Description
A straightforward recipe for classic red beans and rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- Place the soaked and drained beans, water or broth, and bay leaf in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until beans are tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the top during the first 30 minutes.
- In a separate skillet, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat. Remove the sausage and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
- Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery to the skillet. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add the cooked sausage, thyme, salt, and pepper to the beans. Stir well.
- Continue to simmer the beans, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened slightly. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Serve the red beans and sausage mixture over cooked white rice.
Notes
- For a creamier texture, mash about 1 cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot before serving.
- If you skip the overnight soak, you may need to increase the initial cooking time for the beans by about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 2 hr 15 min
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American (Creole/Cajun)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups mixture over 1 cup rice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 15
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 35
Keywords: red beans and rice, kidney beans, smoked sausage, southern cooking, easy beans