A good pot of authentic red beans is the ultimate southern comfort food out of Louisiana. I've been eating this classic southern dish since I was a little girl, and cook it nowadays to feed my family with just a few simple ingredients plus very little effort on my part! Let me show you how to make red beans and rice the right way: from scratch with layers of smoky, savory, and spicy flavor.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my Grandma's pinto beans with ground beef, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Easy to Make - You won't need any fancy tools for this recipe--just grab a Dutch oven or a deep pot. Red beans and rice became a Monday supper tradition in New Orleans because, historically, that was wash day, and home cooks needed a low-maintenance dish that could sit on the stove for hours while they tended to the laundry by hand. This dish also used up leftover ham bones from Sunday dinners.
Gets Better with Time - I'm of the opinion that good red beans & rice are even better the next day. Plus, this easy red beans and rice recipe with dry beans is filled with fiber and protein. I call that old-fashioned meal prep!
👉🏾 I'm from Houston, Texas, where our cuisine is heavily influenced by Louisiana, so I know a thing or two about Creole and Cajun cooking! Check out my chicken & sausage gumbo with okra, Gulf Coast shrimp and grits, authentic LA remoulade, and NOLA pecan pralines next.
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Andouille Sausage lends unmistakeable flavor to red beans because it's smoked and so well-seasoned. If you can't find Andouille, grab another coarse-ground, smoked sausage.
Creole Spice Mix, plus bay leaves and black pepper, is about all the seasoning you'll need. I make Creole spice blend at home, and highly recommend it!
Holy Trinity + The Pope, aka onion, celery, and green bell pepper, plus garlic. These are foundational in Louisiana-style cooking. A sweet yellow onion like Vidalia, Sweet Spanish, or Texas 1015 will provide the best flavor. A Red Creole onion can also work, but will need to be cooked a touch longer to develop its sweet flavor.
Red Kidney Beans, of course. Light red beans are traditional, but you can use dark red ones instead or even a combination of the two (which is what's pictured here). Just note that dark red beans have thicker skins, so they'll need to cook a little longer to get that creamy texture we know and love.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Chicken Broth or Stock - You can use either broth or stock interchangeably here, or you can use an equal amount of water with three chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in it. In a pinch, plain water will also work; it just won't produce as much flavor in the final dish.
Dry Beans vs. Canned Beans - Canned kidney beans pretty much just have to be warmed through, so they'll cook extremely fast, but they won't absorb any flavor. And you won't develop much flavor or the thick gravy associated with making red beans.
No Soak - Soaking dried beans partially rehydrates them so that they will cook faster, so I always recommend it. But if you forget or are short on time, don't worry! You can do a quick soak (1-3 hours) or just rinse, sort, and add the beans to the pot without soaking. The beans will typically take an extra hour or two to cook.
Other Meats - Smoked cuts like ham hocks or turkey legs are traditional inclusions because they infuse more flavor and add extra protein. The low and slow cooking style of red beans also gets the meat perfectly tender!
Vegetarian or Vegan - Use vegetable broth and omit the bacon and sausage. With no meat, you'll need to use a couple tablespoons of cooking oil to saute the aromatics. I also recommend adding a bit of liquid smoke to round out the flavor.
How to Make Real Red Beans and Rice
- Step One: Sort and clean the beans, then soak them overnight in water. (Photo 1)
- Step Two: Cut the sausage into cubes and the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Dice up the pepper, onion, and celery, and crush or mince the garlic. (Photo 2)
- Step Three: Cook the bacon until crispy, then brown the sausage. (Photos 3 and 4)
Pro Tip #1
Don't remove the rendered fat from the pot after cooking the bacon or sausage! We'll use this as our cooking oil for the veggies next.
- Step Four: Sauté the prepped vegetables and the spices in the fat from the bacon and sausage. (Photo 5)
- Step Five: Add the beans, cooked meats, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are tender. (Photos 6 and 7)
- Step Six: While the beans cook, make the rice in a separate pot. (Photo 8)
Pro Tip #2
Now, I might burn the bottom of 9 out of 10 pots of white rice, but these red beans come out right every single time! If you're like me, feel free to use a rice cooker. 😊
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the rice and red beans in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to five days.
Cool the beans and rice to room temperature, then transfer them into separate airtight, freezer-safe containers and freeze. I like to freeze individual portions in Souper Cubes for easier reheating later. Once frozen, they will keep for up to six months.
How to Serve
Temperature: The best red beans and rice are best served hot.
Garnishes: Sprinkle thinly sliced scallions over top for a finish of fresh onion-y flavor.
Pairings: Let me tell you, if you've never paired your red beans with yellow rice, you're missing out! Try this combination to take it to the next level and thank me later. 😊 Add a hunk of honey cornbread on the side, too.
More Favorite Beans Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Now that you know how to make delicious red beans and rice, I hope you'll enjoy it soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Red Beans & Rice with Andouille
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 knife
- 1 garlic press optional
- 1 large Dutch oven or deep pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried kidney beans
- water
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage or another coarse-ground, smoked sausage
- ½ pound bacon
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1-2 scallions (also called green onions or onion greens)
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cup uncooked white rice
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: Rinse and sort the beans then add them to a bowl and cover with about two inches of water. Soak for eight hours or overnight, then drain.1 pound dried kidney beans, water
- Prep the Vegetables and Meats: Cut the sausage into cubes or slices, and cut the bacon into 1-2 inch pieces. Dice the celery, onion, and bell pepper. Crush or mince the garlic, and thinly slice the scallion.12 ounces Andouille sausage, ½ pound bacon, 3 stalks celery, 1 yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, 8 cloves garlic, 1-2 scallions
- Cook the Meats: Add bacon pieces to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and cook until crispy (about eight minutes). Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.*Do not remove bacon grease from the pot.
- Add the sausage to the pot to brown, flipping so that all sides cook evenly (about eight minutes). Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.*Do not remove rendered fat from the pot.
- Bloom the Aromatics: Add the prepped onion, celery, and bell pepper plus the creole seasoning, black pepper, and three bay leaves to cook in the rendered fat from the meats until softened and aromatic (about five minutes). Stir and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the garlic and cook one minute more.4 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Finish and Serve: Carefully stir the beans, cooked sausage and bacon, and broth into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce heat to between medium-low and low, and simmer, uncovered, for about two hours or until the beans are tender and the liquid is reduced and thickened to your liking.8 cups chicken broth
- Meanwhile, rinse the rice then boil it in water with the remaining bay leaf. Use two forks to fluff the rice once cooked through.1 ½ cup uncooked white rice
- Serve the beans hot with rice and garnish with scallions.
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