Red Beans Rice Beef Sausage (Printable Version)
Tender red beans cooked with beef sausage, spices, and vegetables, paired with fluffy rice for a hearty dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz beef sausage (such as andouille or smoked sausage), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
→ Legumes & Grains
02 - 14 oz dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained (or 2 x 14 oz cans, drained and rinsed)
03 - 2 cups long-grain white rice
04 - 5 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth (for beans)
05 - 2 cups water (for rice)
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
08 - 2 celery stalks, diced
09 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 2 spring onions, sliced (for garnish)
11 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
16 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
→ Fats
18 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
# Directions:
01 - If using dried beans, soak them overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse before use.
02 - In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add sausage slices and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add the soaked (or canned) beans, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Pour in 5 cups water or broth. Stir well.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (or until beans are tender), stirring occasionally.
06 - Return the browned sausage to the pot and simmer uncovered for another 20–30 minutes, mashing some beans against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine rice and 2 cups water with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
08 - Serve the red beans and sausage over hot rice. Garnish with spring onions and fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beans develop this incredible creamy texture naturally while the sauce thickens into something you will want to eat with a spoon
- One pot does most of the work, leaving you free to handle important business like catching up on reading or simply breathing
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, if they survive that long
02 -
- Mashing some beans against the pot is not optional, it is what transforms this from bean soup into the rich, velvety texture that makes the dish special
- The beans should be slightly falling apart when done, and if the sauce looks too thick, add water a splash at a time
- Toward the end of cooking, taste and adjust salt because beans absorb seasoning differently depending on their age
03 -
- Sort through dried beans before soaking and discard any small stones or shriveled beans
- Adding a ham bone or pork hock during simmering creates an even richer, meatier flavor