Red beans and rice new orleans style

An authentic New Orleans red beans and rice recipe, from a Cajun! Creamy and velvety smooth red beans made with bacon, smoked ham, and smoky andouille sausage served over . This Louisiana red beans and rice recipe is meaty, rich, and savory.

The legend surrounding red rice and beans recipe places its origin on laundry days, where the women of New Orleans would prepare this dish in large pots to simmer while they tended to their washing. The simplicity of this red beans and rice new orleans style is contrasted by the depth of flavor. 

It’s impressive how dried beans, smoked meats, and some veggies come together to make such an intensely flavorful dish. They are so savory and rich, with a creamy unctuousness from the pork. Red beans and rice recipe is definitely a classic New Orleans comfort food. For a healthy recipe , you can try my kidney bean salad recipe vegan

Are red beans healthy for you?

Yes, red beans and rice can be a healthy dish, especially when made with nutritious ingredients. Here's why:

1- Protein & Fiber: Red beans are a great source of plan based protein and fiber, which are important for muscle repair, energy, and digestive health.

2- Low in Fat: When cooked without excessive amounts of fat, red beans and rice can be a low fat meal option.

3- Vitamins & Minerals: Red beans provide iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate, while rice offers carbohydrates for energy. If you use brown rice instead of white rice, you’ll get added fiber and B vitamins.

4- Customizable: You can make the dish even healthier by adding vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and spinach, or using a lean protein source (like chicken or turkey sausage) instead of pork.

That said, be mindful of the sodium content if you’re using canned beans or pre packaged seasonings. To keep it healthier, consider using dried beans and seasoning from scratch. So, when prepared thoughtfully, red beans and rice is a well rounded and nutritious meal!

Do you have to soak beans?

 

A debated topic, but in my opinion, you should soak the beans overnight, or at least 12 hours before cooking them. Dried kidney beans are very hard. Soaking them overnight helps them to soften as they absorb water. This makes the cooking process quicker. If you don’t soak the beans before cooking, they will take much longer to cook.

This also means the longer you have to tend to a simmering pot on the stove, so soaking the beans overnight will actually save you active cooking time. As long as you are soaking the beans in clean cold water, you can leave them out at room temperature overnight.

What are the ingredients in rice and beans?

Creating an authentic New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice recipe requires a blend of hearty ingredients that come together to form this beloved dish. Gather the following:

• 1 pound dried red kidney beans
• ½ pound cut bacon (diced)
• 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage (sliced)
• 1 ½ cups diced onions (about 2 medium onions)
• 1 cup diced celery (2-3 stalks)

• 1 cup diced green bell pepper (1 large bell pepper)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 10 cups chicken stock
• ¼-½ pound smoked ham (diced)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon  black pepper (or to taste)
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onion shoots (divided)

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley (divided)
• 3 bay leaves
• Cajun Seasoning to taste
• long grain white rice

I’ve tested with and without a smoked ham hock and/or smoked ham. If using a ham hock, omit the smoked ham. Some prefer to serve smoked sausage on the side, but It has a better flavor if the beans get to simmer with the sausage. You can found my red beans and rice crockpot.

How to make rice and beans?

Before you want to cook, sort through beans and remove any stones. Add dry beans to a large bowl and cover with cold water by a few inches. Soak beans overnight. Before cooking, drain and rinse beans.

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Cook chopped bacon until pieces are mostly crispy, about 10-15 min. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 

Reserve some of the bacon grease in the pot. Sear sausage until browned on both sides, about 5-10 minutes. You may have to do this in 2 batches so it can brown properly. Set aside with the bacon.

Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and sauté while stirring until onions are translucent and starting to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Scrape up fond (browned bits on the bottom of the pot) as you go. Add garlic and cook until fragrant while stirring, about 1 minute more.

Add bacon and sausage back to the pot along with beans, chicken stock, ham, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, half the parsley, and half the green onions. Stir to combine and add bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. 

Cook uncovered for about 2 hours until beans are tender, and liquid has reduced to desired thickness. Skim off any foam that arises to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. If you like thicker beans, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to thicken.

Remove bay leaves. Stir in the remaining green onions and parsley. Taste the beans and add cajun seasoning or salt and pepper as needed.

Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve over rice topped with green onions and parsley. Top with hot sauce for heat. Add a dash of red wine vinegar or pickled onions for acidic balance.

What do you eat with red beans and rice in New Orleans?

I polled a bunch of red beans and rice new orleans style food lovers to see what they serve with their red beans and rice. Some of the favorites to serve with red beans were , pork chops, collard greens, white bread, coleslaw, fried chicken, and of course some sweet tea to wash it all down with! Don’t forget a hefty dose of hot sauce. 

Meaty red beans and rice can be a rich dish, so it goes well with an acidic topping to balance out the fattiness. Vinegar based hot sauces work well for this, or even pickled vegetables and cole slaw.

What is the best way to store beans?

Use a big sturdy pot. A heavy pot made from cast iron will heat evenly. A real Cajun will tell you beans should be made in a magnalite pot, but if you can’t get your hands on one, an enameled cast iron  at least a 6 quart capacity will do just fine. 

Thick vs brothy beans. Chefs will tell you properly cooked beans are cooked to just tender in a thin broth. This is not that kind of cheffy recipe. Authentic Louisiana red beans are meant to be thick and cooked down until they are melt in your mouth and velvety smooth, not brothy. 

Stir occasionally. Beans tend to stick to the pot once the liquid is low, so make sure to stir them occasionally, especially towards the end of cooking. Add a splash of broth and turn the heat lower if needed.

Beans will thicken as they cool. If your beans get too thick, add a splash of broth to loosen them up. Make a double batch. Red beans freeze really well, so make a big batch to freeze some for later. Just make sure you have a really big pot!