Cajun Red Beans and Rice

No ratings yet

My Cajun red beans and rice is a super simple meal that's packed with smoky, spicy Southern flavor! The beans cook up wonderfully creamy with bold spices, making for an incredibly comforting vegan dinner when served over a bed of fluffy rice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 30

Soak Time8

Total Time10 45

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Cajun

Servings:

Calories: 544kcal

Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

1 pound dried kidney beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups long grain white rice
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper hot sauce, or to taste (Note 1)
1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
4 scallions, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse the beans, then place them in a large bowl. Cover them with water, making sure that the water level is at least three times as high as the beans. Let them soak overnight, about 8 to 12 hours.
When the beans have finished soaking, coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot, then add the minced garlic to the space you just created. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
Add the soaked beans to the pot, along with the water, thyme, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring the water to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover the pot. Let the mixture simmer until the beans are very tender and starting to fall apart, about 2 hours. Occasionally uncover the pot and give the mixture a stir. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to look too dry.
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Start when the beans have about 30 minutes of cooking time left.
Once the beans have finished cooking, uncover the pot and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the hot sauce, liquid smoke, and salt. Taste-test the mixture and adjust any seasonings to taste.
Divide the rice into bowls or onto plates, then top with the bean mixture. Sprinkle each portion with chopped scallions and serve with extra hot sauce on the side.

Notes

I recommend using Crystal brand hot sauce in this recipe. You may need to adjust the amount if you use a different brand. Tobasco, for example, is much hotter. If you're not sure how much hot sauce to use, just add a bit at a time until you're happy with the heat level.

Nutrition