Red Beans and Rice: A Louisiana Favorite

I'm back with another bean edition! I have such a variety of beans stocked up that I might as well pop in every so often with a new bean recipe for you. Legumes have been a big part of my heritage, as I hail from the South. My family on both sides ended up in Texas from Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Things like black eyed peas for New Year's Day are a family tradition for good luck and the low and slow cooking style that typically accompanies most bean dishes is very popular in this region. I plan to expand on my heritage and its foods more specifically in my next blog, but I have a Louisianan favorite for this bean addition.

My great grandparents are from Natchitoches, a city in Louisiana known for being the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. This area is rich with the culture of the original peoples of the area, along with Haitian and French that migrated there after the Haitian Revolution. This has resulted in what is easily my favorite cuisine in the states, called “Creole”. The selection of spices, ingredients, and cooking method are harmonious, and there are many variations that these dishes can take.

Red beans and rice is a hearty one pot meal that’s of course delicious over rice, but you can also serve the beans over grits, eggs, or toast. It can be prepared with a variety of large or small red or even black beans, with the addition of protein like sausage, chicken thighs, or shrimp. Just the rice and beans together alone make a great complete protein. This dish is easy and straight forward but for any tips or tricks look back on my previous bean related blog. If you don’t own one yet, the Le Creuset Dutch Oven is a wonderful investment for your kitchen and is my favorite cooking vessel for all of my bean or one pot dishes. See my Le Creuset blog for tips on maintaining this cookware.

Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 30 minutes

Inactive time: 8-12 hours

Cook time: About 2 hours

1 pound beans, soaked overnight (8-12 hours)

2 Tablespoons cooking fat

1.5 pound andouille or chorizo sausages, cut into half moons

2 celery stalks, medium dice

1 small onion, medium dice

1/2 green bell pepper, medium dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1-2 dried chilis (ancho), cut into strips

1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

Salt to taste

Steamed jasmine rice or your favorite rice

1. Heat the cooking fat in a 6-8 quart Dutch oven.

2. Add the sausage to the hot fat and allow to brown and crisp, but don’t burn your fond (the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan)! Remove the sausage and set aside.

3. Salt and sauté the holy trinity (aka celery, pepper, onion) until it's slightly caramelized or you see some browning of the vegetables.

4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste, chilis, herbs, and spices and cook another 30 seconds or until the ingredients are aromatic.

5. Add the can of tomatoes and allow the liquid to deglaze the pan. Place this mixture into a bowl or with the sausage on the side.

6. Place the soaked and drained beans into the same pot, add the stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the beans cook alone for 45 minutes to an hour.

7. After the beans have cooked, add the sausage and sofrito (the veggie and spice mixture) to the beans and broth. Allow to cook until the beans are plump and tender - maybe another 40 minutes to one hour.

8. Season the dish with salt and serve over rice.

You will learn to work with dried beans and legumes in day four of our Culinary Boot Camp, which is a deep dive into all of the cooking techniques a home cook should know. You'll make 14 different dishes on this day alone! This is the most comprehensive cooking class you can take for the time and financial commitment.

Yield: 6-8

Author: Drake Mandrell

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Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 2 HourInactive time: 12 HourTotal time: 14 H & 30 M

Ingredients

• 1 pound beans, soaked overnight (8-12 hours)
• 2 Tablespoons cooking fat
• 1.5 pound andouille or chorizo sausages, cut into half moons
• 2 celery stalks, medium dice
• 1 small onion, medium dice
• 1/2 green bell pepper, medium dice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-2 dried chilis (ancho), cut into strips
• 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 8 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
• Steamed jasmine rice or your favorite rice

Instructions

1. Heat the cooking fat in a 6-8 quart Dutch oven.
2. Add the sausage to the hot fat and allow to brown and crisp, but don’t burn your fond (the brown bits left on the bottom of the pan)! Remove the sausage and set aside.
3. Salt and sauté the trinity (celery, pepper, onion) until it's slightly caramelized or you see some browning of the vegetables.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste, chilis, herbs, and spices and cook another 30 seconds or until the ingredients are aromatic.
5. Add the can of tomatoes and allow the liquid to deglaze the pan. Place this mixture into a bowl or with the sausage on the side.
6. Place the soaked and drained beans into the same pot, add the stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the beans cook alone for 45 minutes to an hour.
7. After the beans have cooked, add the sausage and sofrito (the veggie and spice mixture) to the beans and broth. Allow to cook until the beans are plump and tender - maybe another 40 minutes to one hour.
8. Season the dish with salt and serve over rice.

https://www.thechoppingblock.com/blog/red-beans-and-rice