Red Beans and Rice

5 from 13 votes

Thick and creamy Red Beans and Rice with smoky Andouille sausage, fall apart ham hock, aromatics, a kick of spice and fresh herbs. So much flavour!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 40

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Red beans, Red beans and rice

Servings: serves

Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

1 pound dried red beans
1/4 cup olive oil
13 ounces andouille sausage sliced about 1/2-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
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper or to taste, optional
3 sprigs thyme
1 meaty smoked ham hock or ham shanks, about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons green onions chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper or to taste

US - Metric

Instructions

Rinse the dried red beans thoroughly under cool water. Transfer them to a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Let them soak overnight. When ready to cook, drain the beans, give them a final rinse, and set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced Andouille sausage and cook until browned and fragrant, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to get color on all sides.
Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot with the sausage. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and aromatic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Sprinkle in the Italian herbs, Cajun seasoning, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and toss in the thyme sprigs. Stir everything well to coat. Add the soaked red beans, ham hock, water, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender and the broth has thickened.
Once the beans are cooked through, remove the ham hock from the pot. Shred the meat off the bone, discarding any skin and fat. Return the shredded meat to the pot along with chopped parsley. Let it simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes to meld the flavors. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves.
Ladle the red beans over bowls of warm cooked rice. Top with freshly chopped green onions and a splash of hot sauce or Tabasco if desired for that signature Southern kick.

Notes

TIPS

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.

CAN I COOK RED BEANS IN A CROCKPOT?

Absolutely! Grab your slow cooker and get it cookin'!

Brown sausage first for added flavour, then sauté the holy trinity. Transfer all ingredients (except parsley) plus an additional 2 cups of water to a 6-quart slow cooker bowl and cook on high heat for 6-8 hours. (There's no need to soak the beans when slow cooking).

HOW TO MAKE RICE

For 4-5 servings you need:

2 cups water
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.

Nutrition