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This red beans and rice recipe delivers creamy, deeply flavorful beans with plenty of smoky flavor and just the right amount of heat.
A big pot of red beans and rice is comfort food through and through, and this red beans and rice recipe delivers all the hallmarks of the Louisiana classic. It’s made with red kidney beans simmered with andouille sausage, bacon, and the Cajun and Creole “holy trinity” of onion, celery, and bell pepper. At the end, some of the beans are mashed back into the pot, giving the dish its signature thick, creamy consistency. Spoon the beans over fluffy white rice, add a few sliced scallions and a dash of hot sauce, and dinner is done. Like so many slow-simmered dishes, it’s even better the next day.
In New Orleans, red beans and rice has long been a Monday tradition. Monday was historically wash day, so a pot of beans could simmer away on the stove with little attention while the laundry was being done. What began as a practical meal became one of the city’s most beloved dishes—and thankfully, there’s no reason to wait until Monday to make it.
What You’ll Need To Make Red Beans and Rice
- Dried Red Kidney Beans: Camellia is a New Orleans brand especially well known for its red beans, which cook up beautifully creamy. If you can’t find them, any dried red kidney beans will work.
- Bacon: Provides smoky, savory flavor and rendered fat for browning the sausage and cooking the vegetables. The crisp bacon is stirred back into the beans at the end.
- Andouille Sausage: A smoky, well-seasoned sausage that gives the beans their classic Louisiana flavor. Browning it first adds even more flavor to the pot.
- Onion, Bell Pepper, Celery & Garlic: Onion, bell pepper, and celery make up the “holy trinity” of Cajun and Creole cooking—the classic flavor base for dishes like jambalaya. Garlic is not technically part of the holy trinity, but is added to provide another layer of savory flavor to the vegetable base.
- Thyme, Smoked Paprika & Bay Leaves: These give the beans their earthy, smoky flavor as they slowly simmer.
- Cayenne and Black Pepper: Cayenne adds a gentle background heat (use more or less depending on how spicy you like your red beans), and black pepper adds a mild peppery bite and an additional layer of seasoning.
- Hot Sauce, Cider Vinegar & Scallions: These are added at the end to finish the dish—the hot sauce adds heat, the vinegar cuts through the richness, and the scallions add freshness. Crystal is a classic Louisiana hot sauce and my pick here.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Red Beans and Rice
Soak the beans: Sort through the beans to remove any stones or damaged ones, then soak them overnight, and drain and rinse before cooking. If you forget to soak them the night before, use the quick soak method specified in the recipe notes below.
Brown the bacon and sausage: Cook the bacon until crisp, then use the rendered fat to brown the sausage. Don’t rush the browning—the flavorful bits left behind in the pot will become part of the base of the dish once the vegetables go in.
Sauté the veggies and spices: Cook the holy trinity until softened, then add the garlic and spices. Give the seasonings a minute in the hot fat before adding any liquid; that brief cooking time wakes up their flavors and lets them season the whole pot more fully.
Simmer the beans: Add the beans, broth, water, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cook until the beans are nearly tender, stirring occasionally. Dried beans can vary quite a bit in cooking time depending on their age, so let tenderness—not the clock—be your guide.
Reduce and thicken: Once the beans are nearly tender, uncover the pot and keep simmering until the broth starts to thicken and some of the beans begin breaking down. As the liquid reduces, stir more often and scrape along the bottom of the pot; the thicker and starchier the mixture becomes, the more prone it is to scorching.
Mash and finish: Mash about a cup of the beans and stir them back into the pot to give the broth that thick, creamy consistency you want in red beans and rice. Finish with the reserved bacon, hot sauce, and cider vinegar to wake up all the flavors.
Garnish and serve: Spoon the beans over hot white rice, scatter the scallions over the top, and pass more hot sauce at the table for anyone who wants a little extra heat. The dish will keep nicely in the fridge for up to three days, and the flavor actually improves after a day or two.
More Southern Dishes You’ll Love
Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice is a Louisiana classic for good reason—a long, slow simmer turns humble ingredients into a rich, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried red kidney beans, such as Camellia
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 12 to 14 oz andouille sausage, sliced into ½-in (13-mm)-thick rounds
- 1 large yellow onion, diced into ¼-in (6-mm) pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, diced into ¼-in (6-mm) pieces
- 2 ribs celery, diced into ¼-in (6-mm) pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Crystal, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 3 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced, for serving
- 6 to 8 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
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Place the beans in a large bowl, cover with water by a few inches, and soak overnight. Drain and rinse.
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In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot (at least 5½ qt), cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
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Add the sausage to the fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.
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Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly; do not brown.
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Stir in the thyme, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
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Add the soaked beans, chicken broth, water, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a vigorous simmer. Cook, with the lid slightly ajar, until the beans are nearly tender, about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to prevent sticking.
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Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken and some of the beans start to break down, 15 to 45 minutes more, adding a splash of water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
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Remove and discard the bay leaves. Transfer about 1 cup of the beans to a bowl and mash them with a fork, then stir them back into the pot to thicken the mixture. (For a thicker, creamier consistency, mash more beans.) Stir in the reserved bacon, hot sauce, and cider vinegar, then taste and adjust seasoning.
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Serve spooned over white rice and garnish with the scallions. Pass additional hot sauce at the table.
Notes
- Before soaking, pick the beans over and discard any small stones or damaged beans, then rinse. If you don’t have time to soak the beans overnight, you can use a quick-soak method. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water by a few inches. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse before using as directed in the recipe.
- Quick-soak method for the beans: If you forget to soak the beans overnight, place them in a large pot and cover with water by a few inches. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse, then proceed with the recipe.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Red beans and rice can be made ahead and actually improve in flavor after a day or two. Let the beans cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the texture as needed. For longer storage, freeze the beans (separate from the rice, if possible) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop, again adding a bit of liquid to bring it back to the right consistency.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (8 servings)Calories: 659kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 28gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 917mgFiber: 11gSugar: 5g
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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