Thick and creamy Red Beans and Rice with smoky Andouille sausage, ham hock and a kick of spice and fresh herbs. You couldn’t ask for more flavour!
Some of the best comfort foods come right out of New Orleans, with Red Beans and Rice being right up there as one of our favourites.
Louisiana-style red beans are simmered nice and slow with cajun spices, creating a delicious, lip-smacking gravy to serve with fresh cooked rice and a hot skillet filled with Buttermilk Cornbread.
RED BEANS AND RICE
Traditionally served on a Monday with cornbread and sweet iced tea, a bowl of red beans and rice is delicious but inexpensive, which is one of the reasons red beans and rice has become so popular.
A heart warming meal that makes you want to curl up under a blanket on a cold winters day with fluffy socks and a jumbo-sized sweater!
Waiting around and smelling all of the spices emanating from your kitchen while it simmers away on your stove is the hardest part! Red beans develop into a rich and creamy gravy, with tender meat falling off the bone and all of the rich flavours melding together.
HOW DO YOU MAKE RED BEANS AND RICE FROM SCRATCH?
Even though the red beans and rice ingredients list may look long and daunting, preparing it is easy. You already know from our Jamalaya recipe and our Beef Bourguignon that a long list of ingredients always returns incredible results!
- ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE or Cajun sausage provides that quintessential smokiness red beans and rice is known for. Kielbasa can also be used if you can’t find andouille. Fry in oil to get the slices lightly browned.
- THE HOLY TRINITY of Cajun and Creole cooking: onion, celery and bell pepper. These aromatic ingredients draw out those essential Southern flavours.
- SPICES can be adjusted or omitted according to your taste. We love adding cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, cumin, paprika, tomato paste and dried Italian herbs to achieve as much flavour as possible. Fry your sausages and veggies in the spices to get those flavours developing.
- HAM HOCK or ham shank creates an incredible ‘stock’ for your red beans, giving you tender, fall-apart meat. Shred it up with two forks and mix the meat through when it’s all done.
- WATER replaces chicken stock or broth called for in most recipes. You don’t need it with that delicious ham hock!
- DRIED KIDNEY BEANS or small red beans.
- FRESH HERBS pull it all together. Red beans cook with fresh thyme, bay leaves and parsley.
HOW TO THICKEN RED BEANS AND RICE
After cooking, the beans will be soft with a creamy consistency. To get them even creamier, transfer a ½ cup of cooked beans to a small bowl. Use a fork to mash, then stir mashed beans back into the pot. Let simmer for a further 10 minutes to get it nice and thick.
Alternatively, use the back of a wooden spoon to smash some of the beans against the side of the pot.
DRIED OR CANNED BEANS?
Dried beans provide an amazing texture for red beans and rice; however, you can use canned beans with a few minor adjustments:
- Leave out the ham hock.
- Use chicken broth or stock instead of water.
- Only add half of the liquid (3 cups instead of 6 cups).
- Reduce cooking time (about 30 minutes simmering in total).
Enjoy!
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried red beans
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 13 ounces andouille sausage sliced about ½-inch thick
- 1 large onion chopped (2 cups chopped)
- 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
- 1 large celery rib chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper or to taste, optional
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 meaty smoked ham hock or ham shanks, about 1 ½ - 2 pounds
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons green onions chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse beans then soak in a large bowl with water overnight. When ready to cook, drain the soaked beans, give them a rinse and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over medium-high heat. Fry sausage until slightly browned while stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Season with tomato paste, Italian herbs, paprika, cajun seasoning, cumin, paprika, cayenne and thyme sprigs. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for a further minute.
- Add the ham hock, water and pre-soaked beans. Season with a pinch of salt to taste (only add about ⅛ teaspoon to start with) and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover pot. Let simmer while stirring occasionally so that the beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot, for about 1 ½ - 2 hours or until beans are tender
- Carefully remove ham hock and shred meat off the bone. Stir the meat back into the pot and discard bone.
- Add parsley and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Taste test and adjust seasonings accordingly. Discard bay leaves and thyme. Serve beans over rice with green onions and hot sauce (or Tabasco sauce).
Notes
- Cover your beans with at least 2-3 inches of cold water overnight.
- You can use canned beans if you wish, but they will not yield the same creamy results.
- Substitute water with chicken stock or broth if omitting ham hock.
- Andouille sausage is the best option in this recipe. It adds a kick of spice and smoky flavour.
- Add more stock or water if the beans become too dry. You want a nice, thick and creamy consistency, NOT watery.
1 cup white long grain rice
1 tablespoon butter (life changing)
A large pinch of salt (1-2 teaspoons)
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add rice, butter and salt.
- Bring pan back to a simmer; lower heat, cover and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until rice is fork-tender and water has fully absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for a further 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork and serve.
Maya says
I have made this recipe countless times. Absolutely delicious and fantastic!
Amy J Coleman says
Hi Katrina,
First of all, I have made so many of your recipes! Thanks so much for all the inspiration!! I made this tonight and instead of ham hock used 3 slices of lightly cooked bacon. Also, to thicken the beans I took a large spoonful of the beans/onion/peppers when soft and mashed them in a bowl to make a sofrito and then added it to the pot of beans and sausage. AMAZING ! I use your recipes weekly !!
Tamsyn Soliai says
Made this tonight and really enjoyed it. Very pleased that I can have the leftovers tomorrow. Love your recipes. Thank you!
Mary Lu says
Oh my stars!!! This will grace our table again and again. I used smoked sausage as the Andouille sausage was unavailable. It worked great. Warming and hearty and creamy and comforting. I think soaking the red beans instead of using canned beans was key to the amazing texture. Thank you for this gem.
Britt says
Incredible! I make this at least once a month in the winter. Best RB&R recipe I’ve had! Thank you for sharing!