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Red Beans and Rice

The best homemade New Orleans Red Beans and Rice recipe made with andouille sausage, ham, red beans, rice, and a trinity of traditional vegetables such as celery, and onions. This classic New Orleans dish is seasoned with Creole seasoning and herbs that give it a classic taste you’ll only find in southern Louisiana. From a New Orleans local, you’ll fall in love with this easy and simple Red Beans and Rice recipe.

Red Beans and Rice - A taste of the French Quarter. Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice made with Andouille Sausage, ham, Creole seasoning, and rice. This Red Beans and Rice recipe is authentic and the real deal. Do what the locals do and serve this on a Monday!

Cajun Red Beans and Rice is a Louisiana staple. Did you know that this iconic beans and rice New Orleans dish is typically served on a Monday throughout the city? That’s because leftover ham and bones from Sunday’s dinner were commonly used as the meat in the process of preparation along with Cajun seasoning, spices and veggies. Today, you’ll find andouille sausage, ham, and sometimes shrimp used in traditional red beans and rice recipe.

You may have tried the recipe while visiting the city or had it at Popeye’s as a side dish, but once you make it at home from scratch, you’ll never look for another recipe again. That’s because this is truly an authentic method of cooking this plate.

Red Beans and Rice - A taste of the French Quarter. Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice made with Andouille Sausage, ham, Creole seasoning, and rice. This Red Beans and Rice recipe is authentic and the real deal. Do what the locals do and serve this on a Monday!

RED BEANS AND RICE INGREDIENTS AND SPICES

■ VEGETABLES: Veggies like celery, green bell pepper, and onion are essentials to making this New Orleans staple in addition to garlic. I like to garnish the dish with green onions, too.

Louisiana’s bread and butter to any Cajun or Creole dish feature a trinity of vegetables.  These vegetables include celery, onion, and green bell peppers. It’s referred to a trinity in Creole cooking and you’ll find it in many classic New Orleans dishes.

■ RED BEANS: The beans should soak in plenty of liquid water until they are plump. To do this, fill a large bowl with water, add the beans, and let them sit over night until they triple in size.

■ SEASONING: A classic creole seasoning that uses salt, pepper, dried garlic, red pepper, and chili gives this main dish a kick. I ALWAYS use Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning. It has spices like chili powder, garlic powder, ground red pepper, ground black pepper, and salt.

■ HAM: Adding ham is a key ingredient in this recipe. Without it, you’ll miss the pork flavor. Cube ham from a ham steak or use a ham hock.

■ ANDIOULLE SAUSAGE: Sausage adds a deep flavor to an otherwise bland dish. Pick a variety with exceptional flavor and brown it in a pan with butter until golden brown to bring even more flavors forward.

■ RICE: Use quality rice that you like. I use Zatarain’s. Serve it alongside the prepared beans with a few dashes of hot sauce on top. Then stir it all together.

■ HOT SAUCE: Crystal hot sauce is my go to for this dish.

Red Beans and Rice - A taste of the French Quarter. Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice made with Andouille Sausage, ham, Creole seasoning, and rice. This Red Beans and Rice recipe is authentic and the real deal. Do what the locals do and serve this on a Monday!

HOW TO MAKE RED BEANS AND RICE FROM SCRATCH

  1. Soak beans in water for 12-14 hours.
  2. Boil beans in large stock pot with bay leaves for 30 minutes.
  3. Brown sausage.
  4. Sauté celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic and add to pot with the ham.
  5. Simmer low and slow for 2 hours.
  6. Stir in seasoning and cook until mixture has reduced greatly; about 30 minutes.
  7. Serve with steamed rice, hot sauce, and green onions.

HOW THE LOCALS EAT

Red Beans require some spicy heat. Not only is this dish seasoned with spicy Creole seasoning, but it’s topped off with a few dashes on hot sauce. This is how the locals eat authentic red beans and rice in Louisiana. I love to use Crystal Hot Sauce in this dish and I know you’ll appreciate it served this way as it is delightfully full of complex flavors. In addition, be sure to serve it with long grain rice.

If you’ve ever visited New Orleans, then you know that classic dishes like Gumbo, Jambalaya, Cornbread, classic Dirty Rice, and spicy seafood dishes give the south its charm.  It’s classic southern dishes like this that give tourists the urge to come back and visit the city. Now, I’m sharing my recipe so you can feel like you’re eating in the French Quarter as a local.

Red Beans and Rice - Creamy, thick red beans seasoned with Creole seasoning. Made with Andouille sausage, and ham. Served with a bed of rice.

CLASSIC FRENCH QUARTER RECIPES

For a taste of New Orleans, try my traditional Red Beans and Rice. Featuring both Cajun and Creole cooking, this dish is the holy trinity of the south. Skip the boxed brands of red and rice mixes as well as the canned varieties and eat like a local New Orleanian native.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice - A Louisiana classic on Mondays. You'll love this stove top red beans and rice recipe made with real New Orleans andouille sausage, and creole seasoning.

RED BEANS AND RICE TIPS & QUESTIONS

Can I make this in the crock pot? Yes. This recipe can easily be adapted to make in the slow cooker. Be sure to boil the beans for 10 minutes before adding to the crockpot and reduce the amount of water to 6-7 cups, too.

Freezing red beans and rice: Store semi cooled in a zip lock bag or storage container. Store the grains separately in a freezer safe bag or airtight container.

Be sure to watch my recipe video above to help guide you through any cooking questions you may have. If you’d like to make your own ham for this recipe, use my Slow Cooker Ham recipe.

Want to up the flavor even more? Replace the 8-10 cups of water with chicken stock or chicken broth and add a few dashes of paprika to the top before serving along with a little fresh parsley.

For more heat, simply stir in hot sauce. Typically, Crystal Hot Sauce is commonly served with it but any should do. In addition, a teaspoon or two of cayenne pepper will really add some kick.

Red Beans and Rice

A taste of the French Quarter. Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice made with Andouille sausage, ham, Creole seasoning, and rice. This Red Beans and Rice recipe is authentic and the real deal. Do what the locals do and serve this on a Monday!
5 from 15 votes
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Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, cajun, creole
Keyword: Cajun, Creole, New Orleans, red beans and rice, Rice
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Soaking Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 800kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry Red kidney Beans
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 8-10 cups water
  • 1 pound Andouille Sausage (or kielbasa sausage) (sliced)
  • 3 cups cubed ham (from ham steak or simply add a ham hock into the pot)
  • 3 celery stalks (diced)
  • 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 green been pepper (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
  • 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoon Tony Chachere BOLD Creole Seasoning, plus more to taste
  • 1 bunch green onions (diced)
  • several dashes hot sauce, to each bowl
  • 8 cups cooked rice (to serve)

Instructions

  • In an extra-large stockpot, add red kidney beans. Fill water to top then cover with foil. Let beans soak at least 12 hours or more. I soak them overnight or about 14 hours. 
  • Drain water from beans. In a large stockpot, combine beans, bay leaves, and 8-10 cups water. Bring to boil; 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • In a separate saucepan, add diced andouille sausage, celery, green pepper, and diced onions. Brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add in garlic and ham. Cook 2 minutes. Add mixture to red beans pot.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer ( I usually set the heat to level 3 or 4), uncovered, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Beans should thicken in the pot.
  • With 30 minutes remaining, add in Creole Seasonings and dried parsley. Add more or less, according to taste preference. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy. TIP: The texture should not be soupy or watery. If it is, simply keep cooking until the mixture is very thick and almost paste-like.
  • Remove from the heat. Remove bay leaves. 
  • Serve with cooked rice. Spoon beans into a dish. Add chopped green onions. Add several dashes of hot sauce. Serve with rice in the same bowl. 

Video

Nutrition

Calories:800kcal | Carbohydrates:131g | Protein:29g | Fat:15g | Saturated Fat:4g | Cholesterol:56mg | Sodium:874mg | Potassium:547mg | Fiber:6g | Sugar:1g | Vitamin A:405IU | Vitamin C:4mg | Calcium:81mg | Iron:3.7mg
NOLA Red Beans and Rice

updated 2/2021

37 Comments

  • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
    Reply
    Nilda
    08/29/2022 at 7:12 am

    Recipe sounds Amazing, going to make it but I have a few questions.

    Can I soften the beans in a pressure cooker instead of soaking? If not is it ok to soak them more than 14 hours?

    Thanks

    • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
      Reply
      Swankyrecipes
      08/29/2022 at 1:07 pm

      They may be softened in the pressure cooker. I have not tried but you could look up a recipe for the beans portion. Also, the beans can be soaked up to a few days.

  • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
    Reply
    Stan
    09/08/2022 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe, one of the best I’ve had. Cooked the beans in chicken stock, added some cayenne, and put in a 12 oz porter for the last 30 minutes. Turned out great, now balance of flavors.

    Thank you!

    • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
      Reply
      Stan
      09/08/2022 at 11:03 am

      Supposed to be “nice” balance of flavor.

  • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
    Reply
    Penny
    03/11/2023 at 8:17 am

    5 stars
    We love this recipe. I had lost a recipe for Red Beans and Rice that a friend had given me years ago and have been trying to recreate it ever since. This is it! The real deal. So good!! Thank you

    • Avatar for Swankyrecipes
      Reply
      Swankyrecipes
      03/29/2023 at 8:50 pm

      One of my favorite dishes to prepare. You are very welcome to have it =)

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