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This Cajun Red Beans and Rice recipe is the kind of soul food that makes you feel like you’re back home in Grandma’s kitchen. A big pot of tender beans simmered with smoked sausage and juicy smoked turkey until it’s falling off the bone! It’s hearty, packed with flavor, and exactly what you need when you want a warm, soulful meal.
My Grandma used to make a big pot of red beans and rice on Monday night that would last us throughout the whole week. I was in charge of making the buttermilk cornbread and sweet potato pie for dessert. When I tell you we would fight over who got to get the first scoop out of the pot of beans, it was a whole ordeal.
But that’s what Southern food does to you. It’s finger licking good with all of those big bold flavors, you can’t help but go a little crazy when you smell something good cooking on the stove.
For my cajun red beans and rice recipe, the beans get slow-cooked until they’re creamy and rich, with just the right amount of spice to warm you up from the inside out. Smoked sausage and turkey legs add a deep, savory flavor that makes the whole pot taste like it’s been simmering in Grandma’s kitchen all day.
Serve it over fluffy rice and you’ve got a meal that’s hearty, soulful, and filling in the best way. It’s the kind of dish that feeds a crowd but still tastes like it was made just for you. One spoonful and you’ll see why red beans and rice is such a Southern classic.
For more soul food recipes, make my Louisiana Dirty Rice Recipe and Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya!
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Dried Red Kidney beans are the base of the dish; when simmered, they absorb smoky, spicy flavors and create a creamy texture in the broth. Because they’re dry, they need to soak overnight, however, you can use canned kidney beans, too (talk about this in the variations section below)
- Smoky Andouille sausage adds smoky and spicy notes. If you can’t find andouille, regular smoked sausage will do too.
- Smoked turkey leg adds a deep, smoky flavor to the pot. As it cooks, the meat becomes fall of the bone tender and it adds a nice meatiness to the rice. Smoked ham hock works here too. My grandma uses leftover ham bone, but I can’t find this near me so smoked turkey leg was a quick and easy swap.
- Holy Trinity – yellow onion, green bell pepper, and celery. These come together to add a fresh, subtly sweet, and deeply flavorful foundation for the red beans and rice recipe.
- Cajun seasoning is the key spice blend; layers in heat, smokiness, herbs, and a savory depth of flavor that’s characteristic of Cajun cooking. I use my homemade cajun seasoning but you can use creole seasoning or blackening seasoning here too.
- Tomato paste adds a touch of acidity that intensifies all of the flavors.
- Worcestershire sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar are added at the end for a tangy, savory-sweet depth that balances the brightens the entire dish and pulls everything together.
- Liquid smoke deepens the smoky profile. This is totally optional but highly recommend.
- Gumbo file powder is a common ingredient in seafood gumbo and chicken and sausage gumbo. It adds a hint of earthiness and can lightly thicken the broth, giving a authentic Louisiana flair.
Substitutions and Variations
- Quick soak method: If you don’t have time to soak your beans overnight – you can use the quick soak method. Rinse and sort the beans, then add them to a big pot of water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for about an hour. Drain, rinse again, and they’re ready to cook. This saves so much time and you get the same result, too.
- To make it spicy, add in cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. If you really like heat, poke a hole in a scotch bonnet of habanero place it into the pot while everything is simmering.
- Slow Cooker Method: Precook the sausage and aromatics, then add everything into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. With this method, you don’t need to soak the beans.
- Vegan Red Beans and Rice: use a vegan spicy sausage and omit the smoked turkey leg. Oh and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
How To Make Red Beans and Rice
Step 1: Add the dry beans to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water so that all of the beans are fully submerged. Let the beans soak for 8-12 hours.
Step 2: Add sausage to a large pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage and place into a bowl.
Step 3: Add the smoked turkey legs to the same pot and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Step 4: (If needed, add a drizzle of olive oil or vegetable oil to the pot) Reduce stove to medium heat and add in the onion, green pepper, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned and slightly softened. Add in the garlic, cajun seasoning, tomato paste, chicken bouillon paste and butter.
Step 5: Add in low sodium chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add bay leaves, cooked sausage, smoked turkey legs, and drained soaked beans back into the pot. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the meat on the turkey bones becomes tender and falls off the bone.
Step 6: Remove the turkey meat and shred it. Add the meat back into the pot along with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and file powder. Mix together and continue to cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.
Step 7: Remove bay leaves, then remove half of the beans and mash them with a potato masher (for ultra thick red beans and rice, add to a food processor and puree until smooth), then add it back into the pot and stir to combine.
Step 8: Serve over fluffy white rice and garnish with sliced green onions.
Pro Tips for the Best Red Beans and Rice
- Serve with long grain rice. It cooks up nice and fluffy and soaks up that bean gravy like a dream.
- Give the dry beans and overnight soak! Soaking kidney beans not only cuts down cooking time but also makes them creamier and easier to digest. If you forget, do a quick soak (boil for 5 minutes, rest 1 hour).
- Brown that sausage really good! Let it sizzle till it smells smoky and rich. Those little browned bits at the bottom? Don’t waste them—that’s the good stuff.
- Too soupy? No worries, just mash a handful of beans against the side of the pot and stir. That starch thickens things up. Or, let it simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes to reduce.
- Added too much salt? Add more low sodium chicken stock or water, or toss in a peeled potato while simmering to absorb some of the salt (just remove it before serving).
How To Serve
Red beans and rice is hearty on its own, but it shines with the right sides. A pan of buttery cornbread or warm buttermilk biscuits is perfect for soaking up all of that flavor.
Alongside the bread, add some roasted green beans or slow cooker collard green to balance the richness. And if you want to go all out, serve with fried catfish or crispy fried chicken, soul food potato salad, and some hush puppies for a true Southern feast.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This makes the beans nice and tender. To save on time, use the quick soak method or use canned kidney beans instead. If you’re using a slow cooker, you can skip it.
You know it’s done when the beans are nice and tender and the meat from the turkey is falling off the bone. The beauty of this dish is that you can cook it to your desired consistency. If you like it thicker, cook for a little longer. If you prefer it to be a thinner consistency, pull it off the heat a little earlier.
Red beans and rice keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and the flavor actually improves as it sits. You can also freeze it (without the rice) for up to 3 months.
Yes, but the texture won’t be as creamy. If you’re in a pinch, add canned beans toward the end so they don’t fall apart.
Yes of course! Just saute them first to give it a good sear.
More Cajun Recipes
Main Course
Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce
Main Course
Cajun Seafood Gumbo
Main Course
Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Main Course
Cajun Crawfish Etouffee
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Red Beans and Rice
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Potato Masher (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Dry Kidney beans , (uncooked)
- 12 oz Andouille Sausage, (sliced)
- 1 lb Smoked Turkey Legs
- 1 large Yellow Onion, (diced)
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, (diced)
- 2 Celery Stalks, (diced)
- 6 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
- 6 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1 tsp File Powder, (optional)
- Cooked White Rice, (for serving)
Instructions
- Add the dry beans to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water so that all of the beans are fully submerged. Let the beans soak for 8-12 hours. When you're ready to cook, drain and set the soaked beans aside.
- Add sausage to a large pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage and place into the bowl. Add the smoked turkey legs to the same pot and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- (If needed, add a drizzle of olive oil or vegetable oil to the pot) Reduce stove to medium heat and add in the onion, green pepper, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until browned and slightly softened. Add in the garlic, cajun seasoning, tomato paste, chicken bouillon paste and butter. Mix everything together and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add in low sodium chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot (aka the "fond" – this is where all of the flavor is!), then add bay leaves, cooked sausage, smoked turkey legs, and drained soaked beans back into the pot. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the meat on the turkey bones becomes tender and falls off the bone.
- Remove the turkey meat and shred it. Add it back into the pot along with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, and file powder. Mix together and continue to cook uncovered for another 30 minutes, until the beans are tender.
- Remove bay leaves and taste for salt and black pepper, then remove half of the beans and mash them with a potato masher (for ultra thick red beans and rice, add to a food processor and puree until smooth), then add it back into the pot and stir to combine. Serve over fluffy white rice and garnish with sliced green onions.
Video
Notes
- Quick soak method: If you don’t have time to soak your beans overnight – you can use the quick soak method. Rinse and sort the beans, then add them to a big pot of water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for about an hour. Drain, rinse again, and they’re ready to cook. This saves so much time and you get the same result, too.
- To make it spicy, add in cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. If you really like heat, poke a hole in a scotch bonnet of habanero place it into the pot while everything is simmering.
- Slow Cooker Method: Precook the sausage and aromatics, then add everything into a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. With this method, you don’t need to soak the beans.
- Vegan Red Beans and Rice: use a vegan spicy sausage and omit the smoked turkey leg. Oh and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
- Give the dry beans and overnight soak! Soaking kidney beans not only cuts down cooking time but also makes them creamier and easier to digest. If you forget, do a quick soak (boil for 5 minutes, rest 1 hour).
- Brown that sausage really good! Let it sizzle till it smells smoky and rich. Those little browned bits at the bottom? Don’t waste them—that’s the good stuff.
- Too soupy? No worries, just mash a handful of beans against the side of the pot and stir. That starch thickens things up. Or, let it simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes to reduce.
- Added too much salt? Add more low sodium chicken stock or water, or toss in a peeled potato while simmering to absorb some of the salt (just remove it before serving).
- Serve with long grain rice. It cooks up nice and fluffy and soaks up that bean gravy like a dream.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had to ask my butcher to order smoked turkey legs for me because he didn’t carry them, but after closer inspection of the picture showing the browning of the turkey leg, it looks like you used turkey wings… he hasn’t made his order yet… should I ask him to change the request for TURKEY WINGS instead? I plan on making this Wednesday, should I make the change?
I’ve made countless numbers of your recipes, they all have been a success, my family has enjoyed my cooking! Thank you!
Hi Esther! I’m so happy that you’re loving my recipes, that makes me so happy! For this recipe, I recommend using turkey legs. I used a mix of them in the photos because that’s what i had in my fridge at the time, but turkey legs are meatier and have more flavor so you’ll get more meat chunks. However, turkey wings work here too! I hope that you love this recipe!!