Red Beans and Rice is the mother of cheap eats, but this recipe has so much flavor and texture that you’ll forget you’re saving money. This recipe shoots past it’s humble beginnings and lands richly on menus well suited for the pinky up aristocrats in the crowd.
Ingredients
There aren’t any curve balls in the recipe and most ingredients are pantry staples. If you don’t already have everything on hand, your local grocer definitely will. PRO TIP: If you have a smoker, buy sweet Italian sausage and smoke it, then use it in place of Andouille Sausage.
- Dried Small Red Beans
- Rice
- Andouille Sausage
- Green Onions
- Fresh Parsley
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Onions
- Celery
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Franks Red Hot Sauce
- Green Bell Pepper
- Poblano Pepper
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Salt
- Bay Leaves
- Basil
- Sage
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
Red Beans and Rice is a very easy, and very filling, dish to make. The only thing you need to be aware of is the time. If you don’t want dinner to be late, be sure to plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time. This recipe takes a while, but there is very little active cooking.
For the Beans:
The first step is to rehydrate your beans. There are many ways to do this, but they all start with the same step: wash your beans. After that, you can go a number of ways, but I like to put my beans into a large stock pot and pour in water until the beans are covered with at least 2 inches of water. Next, you will bring the beans and water to a boil and boil them for 20 min. Then cover the stock pot, remove it from the heat, then let it sit overnight.
For the rest of it:
The next day, prep all of your vegetables and slice your sausage into 1/2 inch thick slices. In a large frying pan or deep pot, warm some olive oil over medium heat then add the sausage slices to brown. After about five minutes, add the onion, garlic, and celery. Now add some more olive oil and cook for another five minutes until the onions are transparent. Next, add the green and poblano peppers and cook until softened.
Now pour the contents of your sauté pan over the beans and bring it all to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer, then add the: apple cider vinegar, black pepper, cayenne, salt, sage, basil, and bay leaves. (The parsley and green onions will be added later).
Give it all a good mix and cover it up. You’re going to simmer your pot of goodness for 2 hours, until the beans soften. Once they have softened, move a cup of beans to a bowl and mash them, then add them back in. This will help create a creamy texture for your red beans and rice. The next step is to remove the bay leaves, add the green onions and parsley, and prepare your rice.
Serving, Storage, and Variations of Red Beans and Rice
Red Beans and Rice are a solid meal by themselves. Serve this dish hot, filling a bowl half with beans and half with rice. This dish can be stored for several days in the refrigerator, or several months in the freezer. To freeze, put the beans into a freezer safe container and ditch the rice. You can probably freeze rice too, but you might as well make more when you’re ready to have the beans again.
What to Serve with Red Beans and Rice:
- Cornbread
- Collard Greens
- Utica Greens
- BBQ Meats
- Fried Chicken
Variations
This is just a basic recipe for read beans and rice, you can add just about anything you’d like. Want more spice? Throw in a jalapeno, want it to taste brighter? Throw in a little extra vinegar. Need more veggies in your diet? Throw them in!
If you’re looking to make a vegetarian or vegan version, just leave the sausage out and add some smoked paprika to fill the smokey flavor that will be missing.
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Dried Small Red Beans
- 2 Cups White Rice
- 4 Cups Water
- 1 Lb Andouille Sausage
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 8-10 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
- 2 Yellow Onions (Diced)
- 2 Ribs Celery (Diced)
- 1 Green Bell Pepper (Diced)
- 1 Poblano Pepper (Diced)
- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Tsp Kosher Salt
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 2 Tsp Dried Basil
- 1 Tsp Sage
- 1 Bunch Green Onions (Chopped)
- 1 Cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the beans and then add water until the beans are at least 1 inch below the surface of the water. Bring the beans to a boil and allow them to boil for 20 min. Then remove the beans from the heat and allow to sit in the pot at room temperature over night
- After letting the beans rest overnight, prep your vegetables and slice your sausage into 1/2 inch slices. In a large frying/saute pan, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and cook for a couple minutes, until crispy. Add the onions, garlic, and remaining olive oil, then continue to cook until the onions are translucent, about five minutes. Add the celery, bell pepper, and poblano pepper, then cook for another five minuets.
- Pour the sausage and veggies from the sauté pan into the stock pot with the beans and water. Bring the pot to a simmer, then add the apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, black pepper, cayenne, salt, basil, sage, and bay leaves. Mix well.
- Simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. If too much water has evaporated, add a little water.
- Once the beans have softened, move one cup of beans to a bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the mashed beans back to the pot (This will help create a creamy texture). Remove the bay leaves, then add the parsley and green onions. Mix and simmer an additional 15 minutes.
For the Rice
- In a sauce pan, add two cups of rice and 4 cups of water. Also add a dash of salt and a splash of olive oil.
- Heat until boiling, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes (do not remove lid until the 20 minutes have passed)
- Fluff with a fork and serve
To Construct
- Pour tice into a bowl, and laddle beans and sausage over it.
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