Red Beans and Rice
Cajun red beans and rice is a hearty Southern classic packed with flavor so good it'll have you licking the bowl clean!
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
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!
- 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
Calories: 465kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 1377mg, Potassium: 1266mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1074IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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