Louisiana-style red beans paired with sausage and brown rice make a perfect main course or side dish. The combination is unmatched -- both economical and tasty.
Red beans served over rice is a simple and delicious meal. It can stand alone as a simple main dish or works wonderfully as an accompaniment to just about any vegetable, as well as chicken and fish. One pot of beans can easily serve 4-6 people, but don't worry, the beans taste even better the next day as leftovers.
Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried kidney beans
- 6 oz. Andouille sausage (or any spicy sausage of choice)
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp Penzey's Cajun Spice (if not available, use 1 tsp. of each of the above spices)
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 cups (more or less) water or chicken stock
- 2 cups brown or white rice
Directions:
- Rinse and pick through beans and soak overnight in a large bowl with enough water to cover the by about 2 inches.
- Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces. Saute sausage in a dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat to brown and render fat, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. If your sausage is particularly fatty, remove all but about 1-2 teaspoons of oil from the pan.
- Saute onions in rendered fat until slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add chopped celery and bell pepper to onions and saute until tender, another 5-10 minutes. After onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture is cooked, add thyme, oregano, Cajun spice (optional), cayenne, and a pinch or two of salt. Stir 1 minute to incorporate.
- Add soaked beans to the pot and about 3 cups of water or stock (just enough to cover beans by an inch). Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let beans simmer covered with the lid slightly ajar for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check beans after about 30 minutes for doneness and adjust salt and cayenne to taste. Continue simmering until beans are tender, but not mushy. Depending on evaporation and your individual stove settings, you may need to add water to ensure that beans stay covered in liquid. When beans are tender, stir in reserved sausage.
- While beans are simmering, cook 2 cups of white or brown rice according to package directions. Ensure that the rice has enough time to cook and rest before serving.
Serve the warm red beans over individual helpings of brown or white rice. Adjust heat individually with hot sauce, such as Tabasco. This is a dish that makes a wonderful main course, but it also pairs well with Vegetarian Collard Greens.
The copyright of the article Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice in Cajun Food is owned by Erin Brasell. Permission to republish Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
