Red beans and rice is a classic dish from Louisiana with creamy beans simmered slowly in a pot with smoked ham, andouille sausage, and lots of spices, served with rice for a surprisingly complex flavor.
Red Beans and Rice is a dish that needs a special place in your go-to recipe box. This is a recipe I've been making for years, ever since the first time I fell in love with the cuisine of Louisiana.
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.
What You'll Love About This Recipe
- Big Cajun Flavor. My recipe uses traditional ingredients like andouille sausage, smoked ham, and the "holy trinity" of Cajun cooking - onions, bell peppers, and celery - for a genuine taste of Louisiana.
- You Can Customize the Spice factor: I show how you can adjust spiciness by substituting jalapeno peppers for bell peppers for those who prefer a spicier dish.
- Easy to Make! It's made for easy cooking, simply simmering the ingredients together until the beans are tender and creamy, making it accessible even for novice cooks.
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.
How to Soak the Beans
First, sort and rinse the beans. Add the rinsed beans to a pot with 6 cups of cold water. Soak the beans 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.
Featured Reader Comment
From Trevor: "Made this last night after seeing your post. Did the fast track version with canned beans (sorry, not sorry), and my homemade venison andouille. It was outstanding, and a perfect rainy day dinner. Will definitely add this to the do-again list, which has several recipes from you!"
Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetables. Onion, Celery, Green Bell Pepper (I use Jalapeno Pepper for some spicy heat), Garlic.
- Meats. Smoked Ham (smoked ham hock is awesome), Andouille Sausage.
- Seasonings. Cajun seasoning blend, dried thyme, dried sage, salt and black pepper. You can also use Creole seasoning. Add cayenne pepper for extra spicy.
- 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.
- Rice. White long grain rice is ideal.
- Extras. 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 onions, bell 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.
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!
Slow Cooker Recipe
To make this recipe in a slow cooker, sauté the onions, peppers, celery and garlic in a pan, then transfer to a slow cooker or crock pot with the remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 6-8 hours, or until the beans are cooked through and creamy to your preference.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Recipe Variations. 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.
- Dried or Canned Beans. I like to use dried beans, then soak them overnight in a large bowl. 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.
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.
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!
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 vegetable 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 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, bay leaves, 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.
- Remove bay leaves. 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
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.
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
Try these delicious southern recipes next! Jambalaya, Collard Greens.
NOTE: This poste was updated on 9/25/24 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 1/7/19.
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.