For some reason, beans don’t make it to our dinner table very often. Although they’re high in fiber and a healthy alternative to meat, they’re just not on my radar. Our good friends, Felix and Bruce, host us for dinner on a regular basis. Felix, a first-generation Cuban-American and an awesome cook, makes black beans every week and serves them to us on a regular basis. Each time we eat them, I’m reminded that I need to put beans into our dinner rotation.
So this week I did just that and set my radar on red beans and rice. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I have ties to south Louisiana and its creole and Cajun food. In addition to visiting relatives there, I went to college in south Mississippi and spent a great deal of time in New Orleans. Believe me when I say I’ve eaten many bowls of this classic Louisiana creole dish in my life.
As in many creole and Cajun dishes, this recipe starts with the holy trinity of creole food–onion, bell pepper, and celery. If you were going the purist route, you’d start with dried beans, soak them, and simmer them for a couple of hours. I decided to go the quick and easy route and use canned beans. I’m not a huge fan of canned vegetables, but I think canned beans and tomatoes are great time savers and for a dish like this they work just as well. To keep this recipe healthy and lower in fat, I used turkey andouille sausage instead of the pork version.
So rather than spending more than two hours preparing this dish with dried beans, you can make this recipe in about 45 minutes and have a delicious weeknight supper.
Ingredients
3 strips bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
4 large cloves garlic, minced
4 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock, plus additional if needed
1 pound turkey andouille sausage, sliced on the diagonal
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups uncooked rice
2 scallions, sliced
Instructions
1. Brown bacon in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
2. Add kidney beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, sausage, paprika, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If beans get too dry, add additional chicken stock.
3. While beans are cooking, measure 3 1/2 cups of water and pour into medium pan. Add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 12 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep cover on pan for 5 minutes.
4. Spoon rice into serving bowls and top with beans. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/10/24/easy-red-beans-and-rice/You may also like:
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Your photo looks the most appetizing. Gonna make it with red beans cause I don’t like kidney beans. And I’m gonna make some sweet cornbread with lots of real butter on it. I am gonna use a. Big turkey leg instead because ii have one in the freezer and maybe a pot of greens. Do you have a good recipe for greens? Thanks Cathy in Cincinnati
Here is Riccardo from italy! Dreaming the True detective luisiana’s atmosphere, i’ll Cook this goodness! Thank you!
I am going to try with diced chicken instead of sausage. I love the recipe, but I have a picky eater.
gotta mash them beans with a potatoe masher after cooking, to give it body.
Great suggestion, Charles. Thanks for dropping by!
Folks used to eat red beans and rice ALL DA TIME when I lived in New Orleans but I just never got into it. I need to give them a second chance and your recipe looks like the perfect way to do it. Thanks, Bill!
What a delicious looking red beans and rice! You sure you aren’t south Louisiana boy? 🙂 I try to make at least two bit pots of bean a month, but I haven’t made red beans and rice in over a year. It’s starting to get cold, so it’s time to change that. Love your recipe!
I’ve always wanted to make beans and rice! I think this is the perfect recipe to try out– I will be giving this a try soon.
Thanks so much for dropping by, Renee. Let me know how you like it.
I love beans, but I have never tried Red Beans and Rice. Pardon me, but I when ever I hear about this dish I think of the musical artist Sir Mix-a-lot, and his song “Baby Got Back”, some of the lyrics to which are “…red beans and rice didn’t miss her…” Oh my, you know how it is when you get a tune in your head! Your dish looks fab!
We like beans, a lot, and eat them fairly frequently, especially during the cooler months. Red beans and rice is such a wonderful classic! This easy version looks really good — thanks.
I have to say that I make a pretty good pot of red beans and rice (taught to me by my Creole BFF). However, I think you just upped the ante. I adore the idea of adding andouille sausage! Psssssssst, if you ever get that pressure cooker going, you don’t have to use canned beans and can make it in 20 minutes. Just sayin’! Another lip-smacking photo by Bill. 🙂
This looks way too good! I seriously just pinned this to try asap!