Red beans and rice is a true Creole classic! Like many of the best Louisiana dishes, it is made up of humble ingredients that, after a long simmer, are transformed into a bowl of rich, creamy comfort food. It is truly Southern cooking at its core, and perfect for an upcoming Mardi Gras celebration (or even just to ease the early-February chill).
It used to be an old Louisiana tradition to cook a batch of red beans every Monday, which in many households also happened to be laundry day. Sunday's leftover hambone was simmered in a pot of beans while the clean clothes hung out to dry. And while designated "washdays" may now be a thing of the past, those legendary red beans live on.
The sum of red beans and rice is truly greater than its parts, and no two batches are ever the same. There are some general guidelines for the uninitiated, but in general, most of the recipes start out the same. The Southern trinity (onions, celery, and bell pepper) is sautéed with your pork of choice, be it ham hocks, sausage, pickled pork, or bacon. Beans and water are added, then cooked low-and-slow, which can take between one hour to three depending on everything from the age of the beans to the position of the sun. (Or so they say.)
When it comes to the beans, freshest is best, so buy from a store with high turnover, or order them from a trusted online source. Many Louisiana natives prefer Camilla brand beans and Rancho Gordo offer a high quality selection as well. Lastly, red beans and rice is a surprisingly mild dish in comparison to other creole and cajun dishes so be sure to serve plenty of hot sauce on the side.
This recipe is a true Southern staple, and proof that it doesn't take a lot to feed the soul. The beans are so good in fact, that you may start signing your letters just like the famed musician Louis Armstrong, "Red Beans and Ricely Yours, Louis Armstrong."
Red Beans & Rice
Serves 61 pound dried red beans (small red or kidney)
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced and quartered
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large smoked ham hock
2 - 3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning, such as Tony Chachere's
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooked white rice, for serving
Pick through the beans, discarding any debris and beans that are shriveled or broken, and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, cover the beans with 3 inches of water and set aside at room temperature for 6 - 8 hours. Drain and rinse.
In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until it starts to brown, about 5 - 7 minutes. Remove the sausage and set aside. Lower heat to medium. Add the onions, peppers, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Pour 6 cups of water into the Dutch oven with the vegetables. Add the beans, ham hock, bay leaves, cajun seasoning, and Tabasco. Bring to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam as that collects on the surface. Reduce the heat to low/medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer, uncovered, for one hour. (Stir occasionally to ensure no beans are stuck to the bottom.)
Return the sausage to the Dutch oven. Continue cooking until beans are soft and creamy (or desired texture is reached), another 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours. (If a thick, gravy-like texture is desired, use a metal spoon to mash some beans against the side of the pot.)
Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cooked white rice, hot sauce, and toasted french bread.
Related: How to Cook Beans on the Stovetop
(Images: Nealey Dozier)
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
TW Salt Mill by Wil...
Which Wall Color Gives the Best Sleep?
Ana Creates a Community at Home
1 TEASPOON seasoning? Tabasco? I'm incredulous. No self-respecting Louisianan would use Tabasco--you use Crystal, people? And a lot more herbs. And where do the pickled onions come in? This is...not a good recipe.
Crystal is the best. That was meant to be an exclamation, not a question above.
It is korean tradition to eat red beans on the day of Winter Solstice. Red beans are commonly eaten as a dessert throughout Asia.... http://7th-taste.com/2011/04/06/korean-red-bean-pudding-with-rice-cake-cinnamon-apple/
Not a bad recipe, but this time-challenged Louisianian uses canned Blue Runner Creole style red beans. I swear by them for amazing red beans and rice.
I agree with the above poster. You need a) more seasoning than that b) Crystal's (real Louisiana folks rarely choose Tabasco) and c) season your beans with salt and pepper WHILE they're cooking. That's why this recipe doesn't have a strong flavor like other traditional Louisiana meals- if you don't season WHILE you cook, it WILL be bland.
Oh, and yes, Blue Runner is good when you're in a pinch and don't want to go through the whole process.
I was going to post the same thing!
I was raised in Mississippi and this recipe seems off. I agree with what others have said and I will add that the beans and rice should mix, meaning there should not be white rice showing. Use the bean juice and mix everything together well! Yes, use more cajun seasoning! Don't quarter the smoked sausage, leave it in skinny rounds. Also, if you use garlic and celery, thats up to you, but people i know never have!
So many recipes for red beans and rice! This looks like a good one! Wasn't Tabasco created by a Southern native? Just curious? There are SO many choices now, but that was one of the first! Like Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice have many variations, and many likes and dislikes. I can assure you they are all delicious! This one is too!
Can't wait to try this one out. Will skip out the sausage for the vegetarian version though
I've been making beans like crazy lately! They are so much cheaper than organic potatoes now days.
Ok NOLA girl born and raised here... The bones of this recipe are actually not too far off from my grandma's. I don't use bell pepper, Tony's, Tabasco or any pre-made seasoning when cooking my beans. In addition to the garlic and yellow onion, I also use parsley, green onion, thyme and a few bay leaves. I typically cook them at a low simmer for ~3 hours (depends on how thick you like the sauce). I like to serve them with Worcetershire sauce (Lea & Perrins), but that's really personal preference. My grandma likes hers w/ pickled onion, so yes, that's a real thing.
As for Tabasco vs Crystal, I think that's personal preference. Both are Louisiana family-owned businesses. I prefer the vinegar taste of Tabasco so that's what we keep in the house.
Haha! I'm from New Jersey so the recipe looked good to me...guess its not authentic though ;)
I love seeing all of y'alls enthusiastic opinions in regards to this recipe! For all of you challenging its authenticity, I do actually come from a long line of Louisiana's finest home cooks, so I'd like to clarify a few things:
- My family SWEARS by Tabasco. I keep a pantry stocked with all the "other" hot sauces, but Tabasco is the one I come to again and again. It is a personal preference, though, but I'll make a note in the ingredient list about this.
- I have an extensive collection of Southern, Cajun, and Creole cookbooks (many hand-me-downs from my Louisiana grandmother and great grandmothers). I poured through each and every red beans & rice recipe before testing quite a few over the course of a few months, and this one here is about as authentic as it comes, at least for me.
- As for preferred meats and veggies, there is no right or wrong way! Leftover ham bone, ham hock, pickled ham, bacon... use what you love or what you have on hand. The sign of a great Southern cook is the ability to adapt to his or her pantry, not live and die by a written recipe ;)
Lastly, as a mentioned in my story above, red beans and rice is actually considered a mild dish in comparison to its spicier relatives. Its greatness comes from its simplicity. And everyone should know this one is all about each person seasoning to taste, which is why you should keep a bottle of hot sauce (whether its Crystal or Tabasco!) right on the table!
I am so with you! I always stock up on Crystal. It's lightyears better than Tabasco!
Nealey - thanks for the follow-up! My comment was meant to add to the discussion, not be critical. I totally agree that there are many ways to make the creole classics (red beans, jambalaya, gumbo, etc); every family has their own traditions. = )
"The sign of a great Southern cook is the ability to adapt to his or her pantry, not live and die by a written recipe"
This is Wisdom.
Although it's warm enough to be outside grilling, I made this today. It was one of the best things I've ever had, to quote Taylor Swift, "Like, ever." Red Beans and Rice will now be a staple of my fall/winter Sunday afternoons!
**To the newbies who observe that some of the beans seem gnarly and rock hard even after soaking for 8 hours - fear not, they will cook up soft and delicious.