Susan's Easy Red Beans and Rice

5 from 3 votes

Get all the flavor of traditional Red Beans & Rice without all the fuss. This recipe delivers rich, savory taste in a fraction of the time.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Mardi Gras

Cuisine: Mardi Gras

Servings:

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Susan Ensley

12 oz Andouille Sausage cut into ¼-inch slices
1 Medium Onion diced, about 2 cups (See Note 1)
1 Large Green Bell Pepper, diced, about 1 cup (See Note 1)
3 Celery Stalks, diced, about 1 cup (See Note 1)
6 tbs Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
6 cloves Garlic, minced
29 oz (2 15.5 ounce cans) Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed (See Notes 2 and 3)
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 tbs Cajun Seasoning (See Note 4)

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the sliced andouille sausage. Stir constantly, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Drain well on paper towels, pressing as much fat as possible from pieces. Cover with paper towels to absorb grease and an upside-down plate to keep warm. Set aside until ready to return to the pot.
Add two tablespoons of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bits off the bottom. Add the onion to the Dutch oven; cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add two more tablespoon of chicken broth to help scrape bits from the bottom of the pan. Add celery and bell pepper to Dutch oven; stir to combine. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring about every five minutes.
Add two more tablespoons of chicken broth to help scrape bits from the bottom of the pan. Add minced garlic; cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add petite diced tomatoes; stir to combine. Cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring about every five minutes.
Add the cooked sausage and red kidney beans; stir to combine. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring about every five minutes. At this point, prepare the rice.
After the red beans have cooked for 20-25 minutes, add dried oregano and Cajun seasonings. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Add water, chicken broth, unsalted butter, and Kosher salt to medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add rice; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium low; cover pan with paper towels and then pan top. Cook 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork. When ready to serve, place the red beans in a bowls with a scoop of rice on top.
Yield 6 to 8 servings.

The holy trinity, a mixture of onion, celery, and green bell pepper, is a staple of Cajun cuisine. The ratio should be 2:1:1.
Using canned red kidney beans is a huge time saver, just make sure to rinse them well and drain them before using.
Canned red kidney beans come in both light and dark. I recommend using dark red because they because they have thicker skin, which means they hold up better when cooking. Also, I recommend low-sodium kidney beans if your supermarket has them.
When it comes to Cajun seasoning one tablespoon is a good place to start. However, if you don’t like things too spicy cut it in half and only add ½ tablespoon. If you like things spicy then I recommend adding an additional ½ tablespoon.
I didn't rinse the rice before cooking it.