A Monday tradition born on the bayou — slow-simmered kidney beans with smoky andouille sausage, the Holy Trinity of vegetables, and a full choir of Creole spices, served over fluffy long-grain white rice. Rich, deeply savory, and soul-satisfying.
New Orleans red beans and rice has been a Monday staple since the 1800s — Monday was wash day, and a pot of beans could simmer unattended while the laundry was done. Louis Armstrong reportedly signed his letters "Red Beans and Ricely Yours."
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 210 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Cajun
Ingredients
- 2 Cups rice
- 2 Stalks celery (sliced)
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 lb dried red beans
- 4 cups ham diced
- 1 ham bone
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp sage
- 1 tsp no salt cajun seasoning
- 1 lb smoked sausage
- 2 tbs minced garlic
Directions
Rinse beans, then soak overnight.
Drain beans, discard the water.
In a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, bell pepper, garlic and celery in the olive oil for about 5-10 minutes (until the onions become transluscent).
Add ham, red beans and seasonings to the pot. Add enough water to cover the ingredients (probablyy around 4 coups).
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer (around 2.5 hours). Remove ham bone about 1.5. hours in. Remove any meat from the bone and add back to the beans.
Stir in sausage (cut into bite sized peices). Cook for about 30 minutes more.