New Orleans Red Beans and Rice (Print Version)
A beloved Creole comfort dish combining tender red beans with andouille sausage, aromatic vegetables, and warming spices over fluffy white rice.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beans & Rice
01 - 1 pound dried red kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
02 - 6 cups water
03 - 2 cups long-grain white rice
04 - 4 cups water for rice
05 - 1 bay leaf
→ Meats
06 - 12 ounces smoked andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
07 - 1 ham hock or 1 cup diced smoked ham, optional for extra flavor
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
08 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
10 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
11 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Seasonings & Herbs
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
16 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
17 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
18 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional to serve
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or green onions for garnish
→ Fats & Liquids
20 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
# Directions:
01 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the andouille sausage and ham hock if using, and cook for 4-5 minutes until browned. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
02 - Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
03 - Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
04 - Add soaked and drained red beans, 6 cups water, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Return the sausage and ham hock to the pot.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and creamy. If beans become too thick, add more water as needed.
06 - While beans cook, prepare the rice: In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and a pinch of salt. Stir once, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
07 - Remove bay leaf and ham hock from the beans. If desired, mash some beans against the side of the pot for a creamier texture. Adjust seasoning with salt and hot sauce as needed.
08 - Serve beans over hot rice. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The slow-simmered beans develop an incredible creaminess without any dairy, creating that signature velvety texture that coats each grain of rice perfectly.
- This is genuine comfort food that actually gets better overnight as the flavors meld, making it ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd without fussing at the last minute.
02 -
- Never add salt until your beans have softened completely or theyll remain tough no matter how long you cook them, a mistake I made that once ruined an entire batch before a dinner party.
- Mashing about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot during the final thirty minutes creates that authentic creamy consistency without making everything mushy.
03 -
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to your beans during the last fifteen minutes of cooking it brightens all the flavors without tasting vinegary, a trick a chef taught me that transformed my recipe.
- Reserve some of the browned sausage as a garnish on top rather than cooking it all with the beans this creates a textural contrast and visually signals the smoky flavor awaiting inside.