Red Beans and Rice
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Simmer 1 lb soaked red beans with andouille, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and bay leaves in chicken stock for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the beans turn creamy. Mash a spoonful of beans against the pot to thicken, season boldly, and ladle over hot white rice with scallions and hot sauce. One batch feeds 8.
Red Beans and Rice is the New Orleans Monday tradition, born as the wash day dinner that simmered all day while the laundry got done. It is creamy red beans slow cooked with smoky andouille, the holy trinity, garlic and bay leaves until they break down into a rich gravy, ladled over fluffy white rice with scallions and hot sauce. Simple ingredients, patience, and one of the most comforting bowls in American food.
Why you’ll love it
- 1 lb of dried beans feeds 8 for pennies, the ultimate budget main.
- Mostly hands off, the pot does the work while you do yours.
- The beans turn naturally creamy with no cream and no thickener.
- Tastes even better the next day, perfect for meal prep.
- A true taste of New Orleans tradition in one bowl.
Ingredient notes
Dried red beans: small red beans are the classic, creamier than kidney beans when cooked. Pick them over for stones, rinse well, and soak overnight so they cook evenly and turn creamy instead of staying firm.
Andouille: the smoky, peppery sausage that flavors the whole pot. Brown it first so its rendered fat carries the flavor into the vegetables and the broth.
The holy trinity: onion, bell pepper and celery, softened until sweet before the beans go in. This base layer is what makes the pot taste like New Orleans instead of plain beans.
Chicken stock: it gives the broth a rounded richness that water cannot match. Low sodium stock lets you control the salt, which matters since you season boldly at the end.
Bay leaves and thyme: the quiet background herbs. Two bay leaves and a teaspoon of thyme perfume the long simmer, just remember to fish the bay leaves out before serving.
White rice: fluffy long grain rice is the bed the beans are ladled over. Cook it fresh and keep it separate from the beans until serving so it stays distinct.
The low simmer and bean mash rule that makes or breaks it
Two rules decide this pot, and both are about patience. First, keep the simmer low and lazy for the full 2 to 2 1/2 hours. A hard boil shreds the beans into mush, while a gentle bubble cooks them through and lets them release their starch slowly into a creamy gravy. Second, mash about 1 cup of the tender beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. That single step is the classic New Orleans trick that turns a brothy pot into a creamy one, with no cream and no flour. Low simmer, then mash, and the pot takes care of the rest.
Variations
- Vegetarian: skip the sausage, use vegetable stock, and add 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika plus a splash of liquid smoke for the smoky depth the meat would bring.
- Ham hock version: add a smoked ham hock with the beans and simmer as usual, then pull the meat off the bone and stir it back in before serving. Old school and deeply savory.
- Extra spicy: double the cayenne, use hot andouille, and serve with extra hot sauce plus pickled jalapenos on the side.
- Smoked turkey: swap the andouille for a smoked turkey leg. It gives the same smoky backbone with less fat, and the meat shreds beautifully into the beans.
What we learned testing it
- The mash trick beat the no mash batch clearly. Mashing 1 cup of beans gave a thick, creamy gravy that clung to the rice, while the unmashed pot stayed brothy and the rice swam.
- Chicken stock beat water by a wide margin in the taste test. The stock batch tasted rich and rounded, while the water batch tasted flat even after heavy seasoning.
Read how we test recipes.
Red Beans and Rice
Makes 8 servings · 2 hr 45 min total · Easy
Ingredients
Equipment
Large heavy pot or Dutch oven · Wooden spoon · Potato masher or fork · Chef's knife
Instructions
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Brown the andouille and soften the vegetables
Soak the beans in plenty of cool water for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse. Heat a large heavy pot over medium high heat, add the andouille coins and cook 4 to 5 minutes until browned at the edges. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft. Stir in the garlic, thyme, smoked paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
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Add beans and stock, then simmer low
Add the drained beans, bay leaves and chicken stock to the pot. The liquid should cover the beans by about 2 inches, so add water if needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest steady simmer, partially cover, and cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes and add hot water a cup at a time if the level drops below the beans.
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Mash for creaminess and season boldly
When the beans are completely tender and starting to split, scoop out about 1 cup of beans and mash them against the side of the pot with a fork or masher, then stir them back in. This is the classic trick that turns the pot creamy with no cream. Simmer 15 minutes more to thicken, then season generously with salt, black pepper and hot sauce. Pull out the bay leaves.
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Serve over hot rice
Fluff the cooked white rice and spoon it into deep bowls. Ladle the creamy red beans and their rich broth right over the top. Finish with sliced scallions and pass the hot sauce, so everyone seasons their own bowl. This is Monday night in New Orleans, and it deserves to be eaten hot.
Notes
- Soak the beans, do not skip it. Soaked beans cook evenly and turn creamy, while unsoaked beans cook unevenly and some stay firm no matter how long they simmer.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil breaks the beans into mush before they turn creamy, while a low lazy bubble gives you intact beans in a thick gravy.
- Salt at the end, not the start. Salting early can keep the bean skins tough, so season boldly only once the beans are fully tender.
- These estimates come from nutrition labels, not lab testing. A serving lands near 520 calories with about 24 g of protein from typical brand labels, so check your labels for your exact numbers.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Andouille sausage
- Use smoked sausage or kielbasa. For a meatless pot, skip the sausage and add 1 extra teaspoon of smoked paprika plus a splash of liquid smoke.
- Dried red beans
- Use 3 cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, and cut the simmer to 45 minutes. The texture is a little softer but the flavor still works.
- Chicken stock
- Use vegetable stock or water with 2 extra bay leaves. The pot will be a touch lighter, so season a little more boldly at the end.
Storage and make-ahead
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, the flavor deepens beautifully by day two. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stirring until hot. Beans freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Store the rice separately so it does not turn mushy in the bean broth.
Frequently asked questions
Why is red beans and rice a Monday tradition in New Orleans?
Monday was wash day, and the beans could simmer unattended all day while the laundry got done. Sunday's ham bone often went into the pot too, which is why many old recipes call for one. The tradition stuck, and Monday red beans are still a New Orleans institution.
Do I have to soak the beans overnight?
Overnight is best, but a quick soak works. Cover the beans with water, boil 2 minutes, then let them stand covered for 1 hour before draining. The texture is nearly as good as the overnight soak.
How do I get my red beans creamy without cream?
Mash about 1 cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in. The mashed beans dissolve into the broth and thicken it into a creamy gravy. No cream, no flour, no thickener needed.
Can I make red beans and rice in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the sausage and vegetables first, then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours or high 5 hours. Mash the beans at the end the same way, then season boldly.
What kind of beans are red beans?
Small red beans, not kidney beans, though kidney beans are the common substitute. True New Orleans red beans are smaller and creamier when cooked. If you can find them labeled as red beans or Camellia brand red beans, use those.
