I didn’t grow up in the south, and definitely did not have red beans and rice growing up. But raising children in New Orleans means serving them red beans, which I consider to be a perfectly balanced and very healthy meal. Beans are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, and this is protein and carbohydrate packed meal that can be made in bulk, saved as meal prep in the fridge, or frozen. It also makes a great dish to share with neighbors or new moms. There are a lot of ways you can make this simple dish - you can use a dutch oven, you can braise them in the oven, or you can cook them on the stove like I do. You have some options with your meat choice too - I used to use ham hocks, but lately have been really liking Manda’s Andouille sausage, or Manda’s Smoked Sausage. If you live outside the south, you can order their products online. If you can’t find authentic cajun sausage - opt for a smoked ham, a honey baked ham, or smoked bacon instead.
serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb dried red beans - soak in filtered water for 12 -24 hours
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 bunch of green onions, chopped.
2 bay leaves
meat options: (use one or two types - not all of these)
1 smoked ham hock/shank
2 links of andouille sausage
1/2 pound of baked ham
2 links Manda’s smoked sausage
Tony’s Cajun seasoning
4+ cups of chicken broth homemade or store bought
option: water and chicken bouillon
olive oil or butter
kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. If you’re using the sausage or ham, I like to brown the sausage/ham as the first step, and then remove it from the pan. If you’re not using sausage/ham, go right to step 2.
Add veggies to the oil or the browned bottom of the pan and saute until soft. If you browned the meat first, the veggies should sweat some of the brown bits off the bottom. You can add a touch of chicken broth to help this along but that helps to flavor the veggies.
Once veggies are soft, add the seasonings: 1 tbsp Tony’s, chopped green onions, and garlic. Stir.
Add meat and beans back in, along with the broth - enough broth to cover by about an inch. Bring the whole pot to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Then, turn the stove to low, cover with the lid and leave it to simmer for 1-2 hours. Come back periodically to check and stir. When the beans are almost finished you can taste for seasoning and add more Tony’s or salt as you like.
Serve with white rice, and more chopped green onions, and Crystal tabasco sauce. Enjoy!