When talking about classic Louisiana dish, red beans is at the top of the list. Red Beans and rice is a comfort food staple in Cajun country that has made its way into homes across the South and beyond. The beans are slow cooked on the stove with smoked meat, Cajun herbs and spices, and served alongside fluffy white rice. Red beans and rice can standalone as its own meal or with some fried chicken and cornbread.
Historically, red beans and rice was always made on Mondays because Mondays were the day when the women of the house did the laundry and household chores. They needed a meal that they could set it and forget it, and not have tend to it on the stove all day.
Red Beans and Rice Ingredients
- Camelia red beans
- chicken broth
- smoked sausage
- onions
- bell peppers
- fresh parsley
- garlic cloves
- ham hock or pork neck bones
- bay leaves
- butter
- Italian Seasoning
- Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- cooked white rice
How to make Red Beans and Rice
Rinse and sort beans, and soak in water overnight. Sauté sausage in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until sausages begin to seared and browned. Stir in onions, bell peppers, parsley and garlic, and sauté until onion and bell peppers are tender. Drain beans and stir into sausage and vegetable mix; stir in butter. Pour in chicken broth, and stir in bay leaves and ham hock or neck bones. Season to taste and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer, cover and let cook for 1.5-2 hours. Check beans for tenderness; once tender, smash some of the beans on side of pot and stir into juices to make creamy. Careful not to mash too many, you just want to do enough to add creaminess. Continue to season to taste. Pair with white rice and garnish with more parsley.
Red beans always taste better the second day after the flavors have set and married overnight.
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
Instructions
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Rinse and sort beans, and soak in water overnight.
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Sauté sausage in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until sausages begin to seared and browned.
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Stir in onions, bell peppers, parsley and garlic, and sauté until onion and bell peppers are tender.
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Drain beans and stir into sausage and vegetable mix; stir in butter.
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Pour in chicken broth, and stir in bay leaves and ham hock or neck bones. Season to taste and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer, cover and let cook for 1.5-2 hours. Check beans for tenderness; once tender, smash some of the beans on side of pot and stir into juices to make creamy. Careful not to mash too many, you just want to do enough to add creaminess.
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Continue to season to taste. Pair with white rice and garnish with more parsley.
