Red Beans and Rice
In New Orleans, red beans are a cultural tradition dating back for hundreds of years. Through the years, Red Beans and Rice was the quintessential dish associated with Mondays. Whatever day of the week, however, Red Beans and Rice is sure to please the most picky of eaters.
Equipment
- Instant Pot (See Tip 1)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry red kidney beans
- 16 ounces smoked sausage, sliced ¼ inch (See Tip 2)
- 2 cups chopped onion (1 large onion)
- 1 ½ cups chopped green pepper (1 large or 2 medium)
- 1 cup chopped celery (3 to 4 stalks)
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 8 ounces ham cut into ½-inch cubes (2 cups)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning (See Tip 3)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups water
- 10 ounce can of Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
- Sliced green onion tops for garnish optional
Instructions
- Rinse kidney beans; soak them in a large pot of water overnight. When ready to use, drain kidney beans and rinse well. Set aside.
- Cook the smoked sausage on the sauté setting in the Instant Pot until browned. Drain well on paper towels, pressing as much fat as possible from pieces. Set aside. Pour fat from the pan and discard. Wipe the pan's interior with paper towels to remove any remaining fat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the instant Pot; cook on the sauté setting for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add ham, parsley, Creole seasoning, thyme, sage, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Stir in the kidney beans, water, and cooked sausage. Add the Rotel tomatoes and bay leaves, but do not stir. Bring to a boil. (See Tip 4)
- Cover the Instant Pot and ensure the steam vent is closed—program on high pressure for 25 minutes. Allow to depressurize naturally for 15 minutes; then, quick release the remaining pressure. Remove the bay leaves. If you prefer a creamier texture, mash the beans with a potato masher four or five times.
- Serve the beans with cooked white rice. Yield: 8 servings. (See Tip 5)
Video
Tips/Notes
- My Instant Pot is the 6-quart Duo. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can make this recipe on the stovetop in a Dutch oven. It will take around 2 ½ hours for the beans to cook fully on the stovetop.
- You can substitute andouille sausage for smoked sausage. Andouille sausage is generally already cooked. Therefore start the recipe with a little olive oil for cooking the vegetables.
- My go-to Creole seasoning is Emeril's Essence. You can purchase it in the grocery store or make your own.
- Sometimes tomatoes will burn in an Instant Pot if they come in contact with the bottom of the pan. Therefore, I never stir the mixture after the tomatoes have been added to prevent burning.
- Leftovers if any, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days and reheated for later meals.
Nutrition
Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 18gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 1411mgPotassium: 516mgFiber: 5gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 270IUVitamin C: 12.5mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2.9mg
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