, you can do 20-30 minutes.
Stacy says
This was delicious, will definitely make again. I used canned beans, and the only issue was I couldn't get the liquid to reduce before the beans would over cook. Next time I will plan ahead and get the dried beans.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed the flavor, Stacy. Next time, if you still want to use canned beans, I believe you can cut the chicken stock in half and use only 3 cups, then see if that is enough liquid for you. You can always adjust a bit from there to your preference.
Liz Streithorst says
This is the recipe I will use from now on. In the past I have used ham hock. I didn't have one but I did have the smoked ham which was better and easier and better. I had to use a Poblano pepper instead of the green pepper. I usually have homemade chicken stock, but since all I had was shrimp stock I used water instead. I have never used sage in Red Beans and rice before, but from now on I will. Thanks so much for a great recipe that even works well with substitutions.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Liz! Thanks for sharing your comments!
Angela says
This is my favorite red beans & rice recipe!! So delicious! It's my go-to recipe now!
Bobby J. says
Do we still use 6 cups of broth even if we are using canned beans that don't need soaked? Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Bobby, yes, use 6 cups for the rice.
greg says
out standing dish, but i use dirty rice as the bed great leftovers for work
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great, Greg! Thanks!
Mikey says
Just to clarify, after boiling do I simmer covered or uncovered. I'm kind of assuming covered but I wanted to make sure.
Mikey says
By the way, I added 1/2tsp ground ghost pepper for a little kick. If this is really good, I may make it again this weekend for guests (without the ghost pepper!).
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great! A nice bit of spicy heat!
Mike Hultquist says
Mikey, simmer uncovered, but if you see it reducing too much and the beans aren't getting tender, cover it to keep more moisture in.
Sammy says
We love this receipe. We just kicked up a notch by adding dry Mexican chilles. We have tried almost all of your receipies.
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, awesome, Sammy! Glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Aly says
Hi from New Zealand! Mike and Patty...made this tonight - YUM! Just delicious. Have bags of chilies in the freezer ready for some of your awesome hot sauce recipes too!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Aly! Glad you enjoyed it!
Bill says
LUV me some RB&R! I've been making it for years following a recipe from the Frug. I will explore your recipe closely.
Funny story: The Frug (in "Cooks American", I think") uses pickled pork and he gives recipe for it, which calls for boiling some chunked up pork butt in a vinegar with pickling spices mixture. It only took me one time to figure out that boiling a large amount of vinegar indoors wasn't a good idea. LOL
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Bill. Yes, I've seen some recipes with pickled pork, a lot like this type of cooking. This is adapted from an Emeril recipe, the way I've landed on making it.
Bill says
The real point of my post wasn't to recommend pickled pork (which I suspect your addition of vinegar covers); it was to point out the folly of boiling vinegar indoors to make pickled pork like I did once. ;«)
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, yes, heard!
Suzanne Whyte says
If you are using canned beans, how many oz or ml do you need? Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Use 3 cans, or ~48 ounces, though 2 cans can be enough. Most cans are about 15 ounces.
JoAnn V says
If you soak your beans, do you use all the soaking water in addition to the chicken stock? How much liquid is too much? I would prefer to use the soaking water for the nutrients but I make my own stock which is also very savory.
Mike Hultquist says
JoAnn, use 10 cups water per 1 pound dried beans for soaking. If you want to use the soaking liquid for the recipe, use 6 cups, per the recipe. Let me know how it goes for you.
AJ says
I use liquid smoke to soak my dry beans and cook 3 hours or mode.
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds awesome to me!
Alex Clemmons says
I'm on a low sodium diet. What can I substitute to lower sod?ium and still have those great flavors? Also can this recipe be done in slow cooker? Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Alex, there are many salt alternatives on the market that you may already be familiar with if you are on a low sodium diet, like "No Salt" or "Green Salt". Let me know what you wind up using. Also, yes, you can make this in a slow cooker, but I would need to test that version. Enjoy.
ann says
I never make red beans the same way twice. The most recent, soon to be shared with neighbors, was made with homemade spicy pickled pork. I make it two ways...traditional with raw and from cooked roast before it starts falling apart. One can add lots of flavor and heat to the meat so it's fun to play with. I love pickled protein from fish to pigs' feet to eggs. Some pickled chix feet I made were well-received at a gathering. Had tons of chile.
A fun discussion would be finding out how your subscribers/followers are using chiles with offal. Especially since we should be more eating nose to tail.
Always fascinating to see what others are cooking up!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Ann!
Charisse says
Would love to try out your recipe tonight! I’ve never cooked with dry beans and only have canned red beans on hand. How long would you recommend simmering the dish with canned beans? Thanks! Looking forward to trying your recipe out! It will be my first time making Red Beans and Rice with smoked sausage!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Charisse. The canned beans really only need to be warmed, so they only need to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or so. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!!
brent says
You created a monster: I've done this successfully with variations quite a few times...but lately for recipes I double-check with you/chilipeppermadness.
Things I NEVER change: dried red (not kidney) beans and saute the holy trinity. All else can be adjusted.
But I had to ask you about a couple things. The vinegar is new to me. Is that for tang? Louis Armstrong always said he added an 8oz can of tomato sauce at the end. This might do the same thing?
I've never seen a recipe without a shake of cayenne. Is Tony Chachere's and jalapeno going to do the job? I never over-salt if I can help it.
I have my red beans soaking now.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Brent. Yes, I love the vinegar for a pop of tangy flavor, though you can adjust. Tomato sauce will be good, too, just not the exact same. Season as desired! Cayenne is great, of course. There is PLENTY of cayenne in my Cajun seasoning blend. Enjoy!
Harry Rosenberg says
My go to recipe for a couple of years now. This is an easy recipe with great flavor.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Wonderful! Thanks, Harry!
Denise Marten says
We tried this recipe mmmmmmmmm will be making it soon!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Enjoy!
Shane says
Just finished eating my second bowl, Wow this is great!! Also love your Chili Verde as well, I roll that up in a huge burrito rapping and Yummy!!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed them!
john says
Great Recipe!! A little dull, but a good spankin' with tabasco and crushed red pepper flakes did the trick.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's the way to spice it up, John! I encourage the use of extra spices to taste wholeheartedly!
John overholser says
Tried this for the first time . Turned out great , would like to find a way to cut back on the sodium ,
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
John, I'm glad it turned out great. I assume the 3 stars is because of the sodium content. Please realize that most of the sodium content comes from the meats - andouille, ham - as well as the chicken broth. If you'd like to reduce the sodium, you can limit the amount of those meats, or substitute one of them with chicken, or a lower sodium version of those meats. You can also purchase low sodium chicken broth. That will make a big difference.
Edward U. says
My entire family loved this recipe. We served it as the main dish and there were no leftovers. A wonderful recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Edward! I greatly appreciate it! It's become of my favorites for sure. I LOVE Cajun cooking.
Mabel says
My mother printed this and brought it to me to make. She said it was the best she's ever had. Thanks, Mike!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's great, Mabel! You're welcome!