This Red Beans and Rice with sausage recipe takes no shortcuts in order to ensure each creamy bite is packed with maximum flavor. This inexpensive meal will soon be a family favorite!
One of the most annoying things bloggers do, other than going to the grammar store and buying big buckets of ‘amazing’ and proceed to slather it across every post they write, is to claim all of their recipes are “The best ever!” I guess, who can blame them. Would you click on a recipe titled, “A Slightly Above Average Red Beans and Rice Recipe”?
I have painstakingly avoided that phrasing. However, this time I am just going to come right out and say it, this red beans and rice recipe is the best ever! There are no shortcuts, just layers and layers of flavor!
Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
This red beans and rice recipe was one of the first recipes I mastered when I discovered my love of cooking. I was fairly broke, working a $25,000 a year job, so this budget-friendly recipe became my go-to for inexpensive sustenance. I reworked this recipe endlessly until it was perfect.
Traditionally you will find ham hocks in Red Beans and Rice. You can certainly add it to your recipe if desired, but I don’t. I prefer Red Beans and Rice with sausage. Andouille sausage adds plenty of flavor and most people don’t have ham hocks lying around.
Authentic Red Beans and Rice Ingredients
To make the best red beans and rice, you need to use the best ingredients. I use dry beans, rather than canned, which is more authentic and gives it a better texture. Fresh thyme rather than dried gives it better flavor, and searing the andouille sausage in a separate skillet helps build layers of flavor. My Red Beans and Rice recipe is the perfect balance of deep rich flavors and a bit of heat.
My recipe also calls for using bacon grease for sauteing the Holy Trinity – onions, peppers, and celery. Bacon grease adds a nice additional layer of smoky flavor, however, if you do not have any on hand you can certainly substitute butter or cooking oil instead.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
This red beans and rice recipe is prepared by building layers of flavor. First, we saute vegetables until tender, then liquid and seasonings are added with the beans, which are simmered for a few hours to mingle the flavors and soften the beans.
Finally, rather than just dumping the sausage in with the red beans, we sear them off in a separate skillet which develops even more flavor. The skillet is deglazed to ensure no flavorful bits are left behind!
Since the Red Beans and Rice are going to simmer on the stove for a few hours, I love using a Cast Iron Dutch Oven (affiliate link) for this recipe. Cast Iron Dutch Ovens are my go-to cookware for any long simmer because they retain heat so well. You don’t want a lot of temperature fluctuation because that will lead to scorching.
Try More of My Cajun and Creole Recipes
The Best Ever Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
Red beans:
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease, (or cooking oil)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 bell pepper, (chopped)
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- kosher salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 quarts chicken stock (8 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 1 pound ‘small red beans’ (rinsed and picked of debris)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 14 oz Andouille sausage (Chopped into beans sized chunks)
Rice:
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tbsp of butter
Instructions
Red Beans
- Sautee onion, pepper, celery, salt and pepper in the pot with oil (or bacon grease). Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are semi-translucent and the peppers are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce, stock, Worchestershire Sauce, oregano, paprika, and beans to the pot and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
- In separate skillet brown sausage while beans are cooking. Deglaze the pan with liquid from the bean pot (or 1/4 cup water, then add deglazing liquid back to the pot along with sausage and cayenne pepper.
- Increase the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and continue to cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking. If you prefer an even creamier texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher at this time.
- Add butter prior to serving.
Rice
- Prepare rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking the beans.
- Rinse rice by placing in a bowl and filling up, and promptly draining, three baths of cold water to remove excess starch which will prevent rice from sticking and becoming mushy. Water should run clear.
- Sauté rice in 1 ½ tbsp of butter on medium heat for three minutes prior to boiling.
- Add water and bring rice to a boil and briefly stir to ensure rice is not sticking to bottom. Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, about 15-30 minutes for white rice.
- Keep lid on as much as possible and refrain from stirring. Stirring releases starches which will cause the rice to become mushy.
- To test doneness, squeeze rice between thumb and index finger. Rice should be soft all of the way through.
Serving
- Serve red beans on a plate on top of a mound of rice.
Notes
This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com on January 21, 2017.
If you enjoyed reading my Red Beans and Rice recipe then you should probably like me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest too. That’s what I would do at least, because if you don’t get to know me but you still use my recipe it is kind of like taking candy from a stranger, and your mom taught you not to do that. Don’t disobey your mom, subscribe to Fox Valley Foodie today.
Jackie Blessing says
This is a fabulous recipe with layers of flavor. I used a ham hock I had left over from Thanksgiving as well as the sausage. Also the tips on making the rice non starchy were great. I’ll be making this for a long time to come.
Fox Valley Foodie says
That’s what I love to hear!
cooper clifton says
First go with this and im pumped. To produce enough for 12 am I ok with a simple x2 approach? using andouille and also some fresh venison/quail sausage i made
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yes, that should work well. Venison/quail sausage sounds fantastic too!
Celeste says
Hi,
Do you cook uncovered the whole time? Thank you!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Step 2 instructs you to cover, however, you can leave it uncovered in step 4 to help it thicken more.
sue ellen robinson says
good recipe, but I had to guess when to put the smoked paprika Worcestershire sauce in….
Fox Valley Foodie says
Thanks for catching that Sue. That was an oversight and I have corrected it in the recipe now.
Marissa says
Do you soak your beans overnight?
Fox Valley Foodie says
No, I don’t. I never plan that far in advance, and it is not needed if they are cooked long enough.
Crystal says
Do you add the sausage after the beans have cooked the 2.5 hours?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yep, you are correct! The long initial cook time is mainly to soften the beans.
Katie says
About to give this recipe a go! I think you may have a typo on #3 watethen?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Thanks for catching that!
Katie says
I had to come back to say thank you for posting this recipe! My whole family loved it and it will be going into our regular rotation. 🙂
Jim says
I’m a red beans and rice connoisseur (2 hours from Louisiana). You nailed this recipe! I had to cook a little longer than described to get just right consistency but I may have just not had the stove hot enough the first hour.
Amber says
Will the beans be alright if I don’t soak them a day before? Usually they take longer to cook.
Fox Valley Foodie says
I almost never soak my beans in advance. Don’t worry about it! You are right, they take longer to cook, but my recipe takes that into consideration. Actually, I think the extra long simmer time is part of what makes this recipe so great!
Amber says
Wow. This was delicious.
Candice says
What kind of hot sauce?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Any basic hot sauce will do, but vinegar-based sauces from Lousiana, like Tabasco or Crystal, would be my top picks.
Holly says
I’m from Louisiana and this is by far the best red beans and rice recipe I’ve ever tasted! I did soak my beans the night before and therefore needed only 5 cups of stock. I also put my sausage in just about 20 minutes after beans went in. Hands down, THE BEST EVER! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!!!!
Fox Valley Foodie says
Thanks so much, it means a lot coming from folks who really know their Red Beans & Rice!
Melissa says
Great recipe – and very similar to the one I spent a year or more working on lol I’m originally from Louisiana and I’ve had a lot of red beans and rice. If you can find the Camellia brand of red beans, I recommend trying them. They produce perfectly creamy beans and they are my go-to brand.
Fox Valley Foodie says
Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for that brand. I wrote this recipe before I ever stepped foot into Louisiana as an adult, but authenticity was very important to me, so it is great to get so much positive feedback from those of you who know the real deal!
Ray says
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I made the recipe today, and must say, this is the best red beans and rice I’ve ever had!!! It is off the chain delicious!!!
Grace says
Where do you use the bacon grease? I’m sure
Overlooking but I can’t find it.
Fox Valley Foodie says
It is in the first step. You saute the veggies in the grease or oil.
BK says
Hey! I’m stoked to try this this week, but I had one question. Can this recipe be frozen once cooked?
Fox Valley Foodie says
Yeah, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Tiffany says
This recipe was perfect!! I didn’t have to doctor it all all! By far one of the best recipes I’ve used to make red beans and rice. Thank you!!!
Tom miller says
I love red beans and rice. This is truly a great recipe! I smoked the sausage for about 2 hours at 225deg and added towards the end. Can’t get enough of this stuff! Thank you
Mark K says
Amazing. This was so flavorful and delicious.
Adrienne says
OMG just made this today and it was SO delicious. The flavors were to die for. My husband asked me to put salt and pepper on the table (apparently the one his mom made was always bland), and he started raving how it was the best he’s ever tasted. And he is not generous with the compliments by any means. Way to go! This one earned you a loyal follower.
Erin says
Made this today with a couple variances due to what I did and didn’t have on hand and it was fantastic. My 6yr old loved it. The 3yr old liked it and My husband who is not much of a rice and bean fan said he would eat this again, which is good, because I am making it again!! Smelling it cook was so nice and made me really look forward to it!
SoCal Rec says
Loved this recipe, I really liked the combination of herbs and seasonings. The smoked paprika is not traditional but gives an authentic smoky flavor. I used a smoked turkey leg instead of sausage, not a fan of pork sausage. my mom is a Louisiana Cajun, she would have loved it. Thank you
Libby Landers says
I will have to send you the only recipe I ever use for red beans and rice. I loved in New Orleans and there was thks dirty little place on the quarter called Buster Holmes. That place had the best ever for years I searched for a recipe like it… finally found it. I will have to take pictures of the recipe, as it comes from cooks illustrated. If that is okay with you
Ben says
So I like this as a base recipe. I added in ham hock, cinnamon stick, a little Mexican spicy chocolate and beer. I’ve made red beans and rice with smoked turkey necks before and I can recommend it but some of my family got sort of grossed out by the concept (they liked the flavor though!)
Gulf Coast says
Was worth all the time and prep. Very happy house tonight.