Red Beans & Rice With Sausage Recipe

Soak (optional)

Rinse the dried beans and pick out any stones or debris. For best texture and to reduce cooking time, soak beans in plenty of cold water for 6–8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before using. (If short on time, use unsoaked beans — they will take longer to cook.)

Brown sausage

Slice the Andouille sausage into 1/4-inch rounds. Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and brown for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely caramelized. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve, leaving rendered fat in the pot.

Sweat aromatics

Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot with the sausage fat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the pot

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the drained beans, browned sausage (reserve a few slices for garnish if desired), bay leaves, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Pour in the 6 cups of chicken broth, stir to combine, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Simmer slowly

Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer, partially cover, and cook until beans are tender and creamy when mashed against the side of the pot, 1.5–2 hours for soaked beans or 2–2.5 hours for unsoaked beans. Stir occasionally and add water or additional broth (up to 1–2 cups) if the mixture becomes too thick before the beans are fully tender.

Mash for creaminess

When beans are tender, remove 1–2 cups of beans and mash them with a fork or potato masher, or use an immersion blender to lightly puree some of the beans directly in the pot. Return mashed beans to the pot and stir — this will thicken and create the classic creamy texture.

Adjust seasoning & finish

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, cayenne, or Creole seasoning as needed. Stir in filé powder if using (add only at the end to avoid gumminess). If the mixture is very thin, simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes to reduce. Add reserved browned sausage and warm through for 5 minutes.

Garnish

Remove bay leaves. Stir in chopped parsley and most of the sliced green onions, reserving some for garnish. Keep the beans warm while you prepare rice (or serve over freshly made rice).

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Drain well.

In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 3.5 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon butter or oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid, until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove from heat and let rice rest, covered, for 5–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

To serve: Spoon a generous portion of rice onto each plate or bowl and ladle the red beans and sausage over the rice. Garnish with remaining green onions and additional parsley. Offer hot sauce on the side if desired.