There’s something about a cozy bowl of Red Beans and Rice that just screams, “Welcome home, baby!” Maybe it’s because I’m missing New Orleans, or perhaps it’s the cool weather setting in—maybe a little bit of both. Either way, I found myself craving a warm, comforting bowl of red beans and rice, paired with a side of sweet, honey butter cornbread. And it was the perfect opportunity to share with you all.
Made from red kidney beans flavored with fresh herbs and spices, juicy turkey sausage and smoked turkey meat. This is the ultimate comfort meal. You can serve this with fried fish or fried chicken. But this time, I decided to keep it simple and pair it up with some white rice and honey butter cornbread.
Y’all this was so good! And very easy to make. It’s a one pot recipe that comes together super easily. Now I will warn you… It does take a while to cook but it is so worth it! After those 2-3 hours, you’ll have a delicious pot of beans that are flavored down, honey!
Red beans and rice Monday! Is a New Orleans tradition. So in honor of my man being home, I wanted to fix up a pot. It’s one of those dishes that I may not have often but when I do… I’m so happy and full. Literally. It’s the perfect recipe for fall and winter. It’s so cozy and comforting.
Red Beans and Rice Ingredients
- Red Kidney Beans– wouldn’t be red beans and rice without them.
- Chopped seasoning– New Orleans staple. Consists of chopped bell pepper, celery and onions.
- Garlic– minced! As much as your little heart desires.
- Herbs– fresh thyme, bay leaves.
- Chicken Broth- I prefer using low sodium chicken broth. That way I can control the amount of salt when I add seasonings.
- Smoked Turkey Sausage & Turkey Necks– you can choose whatever type of meat you’d like butttt as for me and my family smoked turkey is what we like.
- Seasonings– a combination of cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and a little crab boil for an extra kick.
Tips to make the best Red Beans and Rice
- Make sure you do is SEASON your beans.
- Whatever meat you use has flavor and salt. So be mindful of that. I love using Tony’s No Salt Seasoning. It gives flavor without being too salty. I have the freedom to add as much salt as I need.
- You can always add more salt/seasonings as your beans cook.
- Use my recipe as a guide, but feel free to season and spice it to your taste. Whether you like it mild or with a bit of heat, make it your own. After all, the best dishes are the ones that speak to your palette!
What to serve red beans with?
- Honey butter cornbread
- Rice
- Fried Chicken
- Fried Catfish
Make them in the Instant Pot or Crockpot
If you’re short on time, or impatient like me- you can alternatively make the red beans in the Instant Pot and have them done in half the time.
More cozy weeknight meals
If you make my Cajun Red Beans and Rice, please be sure to leave a comment, and or tag me on Instagram @cookwithci. I would love to see your recreations and hear your thoughts.
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lbs red beans *see notes*
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 3 1/2 cups water I used the water from soaking the turkey necks
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz smoked turkey sausage link cut into moons and a few into 1/2 moons
- smoked turkey meat necks, wings or drums
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Tony's creole seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp white pepper or black pepper
- 1 tsp thyme fresh or dry
- cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp crab boil optional
- salt to taste
- 1-2 tsp Louisiana hot sauce
Instructions
- Add red beans to a large bowl and pick out the bad (split/ugly) beans. Soak in water 6-24 hours prior to cooking. Add more water if needed. When ready to cook, drain and rinse the soaked beans.
- Optional- In a large pot add 8 cups of water and 1/2 tbsp of crawfish boil. Simmer the smoked turkey meat for 40 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add turkey sausage and cook until browned. about 5-6 minutes. Add in chopped seasoning and sautè until veggies begin to soften. About 3 minutes. Then add in minced garlic. Sautè for an additional 2 minutes.
- Next add in smoked turkey necks, soaked red beans, chicken broth and water. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, crab boil, black pepper, hot sauce, bay leaves and salt to taste. (adjust seasonings if needed) Mix everything together and bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Check and stir occasionally making sure the beans don't stick to the bottom. Add more liquid IF needed.
- After about 2 1/2 hours, taste adjust salt/seasonings if needed. Take 1 cup of beans out the pot and smash them. Add them back to the pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes on low.
- While the beans simmer, cook the rice. Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of rinsed rice to a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let rice cook on low for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve red beans in a bowl over white rice and garnish with green onions or parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Did you make it?
Tag @cookwithci on Instagram and hashtag #CookwithCi
