Description
This Authentic Cajun Red Beans and Rice recipe offers a hearty, flavorful meal steeped in Louisiana tradition. Featuring tender red kidney beans simmered with smoky andouille sausage, crispy bacon, and aromatic vegetables, it’s seasoned with classic Cajun herbs and spices. Perfect for a comforting family dinner, this dish is served over fluffy long grain white rice and garnished with fresh green onions and parsley for a burst of freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Meat
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans
- ½ pound thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
- ¼-½ pound smoked ham, diced (or ham hock)
Vegetables
- 1½ cups diced onions (about 2 medium onions)
- 1 cup diced celery (2-3 stalks)
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper (1 large bell pepper)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion shoots, divided
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
Liquids and Seasonings
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 3 bay leaves
- Cajun seasoning to taste
To Serve
- Long grain white rice, cooked
- Green onions and parsley (for topping)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Red wine vinegar or pickled onions (optional for acidity)
Instructions
- Soak the Beans: The night before cooking, sort through the beans and remove any stones or debris. Place the dry beans in a large bowl and cover generously with cold water. Soak overnight, then drain and rinse the beans before cooking.
- Cook Bacon and Sausage: In a large pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until mostly crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, reserving some of the bacon grease in the pot. Sear the sliced sausage in the bacon fat until browned on both sides, about 5-10 minutes. Brown them in batches if necessary to ensure even searing. Set the sausage aside with the bacon.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onions, celery, and green bell pepper to the pot. Sauté while stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes until the onions become translucent and begin to caramelize. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom for added flavor. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Beans and Stock: Return the bacon and sausage to the pot. Add the soaked and drained beans, chicken stock, diced ham, oregano, thyme, black pepper, half the parsley, and half the green onions. Stir in the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally until beans are tender and the liquid has thickened. Skim off any foam that rises to the top.
- Thicken the Stew: Use a wooden spoon to smash some of the beans against the side of the pot to achieve a creamier texture. Remove and discard the bay leaves once cooking is complete.
- Final Seasoning: Stir in the remaining green onions and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding Cajun seasoning, salt, or pepper as needed to suit your preference.
- Serve: Spoon the hot red beans over cooked long grain white rice. Garnish with extra green onions and parsley. Optionally, add hot sauce for heat and a splash of red wine vinegar or some pickled onions to provide a pleasant acidic balance.
Notes
- Soaking the beans overnight reduces cooking time and improves digestibility.
- If you don’t have andouille sausage, smoked sausage or kielbasa can be good substitutes.
- To deepen flavor, some prefer to cook the ham hock with the beans instead of diced ham.
- Adjust Cajun seasoning carefully as it can be quite spicy and salty.
- For a thicker stew, mash more beans or let it simmer uncovered longer.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as flavors meld.
- If preferred, use low-sodium chicken stock to control salt content.
