NOLA Red Beans and Rice
Make a flavorful New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) style red kidney beans with smoked sausage, vegetables, and Cajun seasoning. Serve over white rice for a delicious and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Option 1: Using Dry Beans
- ½ pound dry red kidney beans
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, broth, or water
Option 2: Using Canned Beans
- 2 15-ounce cans low-sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, broth, or water
Other Ingredients for Both Options
- 1 tablespoon oil (canola, olive, or vegetable)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 garlic clove is about 1 teaspoon minced)
- ½ cup onion, chopped (1 medium onion is about 1 cup chopped)
- 1 stalk celery, diced (1 celery stalk is about ½ cup diced)
- ½ medium green bell pepper, diced (1 medium bell pepper is about ½ cup diced)
- salt to taste (optional)
- ½ pound cooked smoked sausage or low-fat kielbasa (or cooked ham, shredded chicken or turkey)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend
- pepper to taste (optional)
Instructions
Preparation Directions
- Clean the kitchen area and wash hands with soap and water.
- Gently rub produce under cold running water. Scrub firm produce with a clean vegetable brush under cold running water.
- Soak the beans using the method of your choice - traditional soak, hot soak, or quick soak. (Skip this step if you are using canned beans.)
- Drain and rinse the red beans. (Do this step for soaked beans or canned beans.)
Cooking Directions
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper.
- Stir and cook until the vegetables have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat if vegetables are browning.
- Add cooked meat, Cajun seasoning, and bay leaf (optional.) Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add red beans.
- Add stock, broth, or water, enough to cover the beans. (Reminder - amount differs based on type of bean used, see ingredients for more information.)
- Bring to a simmer, do not boil.
- If using soaked beans simmer until beans are tender, 1-½ to 2-½ hours. If using canned beans simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.
- For soaked beans only: mixture can be transferred to a slow cooker on a simmer setting or 325°F oven in an oven safe pot.
- Remove the bay leaf if added.
- Stir well to mash some of the beans and make the mixture a little bit thicker.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with rice, sliced scallions, and a dash of hot sauce.
Storage
- Refrigerate any leftovers as soon as possible or within 2 hours for safety.
- Use leftovers within 4 days and reheat to 165˚F before consuming.
- Leftovers can also be frozen in freezer-grade containers or bags and used within 3 to 4 months for best quality.
Video
Notes
- For more information about food and beverage storage go to the FoodKeeper Website or App (FoodSafety.gov.)
- The Nutrition Facts Label does not include optional ingredients.
- The Nutrition Facts Label is based on using turkey kielbasa as the protein source and does not include rice.
