Beans and rice is a classic combination with different versions showing up in various cuisines from around the world. One of my favourite versions is this Cajun style red beans and rice dish which is pure comfort food! Though you could easily keep this dish vegetarian, I like adding andouille sausage, or ham, or bacon to make it even heartier and add more flavour! The base of the dish is the classic combo of onions, celery and bell peppers, followed by garlic, paprika, oregano, and thyme, before adding broth, beans and sausage! This recipe uses canned beans so it takes almost no time to make, about as long as it takes to cook the rice. You can serve the red beans on top of the rice, on the side, mixed, in, etc.
The recipe below is a quick and easy one, but you can build up even more flavour by using dried beans and simmering for a couple of hours with a smoked ham hock! Soak the beans overnight, add 4 extra cups of chicken broth, 2 bay leaves and a ham hock and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1-2 hours.
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
A quick, easy and tasty Cajun style red beans and rice with andouille sausage!
ingredients
- 1 cup long grained rice
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced or diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup green pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth (link) (or ham broth (link))
- 2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
directions
- Start cooking the rice as directed on the package.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the sausage and cook until lightly golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, before setting aside.
- Add the onions, celery and green pepper to the pan and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cayenne, paprika, oregano, and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the broth, beans, and sausage, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, mix in the parsley and green onions and enjoy, served over the rice!
Slow Cooker: Implement step 1, optionally implement steps 2 and 3, place everything except the rice, parsley and green onions, in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours.
Option: Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free for gluten-free))!
Option: Add 8 ounces bacon! Cook before the sausage and set aside, reserving bacon grease to cook the sausage in!
Option: Add 1 cup ham, diced, optionally fried, and added along with the broth.
Option: Use cajun seasoning (link)!
Option: Mix the cooked rice into beans!
Option: Puree or mash some of the beans to make it creamy!
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I have a soft spot in my heart for beans and rice. It's one of those meals I can always eat. The ultimate cheap meal and so unbelievably delicious. Great post and fantastic recipe!
This time of year, I'm always craving the flavors of NOLA! I don't know if it's the warmth and comfort, or anticipation of Mardi Gras, but it just seems to fit.
These red beans and rice look perfect for the occasion!
Great picture! I love red beans and rice! It's so packed with great flavor and gets even better as a leftover.
Beans and rice is the ultimate comfort food for me. I love the colors going on in this dish. Your photo is spectacular.
Looks yummy. What about rice and peas? Another classic. I have tried to make it but it never is the same as I get at Mr. Jerk. Sorry…I have jerk on the brain after eating it at lunch today.
This is a delicious way to stretch a dollar for dinner!
I wish I had that recipe a few months ago when my husband and I did a cook-off with secret ingredients… the one he gave me was a ham hock, and I had no idea what to do with it! (To add to the complexity of the task was the fact that I had to make both a main dish AND a dessert using the ingredient…)
All I read was "andouille sausage" and instantly I kept reading. And the colors in your photograph gave new life to boring kidney beans 🙂
–Priyanka
mindlesshealthyrecipes.blogspot.com
Good red beans and rice are awesome comfort food… especially if the weather keeps being nasty! Hope spring is on his way in your neck of the woods too!
This recipe is definitely a classic…can't get any simpler (or more delicious!) than beans and rice!
Nice to see your recipe. We doubt we've ever made our red beans the same way twice!
I make a lot of bean dishes, but not yet on the Cajun variety… It is definitely on my hit list. Yours look gorgeous, Kevin! 🙂
I never would have believed it. An attractive version of red beans & rice. Always delicious, but never looking so good. Nice plating @ photography!
Hi Kevin! This recipe you have here is great. Red beans and rice is one of my favorite things to cook. I use this version of the recipe since it turns out great. I'm looking forward to trying yours!
You should mash or puree about a quarter of the beans to make real New Orleans "cream" style red beans. I also suggest beef broth or stock instead of chicken, and replacing the oregano with a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. And there should be some cayenne or hot sauce in there somewhere. 😉
telesma: Good tips! I do have some cayenne in there but hot sauce would also work.
This is the type of food I grew up on so, I know you enjoyed yourself eating the food there. Great post.
I like to make red beans and rice with small red beans rather than kidney beans (creamier texture), but I love the look of the kidneys in this picture!
I added this post to my Mardi Gras recipe round-up today. Celebrations wouldn't be the same without rice and beans! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe. It's delicious! http://www.munchinwithmunchkin.com/2012/02/21/happy-mardi-gras/
this looks amazing but it says cook 1-3 hours that's a big difference in time … how do you determine when its done ?
Wintry Kiss: This is one of those dishes that gets better with more time on the stove as it allow more flavour to be pulled from the ham hocks. If you only have 1 hour then pull it off the stove then but if you can go for more simmer time.
WHEN do you add the cooked sausage?
CreekHiker / HollysFolly: Good catch! You put the sausage in with everything else in step 5. I fixed the recipe.
That's what I did…turned out awesome! I had some Manda sausage I brought home from LA…so good!
This looks delicious! I'll have to make it sometime. Please visit my blog if you'd like!
So I made this recipe this weekend…OMG!! My husband's words were "This is definitely a keeper". I did double up on the ham hock though. It was a two-pack and I couldn't think of anything else I'd need a ham hock for in the near future. Anyway, thank you so much, Kevin!
To really add to the flavor & make it South Louisiana Cajun Red Beans & Rice…@ Step 5. of the recipe, while beans are simmering, take your stir spoon & mash some of the beans against the side of the pot , this will make for a thicker flavorful gravy !
I was skeptical of such a quick cooking/canned bean recipe. Thank goodness I gave it a go. Amazing! True Cajun flavor! Definite keeper. Thank you!
This is only Cajun style, but definitely NOT Cajun. Cajun red beans and rice do not include oregano or thyme. Like ALL authentic Cajun meals, it is a very simple recipe: red beans, smoked sausage, bell pepper, onion, a little garlic, salt, and black pepper. The secret behind the deep flavor created by Cajun cooks is the slow cooking of the dish. Cajun women start the evening meal first thing in the morning and let it simmer all day on the stove until it is time to serve. Cajuns were very poor, and “exotic” spices like thyme or oregano were not found in their pantries. Also lard was the oil used in all Cajun dishes, as all Cajuns had pigs/hogs that were slaughtered and the fat rendered for use. Vegetable oil, olive oil and other oils were simply not used as they were not available and definitely not affordable