Louisiana Style Red Beans Rice (Printable Version)
Smoky sausage and tender red beans slow-cooked with herbs, served alongside fluffy white rice for a hearty Southern dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 12 oz smoked andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
02 - 7 oz smoked ham hock or bone-in pork shank (optional)
→ 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 for garnish
→ 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, plus additional to taste
16 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
18 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish
19 - Tabasco or hot sauce for serving
→ Rice
20 - 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
21 - 4 cups water
22 - 1/2 tsp salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced andouille sausage and ham hock if using. Cook until sausage browns nicely, approximately 5 minutes. Remove sausage from pot and set aside, leaving rendered fat behind.
02 - Add chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook stirring frequently until vegetables soften and onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Return browned sausage to the pot. Add drained beans, ham hock, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, oregano, and salt. Pour in chicken stock or water and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and maintain a gentle simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until beans are completely tender and liquid has thickened into a creamy consistency. Add small amounts of water if mixture becomes too dry.
05 - While beans simmer, combine rinsed 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 fully absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
06 - Discard bay leaf and remove ham hock from beans. For creamier texture, mash a portion of beans against the pot side. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and hot sauce as desired.
07 - Spoon generous portions of red beans over mounds of hot white rice. Scatter spring onions and fresh parsley over the top. Serve with extra hot sauce available at the table.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beans develop this velvety creaminess that only comes from patience and low heat
- Its one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day
02 -
- Rushing this recipe defeats the entire purpose, those beans need unhurried time
- The bean mash at the end is what separates good red beans from great ones
03 -
- Soak your beans the night before, no shortcuts worth taking here
- Taste the beans before salting at the end, they reduce and concentrate