There’s just something deeply comforting about a simmering pot of Red Beans and Rice on the stove. This New Orleans classic has been feeding hungry souls for generations, and my version happily honors the tradition. With a smoky ham hock, savory smoked sausage, and the famous holy trinity of aromatic vegetables, this humble bean dish develops a rich depth of flavor that can only come from slow cooking. Whether it’s Monday night dinner — as tradition dictates, using up the ham bone from a Sunday feast — or any other day of the week, this hearty dish promises delicious satisfaction with every spoonful.
It’s the season to crave Red Beans and Rice
As someone who doesn’t live in the South, I’m not naturally surrounded by the food of New Orleans. I didn’t grow up with it, and I probably didn’t even get my first taste of Jambalaya until I was well into my 20’s.
The U.S. is big, y’all, and to get to New Orleans from where I am today, you would get in a car and drive for 14 hours (a route that touches only 6 of the 50 states). That’s more time than what’s required to drive the entire length of England, north to south. And as different as Yorkshire is from London culturally, they’re only 4 hours apart by car (fewer by train). So, from that perspective, it’s easy to understand how one can spend an entire lifetime in the U.S. and not experience the country’s full culinary diversity.
But Mardi Gras changed that for me, in part. And now, as soon as February rolls around, I start craving the savory foods of New Orleans. Generally rice-based, I love that they revolve around simple ingredients, such as beans, chicken, and seafood, with lovely seasonings and the option to lean Cajun (spicier) or Creole (sweeter and herby) with equal aplomb. I also happily jump on the chance to flex my roux-making muscles for favorites like Gumbo and Shrimp Étouffée.
Today’s humble bean dish was a household mainstay for generations in the South, where the leftover ham and ham bone from Sunday’s dinner was put to no-waste use in Monday’s Red Beans and Rice. In the current unstable economy, it’s easy to appreciate the smart frugality of not just meal prep, but ingredient reuse throughout the week to produce fresh, crave-able meals that are easy on the wallet.
Red Beans and Rice is —
- A taste of the Big Easy at home: Enjoy a beloved Southern comfort food with Creole flavors.
- Budget-friendly: Made with readily available, affordable ingredients, this dish can stretch to feed a crowd.
- Great for meal prep: Like most bean dishes, it tastes even better the next day and freezes well for future meals.
- Packed with smoky flavor: The combination of smoked sausage and ham hock infuses the beans with deep, savory richness and pairs perfectly with long-grain rice.
- Filling and nutritious: Red beans are loaded with protein and fiber, and combined with sausage, create a hearty dish that fills tummies.
Key Ingredients
Small Red Beans — First, I need to point out that small red beans are not red kidney beans. They are … well, smaller. And more tender. The interwebs usually refers to them interchangeably, unfortunately. You can substitute one for the other for this dish, but kidney beans will have a longer soaking time and cooking time. I use small red beans in my recipe here.
Smoked Ham Hock — A deeply smoked ham hock or pork shank flavors the pot of beans as they cook. And then at the end, the meat is pulled from the bone and added to the dish. If you happen to have a leftover ham bone from a holiday meal, you can use that instead!
Andouille Sausage — A nice rope of smoked Andouille sausage adds smoky, spicy heat, and a welcomed, hearty texture. The intensity of Andouille sausage varies from brand to brand, so if you’re sensitive to spice, cook up a few slices and give it a pre-taste. If it tests your tolerance limits, use half of the amount, or switch out to plain smoked sausage. It’s all good.
The Holy Trinity of Aromatics — In France, savory soups and stews start with the famous mirepoix, consisting of onions, celery, and carrots. In the South, it’s the Holy Trinity: onions, celery, and green peppers. This trio kick-starts the dish with a depth of flavor that carries through to the end.
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to get the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making the bean dish.
Prep notes
Here are some helpful guidelines for prepping the recipe ingredients (not including anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).
- Pour the red beans into a large bowl or pot. Pick over for debris, and cover the beans with 2 inches of water. Let the beans soak for at least 4 hours.
- Peel and chop the onion, discard the stem and root ends. Clean the celery ribs and dice to match the onions. Remove the seedhead from the pepper, and slice the “walls” into dice.
- Break off three cloves of garlic from the bulb, and peel the hard outer and papery layers. Mince finely.
- Slice the andouille sausage into thin coins (or half moons).
- Clean the parsley leaves and chop.
Brown the sausage
Cook the andouille sausage slices in a bit of oil until the edges take on a golden color. The sausage will leave behind a bit of flavorful bits of fond. No need to drain or wipe out the pot.
Saute the aromatics
Add the holy trinity (onions, celery, peppers) and saute until softened. Stir in the garlic.
Assemble
Clear a space in the center of the veggies and place the smoked ham hock there. Drain the beans and pour them around the ham hock.
Start the beans cooking
Add water to cover the beans and bring everything to a lively simmer. Cover and cook, checking the beans periodically to ensure they’re still covered by water.
Finish the dish
After an hour, start testing the beans for doneness. Start your white rice, if you’re cooking it fresh. When the beans are soft and smashable, transfer the ham hock to a bowl to cool. Stir in the Creole seasoning, and return the sausage to the pot. Slice off any ham available on the ham hock and add it to the pot. Toss with some parsley, and serve with the rice.
Storing
Bean dishes store very well and are great for leftovers and food prep. The beans will thicken in the fridge, so have some water or chicken broth handy when reheating. To freeze for later, store the beans and rice in separate containers. Thaw the beans overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat, adding liquids as necessary.
The real beauty of Red Beans and Rice is that it’s low effort to make, and is a wonderful option for a laidback weekend afternoon, when you can keep an occasional eye on the stove while puttering around the house. And then gather the family and friends to sit down to a hearty homemade meal.
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried small red beans
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 12 ounces andouille sausage , sliced into thin coins
- 1 small onion , diced
- 3 ribs celery , diced
- 1 small green bell pepper , seeds removed, diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 smoked ham hock or pork shank , or a ham bone from a spiral ham
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (use more or less to your spicy-heat preferences)
- 3 cups cooked or leftover white rice*
- 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large 5 or 6 quart soup pot or Dutch oven until the surface shimmers.
- Brown the sausage coins in the pot until they attain golden edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another container.
- Saute the onions, celery, and green peppers until softened and have taken on golden tones from the fond created by the sausage, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (just 30 seconds or so).
- Clear an area in the center of the pot and return the ham hock to the cleared area.
- Drain the soaking water from the beans and add the beans around the ham hock. Add water** to cover the beans by about 3/4″ (about 5 cups).
- Bring the water to a boil and skim off foam that forms on top of the water. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady, bubbly simmer. Add the 2 bay leaves.
- Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Start the timer and cook the beans for an hour to an hour-and-a-half.
- Check the beans every 20 minutes to see if too much of the water has cooked away/been absorbed by the beans (i.e., if the beans are no longer swimming in water). If so, add more water to the level of the beans so that they’re just peeking through the surface. Cover ajar again and continue cooking.
- At the one-hour mark, test the beans for doneness. Use a wide spoon or spatula and press some beans against the side of the pot. They’re probably not done at this point, but it’s your baseline. The beans are done when they’re readily smashable against the side of the pot.
- When the beans are done, fish out and discard the bay leaves. Use tongs to carefully transfer the ham hock to a bowl to cool
- Stir in the Creole seasoning. If your spice blend doesn’t have salt, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, too.
- Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the dish. This will add some lovely creaminess. Repeat until it’s to your desired consistency.
- Return the browned sausage and its drippings to the pot. Give everything a good stir.
- If the ham hock or ham bone is nice and meaty, use a knife to cut off the meat from the bone, taking care to cut away the strips of fat. Add the meat to the pot.
- Mix about half of the parsley into the pot, reserving the rest for serving time (and mix a big pinch into the rice).