Red Beans and Rice with Sausage: Authentic New Orleans

One of my favorite things to make aside from Gumbo is Red Beans and Rice with Sausage. In Louisiana, red beans are the main course. I never knew that red beans was considered a soup in the rest of the world. We eat it as a main course with cornbread and some type of greens.

There is something very soothing about eating a bowl of red beans and rice with sausage. The blending of the onions, peppers, garlic, and celery with the juice that the red beans make is some of the most comforting comfort food ever. It reminds me of my great grandmother’s kitchen. It’s a lot like love. Red beans and rice recipe is one that is passed down by observing and just absorbing the knowledge of the cooks who got the recipe right. 

I kind of laugh because here I am posting this on a Monday and growing up in the public school system, red beans and rice was always what was served on Monday’s. If you are from where I am from, you know exactly what I mean. 

Getting started with your beans, you have to rinse them. Most times they are not covered in dirt. Sometimes they may have a bit of debris. Either way, rinsing the beans is always good practice. Pour about three cups of red beans into a pot and rinse with water. Don’t forget to pour the water out of the pot. ????

Once you rinse them, you have to allow them time to soak in water. Typically a few hours before I am ready to cook, I put the red beans in a pot and cover them with water. Now when you do this, you want a good 2 inches of water above the red beans. So, you will probably be pouring in about 8 cups of water into the pot.

Do you have to soak red beans before cooking? 

You do not have to soak the beans but it is highly recommended. Soaking red beans does the following:

• reduces the chance of you getting gas and bloating,
• shortens the cooking time because of the bean being able to hydrate,
• and helps preserve the nutrients of the bean.

After about two hours of soaking, your beans should look like this.

Once your red beans begin to swell and wrinkle up, put them on medium high heat for about an hour. After an hour they should be rather plump but still a bit hard if you were to try and bite it. Yikes. Please don’t try and bite it.

After the hour has passed, you want to add your vegetables to the pot. This has got to be one of my favorite parts of making the red beans: adding the fresh seasoning. It makes your house smell amazing. Sometimes the aroma even reaches the neighbor’s home. It’s magical. Unicorns and red beans.

You are going to chop up 3 stalks of celery (if you choose), 1 onion, 1/2 cup of parsley, 1 green bell (or jalapeño) pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 4 garlic cloves and 2 shoots of green onions (set aside). Once you have them chopped up, slide them in the pot.

This is the magic that goes on that creates an aroma of awesomeness that fills your kitchen. Red Beans with Sausage will do this every time!

You are going to let this simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you are going to slice 3 sausage links and put them into a hot skillet.

You are cooking your sausage in the skillet because you want them to caramelize just a tad. It will look a little something like thiiiiiiiisssss after about 5-8 minutes of cooking. You have to stir, toss, and turn them of course during those 5-8 minutes.

At this time, you are going to take the sausage out of the pan. Let the grease drain from them and place them in the pot of red beans. Allow to cook for another 30 minutes. This is what you should have after the 30 minutes of cooking once you have added the sausage. Once I add the sausage to the pot, and only if you dare add about 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Add a little more if you dare. 

Now, at some point you should have made or should be making your rice, as you usually would. I have been falling in love with Jasmine Rice. Sheesh. I could eat that plain. Jasmine rice elevates the red beans and rice recipe.

Try the Red Beans and Rice Recipe Now

Now plate your bowl as you desire and enjoy! 

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Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 6 hours

One of my favorite meals that remind me of home, family, and love. Creamy red beans with a bit of spice that can only have been created in a tiny Kitchen in New Orleans.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups of Camelia red beans
• 16 cups water divided (8 cups for initial cooking, 4 cups to be added after an hour of cooking)
• 3 links cajun sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 whole jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 shoots green onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cayenne powder, or to taste
• 2 leaves bay leaf
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the red beans
2. Allow red beans to soak in water for 2 hours or overnight
3. Drain red beans, add 8 cups of water and cook on medium high heat for 1 hour
4. After the hour has passed, add onion, jalapeño, red bell pepper, celery, garlic, and green onion.
5. You will need to add another 4 cups of water as the beans have absorbed the water and your do not want them to stick.
6. Cook for 30 minutes on medium heat.
7. While beans are cooking with the vegetables, cook down sausage in a skillet for 5-8 minutes.
8. Drain sausage and add to pot of red beans.
9. Add spices (Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper) and stir.
10. Cook for another 30 minutes.
11. Serve with Rice and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 16 servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400

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