Red Beans & Rice Recipe

Soak the beans

Rinse the dried beans and remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 2 inches (about 4 cups). Soak overnight (8–12 hours). Drain and rinse before cooking. If short on time, use quick-soak: cover with water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour, then drain.

Reserve 2 cups of the soaking liquid if desired for additional bean flavor; otherwise discard soaking water and use fresh water/stock listed in recipe.

Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery (the 'holy trinity') into small, even pieces. Mince the garlic. Slice the andouille sausage into 1/4-inch rounds.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced sausage and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until browned on both sides and some fat renders. Remove half the sausage to a bowl and set aside.

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

Add the drained beans to the pot with the aromatics. Pour in 4 cups chicken stock and 2–4 cups water (or reserved soaking liquid) so beans are covered by about 1–2 inches of liquid (total liquid about 6–8 cups). Add the ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, cajun seasoning, black pepper and cayenne. Stir to combine.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low so the pot barely simmers. Cover loosely and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and starting to break down, 1.5–2 hours depending on bean age. Check liquid level every 20–30 minutes and add hot water if beans look dry.

About 20–30 minutes before the beans are done, remove the ham hock, shred any meat off the bone with forks and return the meat to the pot. Also return the reserved browned sausage to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning: add salt in 1/2 teaspoon increments as needed and additional cayenne or hot sauce to taste.

To thicken the beans and create a creamy texture, mash about 1–2 cups of cooked beans against the side of the pot with a spoon or use an immersion blender to pulse a few times — do not puree; leave some whole beans for texture.

While the beans simmer for the last 30 minutes, bring 4 cups water to a boil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Add the 2 cups long-grain rice, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5–10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

Stir chopped parsley and sliced green onions into the beans. Taste once more and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper or hot sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of hot water or stock to reach desired spoonable consistency.

Serve hot: spoon a bed of white rice into bowls and ladle generous portions of the red beans over the rice. Garnish with extra green onions and a drizzle of hot sauce if desired.

Leftovers: beans will deepen in flavor overnight. Store cooled beans and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or stock.