Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

About This Recipe

Red beans and rice is the soul of New Orleans home cooking, traditionally simmered on Mondays using the leftover ham bone from Sunday dinner. Dried red kidney beans cook low and slow with the holy trinity, smoky andouille sausage, and a ham hock until the beans break down into a thick, creamy gravy without any added flour or cream. The starch from the beans themselves does the thickening. Seasoned with Cajun spices, thyme, and a kick of hot sauce, it is ladled over fluffy white rice for a humble, deeply satisfying meal. The secret is patience: a long simmer and a few mashed beans transform simple ingredients into something rich and velvety.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 lbdried red kidney beans(soaked overnight)
• 1 lbandouille sausage(sliced)
• 1smoked ham hock
• 1 largeonion(diced)
• 1green bell pepper(diced)
• 2 ribscelery(diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 2 tspCajun seasoning
• 6 cupschicken stock
• 3 cupscooked white rice(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the beans

   Soak the dried red beans in plenty of water overnight, then drain. Soaking shortens the cooking time and helps the beans cook evenly into a creamy texture.

   For a quick soak, boil 2 minutes and rest 1 hour.

2. 2

   Brown the sausage

   Brown the andouille slices in a heavy pot 5 minutes, then remove. The rendered fat and browned bits left behind form the savory base of the dish.

3. 3

   Cook the trinity

   Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot and cook 7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Simmer the beans

   Add the drained beans, ham hock, bay leaves, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook partly covered 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beans are very tender.

   Add water if the beans get too dry during cooking.

5. 5

   Thicken naturally

   Mash about a cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir back in. This releases their starch and creates the signature thick, creamy gravy without any flour.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Return the andouille, pull the meat from the ham hock and stir it in, then simmer 20 minutes more. Adjust seasoning and serve ladled over hot white rice.

Variations

• •

  Use smoked turkey necks instead of a ham hock for a lighter version.

• •

  Add a pickled pork tip, the traditional New Orleans seasoning meat.

• •

  Make it vegetarian with smoked paprika and liquid smoke in place of the meats.

• •

  Stir in extra cayenne and fresh hot sauce for a spicier pot.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days; the flavor deepens over time. Red beans freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Store the rice separately and reheat the beans with a splash of stock to loosen the gravy.

Frequently Asked Questions