Red Beans and Rice Recipe

4.80 from 40 votes

This Red Beans and Rice recipe is hands down the best. Rich, hearty, and flavorful, the beans turn out perfectly tender.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4 12

Soaking time4

Total Time8 22

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: people

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

For the Beans

4 slices bacon cut into ¼” slices
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup yellow onion diced, about ½ medium onion
½ cup green pepper diced
1 celery stalk diced
7 oz. smoked sausage skinless, cut into 1-inch slices
1 bay leaf
1½ tsp sweet paprika
1½ tbsp hot sauce like Tabasco
1 cup dried red beans soaked, Rancho Gordo or Camellia, if possible
1 smoked ham hock about 6 oz.
1 qt. chicken stock
3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Garnishes

sliced scallions green and white parts
fresh chopped cilantro

For the Rice

⅓ cup canola oil
1 large yellow onion diced
¼ cup unsalted butter softened
1 bay leaf
2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

For the Red Beans

Set a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced bacon and olive oil and cook about 5 minutes or until the fat is rendered.
4 slices bacon, 2 tbsp olive oil
Add onion, green pepper, and celery. Cook 4 minutes, stirring often.
1 cup yellow onion, ½ cup green pepper, 1 celery stalk
Add smoked sausage and cook, stirring often, 2-3 minutes, until sausage has begun to brown, onion is translucent and the green pepper and celery have softened.
7 oz. smoked sausage
Add bay leaf, paprika and hot sauce. Stir and remove from the heat.
1 bay leaf, 1½ tsp sweet paprika, 1½ tbsp hot sauce
Drain and rinse the soaked beans, and remove any pebbles or impurities. Add the beans and ham hock to the pot.
1 cup dried red beans, 1 smoked ham hock
Add chicken stock, being sure the beans are covered with enough stock.
1 qt. chicken stock
Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that might boil to the top of the mixture.
Reduce heat to LOW, cover and simmer 3-4 hours or until beans are tender and liquid has reduced and thickened.
Remove the ham hock, pulling the meat from the bone, and adding it to the beans, if desired. If not, refrigerate for up to 5 days for a different use.
Stir the pot often, being sure beans aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Discard the bay leaf.
Season the beans with salt and pepper and add the sugar. Stir well and simmer another 10 minutes.
3 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Taste the beans and season with additional salt, pepper and hot sauce, if needed.

For the Rice

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add onion, butter, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Cook while stirring often, 6 minutes or until onions are cooked through and translucent.
⅓ cup canola oil, 1 large yellow onion, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
Add rice and stir well.
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
Add broth and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes.
3 cups chicken broth
Remove from the heat, leave covered and let stand 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork. The rice can be made ahead, cooled uncovered, and reheated when ready to serve.
Serve the beans with rice and garnish with scallions and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
sliced scallions, fresh chopped cilantro

Notes

Soak the beans for at least 4 hours before preparing this recipe.
Do not use canned red beans; they won't work with this method.
Use your preferred level of spice for the sausage and the hot sauce.
To fully cook the beans, they need to simmer, so allocate enough time.
Don't forgo the browning of the sausage; it adds loads of flavor.
To make in a crockpot. Cook all the ingredients, + 2 cups water, on high heat for 6–8 hours. If time allows, brown the sausage first. For this method, you don’t need to soak the beans. Follow this crockpot red beans and rice recipe for more specific instructions.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition