There is no doubt that Mardi Gras is looking a little different this year than it did last year, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t celebrating. I don’t live in New Orleans anymore, but I still like to treat myself to a big pot of red beans and rice every year to coincide with the holiday.
When I make a traditional pot of my Louisiana Style Red beans, I usually use dry beans, but I often get questions about how to cook them with canned beans.
That’s why I came up with this Quickie Red Beans and Rice recipe for those people who do not have the time to soak and cook dry beans. Although this recipe isn’t the traditional red bean pot, it’s faster, more satisfying, and will make you wish that you were watching parades and catching beads instead.
Are you ready to learn more and know the recipe for this dish, read the article below that Apronese shares.
It’ll Still Take Some Time
This dish is technically called a quickie red beans and rice dish, but it is still going to take a bit of time for them to cook and for all the wonderful flavors to blend and develop.
We are usually talking about about one hour and not several hours as was the case with a traditional pot of beans.
How Should I Use Red Beans?
When I was shopping for canned kidney beans, I found that only dark red kidney beans were available, so I used them in this recipe.
Whenever I make a pot of red beans from dry beans, I prefer small red beans over kidney beans because small red beans make a smoother, creamier pot of beans.
The only canned red beans I am able to find are small red beans, so kidney beans are a great option. You can use either light or dark kidney beans depending on your preference.
How Spicy Are Red Beans and Rice?
It is possible to make these red beans and rice either mild or spicy, depending on how you like them. If you prefer mild, you should make sure the sausage you get is not spicy and you may want to skip the cayenne pepper in the spice mixture below.
You can spice up your red beans by using a spicy sausage and adding cayenne pepper to the amount you prefer.
Vegetarian Red Beans
The recipe can easily be made vegetarian or vegan by simply skipping the sausage and substituting vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
If you would like to compensate for the richness of pork fat coming from the sausage, you can use coconut oil instead of the cooking oil listed below, and you may want to consider adding a couple of extra tablespoons.
The red beans will taste so good with this! Here is a link to my Vegan Red Beans that are made from dry beans.
Quickie Red Beans and Rice
These Quickie Red Beans and Rice are a great choice when you don’t have time to soak and boil dry beans. They’re full of flavor and ready in a fraction of the time.
Author: Beth
Servings: 6 1.5 cups beans, 1 cup rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 14 oz. Andouille sausage* ($2.99)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 1 bell pepper ($0.69)
- 3 ribs celery ($0.25)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.20)
- 1 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 3 15oz. cans kidney beans ($1.50)
- 1 cup chicken broth ($0.13)
- 3 green onions, sliced ($0.30)
- 1.5 cups long grain white rice ($0.93)
Instructions
- Slice the sausage into rounds or half-rounds and add them to a large pot along with some cooking oil. Over medium heat, cook the sausage until it has browned, but do not cook for too long. If necessary, you can add some cooking oil to the pot if it is dry.
- It is suggested that you dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery while the sausage is cooking, and that you mince the garlic as well.
- Once the sausage has been cooked, add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot and continue cooking for another few minutes until the onions have become translucent and soft.
- It is important for the pot to have the smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper added after it has been simmering for one minute.
- You need to drain two of the cans of beans. You’ll need to add the third can to a blender, along with the liquid from the third can, and purée until smooth. The pureed beans will thicken the pot and make everything extra creamy. You will need to add the drained beans, puréed beans, and chicken broth to the pot, then stir it together and serve immediately.
- After the beans have boiled, remove the lid from the pot and allow them to simmer on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as needed. Once the beans have boiled, turn the heat down to medium-low, and let them simmer for about 30 more minutes.
- The red beans are simmering while the rice is cooking. Add the uncooked rice and 3 cups water to a pot and cover with a lid. Once the pot reaches full boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the rice for 15 minutes. When the rice has been simmering for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit, undisturbed, with the lid in place, for 5 more minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
- When the beans are done simmering for 30 minutes, taste them and add salt as needed (between the sausage and canned beans, I did not need to add any salt, but salt content can vary, so be sure to check the beans before serving). The beans should be topped with rice and green onions, and topped with a scoop.
*You can use any other type of smoked sausage if you don’t have Andouille smoked sausage at your local grocery store. The sausage we bought came in a 14oz. package; however, you can use any size between 12-16 ounces.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 serving ・ Calories: 603.18 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 74.85 g ・ Protein: 23.73 g ・ Fat: 23.1 g ・ Sodium: 1396.82 mg ・ Fiber: 11.6 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Equipment
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Red Beans and Rice Quickie Recipe – Step by Step Photos
If you cannot find the Andouille sausage, then use any other smoked sausage, such as chorizo or ham if you can’t find Andouille sausage.
Slice the sausage into rounds or half-rounds and place it in a large pot with a little oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it has browned and the outside is slightly crisp.
A yellow onion, one red bell pepper, three white ribs of celery, and four cloves of garlic should be shredded when the sausage is cooking.
Once the sausage is cooked, add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the pot with the sausage and continue to cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
For about a minute more, add 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoons onion powder, 1/6 tablespoons cayenne pepper, and 1/6 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper.
Here is another photo of a strawberry smoothie. I don’t think you’re going to be disappointed. This is where the recipe starts to get a little challenging. Drain two 15oz. cans of kidney beans. Pour the third can, including the liquid contained within the can, into a blender and purée until smooth.
Using two empty cans of beans that have been rinsed and drained, as well as a can of pureed beans, place them into the simmering pot. The pureed beans will help thicken the pot and make everything nice and creamy.
At this point, we need to add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pot and stir everything together to combine. Cover the pot and allow to come to a boil.
Once the pot has reached a boil, turning down the heat, and allowing it to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. (The picture above shows the mixture before simmering.)
During the time the beans are simmering, you may also begin to prepare the rice. Place 1.5 cups of long grain white rice in a pot with 3 cups of water.
Place a lid on top and turn up the heat to high. When the rice is at a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Once the rice is finished, turn off the heat and let it rest for an additional five minutes with the lid in place. Fluff it before serving.
If the beans are tasteless after simmering for 30 minutes, then add salt if needed. Between the sausage and the canned beans, I did not find that I required any salt. However, if you find your beans are bland, then try adding some salt.
It is important to know that salt does not just make things salty; it also helps our tongue to distinguish different flavors, so when it is used correctly, it can add a whole new dimension to any dish.
You can serve your red beans with a scoop of rice on the side and a few slices of green onions if you wish. Cornbread or corn muffins are also a good accompaniment for your red beans.
What do you think about the recipe that Apronese shared above, red beans and rice, a great combination, isn’t it? If you haven’t tried it yet, do it now and share your experience in the comments section.
