Red Beans And Rice
Ingredients
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- 1 pound dried small red beans – rinsed and picked over; soaked overnight; drained
- 12 ounces andouille sausage – cut into 0.5-inch rounds (~4 medium andouille sausages)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion – diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper – diced
- 3 ribs celery – diced
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 whole smoked ham hock
- 8 cups water
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups long-grain white rice – rinsed
- 4 whole scallions – thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley – chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- hot sauce – for serving
Instructions
1. Put the dried small red beans in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water, and soak 8–12 hours. Drain before cooking.
2. Heat a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the rounds are lightly browned, 5–7 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving drippings in the pot.
3. Add the vegetable oil, then the onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Return the sausage to the pot, then add the smoked ham hock, the soaked beans, the water, bay leaves, dried thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and the pot liquid is creamy, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. If the pot looks dry, add a splash of more liquid to keep the beans just submerged.
6. About 25 minutes before the beans finish, bring the low-sodium chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the long-grain white rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the grains are tender and the stock is absorbed, 15–18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
7. When the beans are tender, fish out the bone, shred any meat from it, and return the meat to the pot. Use the back of a spoon to mash a cup of beans against the side of the pot to thicken; simmer 5 minutes more.
8. Stir in the scallions and parsley and simmer 2–3 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
9. Serve generous spoonfuls of beans over the rice. Pass hot sauce at the table.
Red beans and rice is a hearty, comforting staple of Louisiana Creole cooking, built on tender beans simmered until creamy with smoky pork and spiced aromatics, then ladled over fluffy long-grain white rice. The flavor is savory and deep from browned sausage and a ham hock, buoyed by the “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery, with garlic, thyme, and bay lending warmth. The finished pot should be rich and velvety, with enough body to coat a spoon and a gentle heat that invites another bite.
Traditionally associated with Mondays in New Orleans—wash day—this dish likely grew from West African bean-and-rice traditions filtered through Caribbean and French influences. Families would put the pot on early with leftover bones or pickled pork and let it simmer while chores were done, serving it with rice to stretch the meal. Over time it became a cultural emblem, served in home kitchens and neighborhood restaurants alike, and remains one of the most beloved plates in Louisiana cuisine.