Red Beans and Rice

A traditional Creole dish, I've heard it said that you're very likely to find a pot of Red Beans and Rice cooking in someone's kitchen in New Orleans every Monday. Red beans, cooked with the trinity of onion, celery and green bell pepper, lots of Creole seasoning and smoky andouille sausage turns into a one pot meal difficult to resist. Serve it over cooked rice with a sprinkling of green onion and a few dashes of hot  sauce any day of the week .

Budget Friendly And Delicious

Dry beans are a terrific resource when you're on a tight budget. They're inexpensive, and packed with nutrients, fiber and add bulk to a meal. You can feed a crowd at a low cost and fill them up to boot. That's a win in more ways than one, if you ask me. If you take the time to soak the beans overnight before cooking, they take on a much milder flavor and the end result is a creamy texture well worth the effort.

Simple Ingredients Pack Big Flavor

New Orleans cooks consider the trinity of onion, celery and green bell pepper an absolute must when making authentic red beans and rice. I'm certain an added perk would be to use a leftover ham bone cooked with the broth to make the flavor more robust and rich. At the end of cooking, thicken the broth to your liking by simply smashing some of the beans and mixing them back into the pot. We enjoy hot buttered cornbread and at times a side of coleslaw to round out the meal however, red beans and rice are perfectly suited to be an all-in-one meal.

Other Dry Beans Dishes

See also these dry bean dish recipes that are not only delicious but, will keep your budget on track:

• Best Pinto Beans
• Crockpot Barbecue Pork and Beans
• Old Fashioned Crock Pot Lima Beans and Ham
• Instant Pot Black Beans

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 6 Quart Dutch Oven
• Mini Food Processor
• Rimmed Pasta/Soup Bowls
• Ladle 

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Red Beans and Rice

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Creole

Keyword: red-beans-and-rice

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb small red beans
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper seeded and diced
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb smoked andouille or kielbasa cubed
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 Tbps Creole seasoning
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• cooked rice and hot sauce for serving

Instructions

• In a large bowl or pot cover beans with cold water allowing 4-inch headspace overnight. Just before cooking, drain well.
• To prepare: In a Dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then crumble. Reserve drippings.
• Add the onion, green pepper and celery to the drippings. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes or until beginning to brown. Add sausage and garlic to the pot. Cook for 1 minute longer.
• Add beans, chicken stock, water, Creole seasoning, bay leaves and thyme. Mix well and bring to a rolling boil. Boil covered for 15 minutes then lower the heat to medium.
• Simmer covered for an additional 1 ½-2 hours or until beans are tender. Add garlic salt at the end of cooking adjusting to your taste.  May add crumbled bacon back to the pot or serve on top.
• Serve over cooked rice topped with sliced green onion and hot sauce. on the side. 

Notes

To thicken the broth, remove around ½ cup of beans and mash. Add back to the pot and stir.

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