Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

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Louisiana-style Red Beans and Rice made with smoky andouille sausage, smoked turkey, and creamy slow-simmered red beans for classic Cajun comfort food.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Soak the Beans8

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Cajun, Comfort Food, Creole, Southern

Servings: Servings

Calories: 752kcal

Author: Jeremy Klae

Ingredients

1 lb Dry Red Kidney Beans
24 Oz Andouille Sausage
1 Smoked Turkey Leg
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Celery Stalks
1 ½ tablespoon Fresh Minced Garlic
8 Cups Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
1 teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon Dried Sage
Salt and Pepper to taste

For Serving

Cooked White Rice
Green Onions sliced
Hot Sauce Crystals or Louisiana Style

Instructions

Soak the beans overnight, or early in the morning, if you’re making this later in the evening.
Dice the onions, celery, and green bell pepper into small pieces and set them aside in a mixing bowl.
Slice the andouille sausage into bite-sized pieces.
Pull all the meat from the smoked turkey leg and roughly chop or shred it.
Heat some olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the sausage and smoked turkey cooking the meat until the sausage starts to brown and the fat begins to render.
Once the sausage is browned, add the onions, celery, and bell pepper. Cook the vegetables until softened, and the onions turn translucent.
Using the moisture from the vegetables, deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, just until fragrant.
Add the soaked red kidney beans and stir everything together.
Pour in the chicken stock and give everything another good stir.
Stir in the Cajun seasoning, cayenne, thyme, and sage.
Bring the pot up to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beans are soft and creamy.
If the beans still seem firm after two hours, just keep simmering until they soften completely. You can also lightly mash some of them to help help thicken the beans.
Serve the red beans over cooked white rice alongside some freshly baked cornbread. Then finish it off with sliced green onions and a few splashes of your favorite Cajun hot sauce.

Video

Notes

Soaking the beans helps them cook more evenly and improves texture.
Mash some of the beans near the end of cooking for a creamier consistency.
Andouille sausage adds the best authentic Cajun flavor.
Low and slow cooking is the key to rich, flavorful beans.
Taste before serving and adjust Cajun seasoning or hot sauce as needed.

Nutrition