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American/Southern · Dinner

Red Beans and Rice

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Red Beans and Rice is a American/Southern dish. Use fully cooked kidney beans; never add raw dried beans directly.

Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Rest, soak, marinate or chill
10 min
Total
70 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
American/Southern
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Red Beans and Rice. Rice is served beside the beans.
Rice is served beside the beans. Representative photograph of Red Beans and Rice. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Beans

Rice

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; heavy frying pan; spatula; food thermometer; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Beans · About 30 min

  1. Fry sausage and vegetables in oil from 30 ml neutral oil, 250 g smoked sausage, sliced, 150 g onion, chopped, 150 g celery, chopped, 150 g green pepper, chopped, 15 g garlic, 900 g cooked kidney beans, 600 ml water, 2 tsp Cajun seasoning 8 minutes. Add beans, water and seasoning; simmer 30 minutes, mashing some beans.

Rice · About 15 min

  1. Rinse rice from 300 g long-grain rice, 550 ml water, ½ tsp salt; simmer with measured water and salt covered 15 minutes. Rest 10 minutes.

Serve · About 7 min

  1. Check sausage mixture is hot through at 74°C / 165°F; spoon over rice.

    Check: The rice is tender; the bean mixture is hot through at 74°C / 165°F.

Tips

  • Use fully cooked kidney beans; never add raw dried beans directly.
  • Judge Red Beans and Rice by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long Red Beans and Rice takes to cook.

Substitutions

  • In Red Beans and Rice, replace kidney beans with cooked small red beans.

Storage

  • Cool Red Beans and Rice in shallow portions and refrigerate promptly, ideally within one hour. Finish Red Beans and Rice within 24 hours, keeping it at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Reheat the cooked rice in Red Beans and Rice once, until it steams throughout and reaches 74°C / 165°F. If serving Red Beans and Rice as a cold rice dish, keep it refrigerated until serving.

Make ahead

  • For Red Beans and Rice, measure the rice and seasonings in advance. Keep the chopped vegetables for Red Beans and Rice separately in the fridge. Cook the rice for Red Beans and Rice on the day you serve it; leftover rice has a 24-hour storage limit.

FAQ

What matters most when making Red Beans and Rice?

Use fully cooked kidney beans; never add raw dried beans directly.

What can I substitute in Red Beans and Rice?

In Red Beans and Rice, replace kidney beans with cooked small red beans.

Can I prepare Red Beans and Rice ahead?

For Red Beans and Rice, measure the rice and seasonings in advance. Keep the chopped vegetables for Red Beans and Rice separately in the fridge. Cook the rice for Red Beans and Rice on the day you serve it; leftover rice has a 24-hour storage limit.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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