Authentic Cajun Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Red beans and rice with andouille sausage, ham and bacon

Authentic Cajun Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Authentic New Orleans red beans and rice recipe, straight from a Cajun! Creamy and velvety smooth red beans made with andouille sausage served over white rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Cajun

Keyword Cajun, louisiana, new orleans, red beans

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2 30

Soak time 12

Total Time 14 45

Servings servings

Calories 626kcal

Author Lauren LeBlanc

Equipment

Colander
Dutch oven at least a 6 quart capacity
Wooden spoon
Slotted spoon or spider strainer

Ingredients

1 pound dried red kidney beans
½ pound thick cut bacon diced
1 pound andouille or smoked sausage sliced
1 ½ cups diced onions about 2 medium onions
1 cup diced celery 2-3 stalks
1 cup diced green bell pepper 1 large bell pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
10 cups chicken stock
¼-½ pound smoked ham diced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
½ cup thinly sliced green onion shoots divided
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley divided
3 bay leaves
Cajun seasoning to taste
long grain white rice for serving

Instructions

SOAK: The night before you want to cook, sort through beans and remove any stones. Add dry beans to a large bowl and cover with cold water by a few inches. Soak beans overnight. Before cooking, drain and rinse beans.
SEAR: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Cook chopped bacon until pieces are mostly crispy, about 10-15 min. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve some of the bacon grease in the pot. Sear sausage until browned on both sides, about 5-10 minutes. You may have to do this in 2 batches so it can brown properly. Set aside with the bacon.
SAUTÉ: Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and sauté while stirring until onions are translucent and starting to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes. Scrape up fond (browned bits on the bottom of the pot) as you go. Add garlic and cook until fragrant while stirring, about 1 minute more.
SIMMER: Add bacon and sausage back to the pot along with beans, chicken stock, ham, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, half the parsley, and half the green onions. Stir to combine and add bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 2 hours until beans are tender, and liquid has reduced to desired thickness. Skim off any foam that arises to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
SMASH: If you like thicker beans, smash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken. Remove bay leaves.
SEASON: Stir in the remaining green onions and parsley. Taste the beans and add cajun seasoning or salt and pepper as needed.
SERVE: Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve over rice topped with green onions and parsley. Top with hot sauce for heat. Add a dash of red wine vinegar or pickled onions for acidic balance.

Notes

Don't salt until the end of cooking. The bacon and sausage should have enough salt to season the beans properly. If your beans do end up too salty, peel and quarter a potato and add it to the pot to simmer for a little while. The potato will help absorb some salt.
Can substitute smoked ham for a smoked ham hock to simmer in with the beans.
Using ½ pound of smoked ham will result in extra meaty beans. If you want less meat, use ¼ pound or omit.
Soak beans for at least 12, up to 24 hours. You can leave soaking beans at room temperature for up to 24 hours as long as you are using plain water to soak them.
Try using Homemade Cajun Seasoning instead of store bought!
See perfectly cooked white rice for the best rice tutorial.
Storage: Store leftovers separate from rice in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Red beans freeze really well. Cool and store in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheat: Red beans will reheat just fine in the microwave. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to loosen them up.
Make ahead: Red beans gets better with time, so feel free to make them a day in advance. If storing a large batch in the refrigerator, it is best to break it up into a few different containers. This will help the beans cool quicker in the refrigerator and stay less time in the danger zone.

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