Louisiana red beans rice (Print)
Smoky sausage and tender red beans slow-cooked with spices, served atop fluffy white rice.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 12 oz smoked andouille sausage, sliced
02 - 7 oz smoked ham hock or bone-in pork shank
→ Beans
03 - 2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
04 - 1 bay leaf
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 2 spring onions, sliced
→ Liquids
10 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
14 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1 tsp salt
16 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
18 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
19 - Tabasco or hot sauce
→ Rice
20 - 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
21 - 4 cups water
22 - 1/2 tsp salt
# How to Make:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and ham hock; cook until sausage browns, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Return sausage to the pot. Add soaked beans, ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, oregano, and salt. Pour in chicken stock or water and bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and mixture is creamy. Add more water if liquid reduces too much.
05 - Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed. Let sit covered 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
06 - Remove ham hock and bay leaf from beans. Mash some beans against pot side for creamier texture if desired. Adjust seasoning with salt and hot sauce to taste.
07 - Spoon red beans over mounds of hot white rice. Garnish with spring onions and parsley. Serve with extra hot sauce on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This is the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd throughout the week.
- The slow simmer creates an incredibly creamy base without any added dairy, letting the beans natural starch do all the work.
02 -
- Soak your beans overnight. I learned the hard way that quick-soaking methods just dont give you the same creamy texture in the final dish.
- The beans will continue to thicken as they sit. If you are making this ahead, plan to add a splash of water when reheating.
03 -
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. The even heat distribution prevents scorching at the bottom where the beans settle.
- Season in layers. Taste at different stages of cooking because the flavors concentrate as the liquid reduces.