Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice are a favorite tradition in the deep South. It is no wonder why it’s a favorite once you have this dish, you’ll find it absolutely delicious. The base of Southern red beans and rice is the “holy trinity” of Cajun and creole cooking.

The holy trinity consists of celery, onion and bell pepper which you’ll also find as the base for many savory dishes. Red beans and rice are also known as a traditional meal to have on Mondays.

Years ago, Monday was wash day, a very labor intensive task back then before modern day washing machines.

A meal that could be simmered without much attention while the washing was done became an important staple. You’ll still find that red beans and rice will be on the menu each Monday in places like New Orleans and throughout the deep Southern regions.

Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice is also a hearty one pot meal with a kick of spice.

How to Cook Red Beans

When selecting the brand of dry red kidney beans I would use, I took the advice of Mary Foreman, a favorite food blogger that I follow at her website called, Deep South Dish.

Mary says “Down here in The Deep South, the premium dried beans for any pot of red beans & rice are, in my opinion, Camellia brand beans. Camellia brand beans are always consistently creamy and they just cook up better.”

I must say I am inclined to agree. The Camellia brand became available in grocery stores nearby recently here in South Carolina. I picked up one of each variety Camellia had to offer. Dry beans are a staple in our house and I keep a good supply on hand. They are so handy for a variety of meal options.

Make a pot of Southern red beans and rice an even heartier meal with the addition of smoked sausage. I used a spicy Cajun Andouille. It has a kick to it and my family loved it. Since the Andouille sausage is spicy, I was a bit reserved on the additional spices.

Easy Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice

Here is What You’ll Need to Make the Recipe:

• Red Kidney Beans
• Cajun Andouille Sausage
• Butter
• Onion
• Celery
• Bell Pepper
• Clove of Garlic
• 10 c Water
• Bay Leaf
• Dried Thyme
• Creole Seasoning
• Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Hot Cooked Rice

Soak the dry beans overnight by covering with water, at least two inches above the beans, in the refrigerator.

On the day of cooking, remove the beans you have been soaking and drain the water.

Prepare the ingredients by slicing the Andouille sausage and cutting the vegetables.

Add the sliced sausage to a stock pot or dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Cook to brown the sausage and render some of the fat.

Add the butter and diced vegetables to the pot and saute until the onions begin to become translucent. As the water from the vegetables release into the pot, be sure to scrape those tasty brown bits from the sausage off the bottom. That’s flavor in those little bits.

Once the vegetables have softened, add the garlic and red beans.

Cover with 10 cups of water and stir to incorporate everything together.

Add the bay leaf and seasonings. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot cooked rice. Be sure to remove the bay leaves after cooking.

Monday Red Beans and Rice

Cook’s Notes: You can use regular smoked sausage in this dish if preferred. You might consider adding ground cayenne pepper to season the beans since the regular smoked sausage will not be as spicy as the Andouille.

I add any of the cooked rice that leftover directly to the rest of the Red Bean mixture to store. Leftovers are great the next day or can be frozen for use at another time.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

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