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Classic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Close-up of a hearty serving of beans and rice topped with sliced smoked sausage, bathed in sunlight.
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Make traditional Louisiana Red Beans and Rice, a hearty, slow-cooked comfort food featuring smoked sausage and Creole seasoning.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound dried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Place the sorted and rinsed red beans in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water by about two inches and soak overnight, or quick soak by boiling for 2 minutes, removing from heat, covering, and letting stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans.
  2. In the same pot, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery (the ‘holy trinity’) to the pot. Cook in the sausage drippings until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Add the minced garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Return the sausage to the pot. Add the drained red beans and the chicken broth. Add the bay leaves.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened into a gravy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
  7. Serve the red beans and sausage mixture hot over mounds of cooked white rice.

Notes

  • For a thicker consistency, mash about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  • If you do not have chicken broth, you can use water, but the flavor will be less deep.
  • This dish freezes well; cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/beans-and-rice-classic-louisiana-red/