New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

A classic New Orleans dish with smoky Andouille, spicy beans and rice. A meal that sticks to your ribs and fills you up.

Red beans and rice is a Creole/Cajun dish that is traditional served on a Monday using soaked red kidney beans, Andouille sausage, Cajun spices and served over a bed of fluffy rice. Growing up this is one dish that I really loved, they served this and jambalaya during the week and normally they would serve this on Monday.

Why do we serve red beans on Mondays? Mondays used to be the traditional “wash day” of the week. Traditionally, women of the house would put on a pot of red beans to cook all day while they tended to the laundry. The beans were largely seasoned by the leftover hambone from the previous night’s dinner.

Andouille, an-Doo-ee, sausage is smoked spicy sausage that is used in Cajun/Creole dishes. To me, Andouille is the best sausage out there it has a great combination of those flavors. Where I live they sell 'hot links' or andouille at local gas stations or even grocery stores.

If you like this you might like these recipes:
Slow Cooker Louisiana Style White Beans and Rice
Cajun Chicken and Dumplings
New Orleans French Bread

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New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

Time

Prep: 15 minutes
Soaking: 8 to 12 hours
Cooking: 2 to 6 hours

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb Red Kidney Beans or small Red Kidney Beans
1 lb Andouille Sausage, can sub Chorizo or any smoked spicy sausage 
2 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning, I used Zatarain's
1 1/2  teaspoons Granulated Onion
1 1/2  teaspoons Granulated Garlic
1 teaspoon Paprika
3 Bay Leaves
6 to 8 cups Water
1 medium size Smoked Ham Hock 
Cooked Rice
Parsley, for garnish

Method

Slow cooker   
1. Sort beans to get any of the bad beans out. Pour into a lined slow cooker, add bay leaves and pour enough water to cover the beans. It depends on the size of your crock pot in the amount of water. It'll be about 5 cups of water.
2. Let red beans soak for 8 to 12 hours.
3. The beans will absorb most of the water, add 3 or 4 cups of water, ham hock and creole seasoning. Turn on the slow cooker on high to 4 to 5 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir occasional.
4. Chop and add andouille sausage to the beans at least an hour before serving over a bed of cooked rice. Garnish with parsley.

Stove Top
1. Sort beans then add to medium-large stock pot. Add bay leaves and enough water to cover beans.
2. Let red beans soak for 8 to 12 hours.
3. The beans will absorb most of the water, add 3 to 4 cups of water, ham hock and creole seasoning. Bring it to a boil then lower to a simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasional. 
4. Chop and add andouille sausage to the beans at least an hour before serving on a bed of cooked rice. Garnish with parsley.
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