Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice is a classic Creole dish featuring slow-simmered kidney beans infused with aromatic vegetables and Cajun spices, served over fluffy long grain white rice. This hearty and flavorful recipe brings the taste of Louisiana’s traditional comfort food to your table.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Simmering, Sautéing, Boiling
- Cuisine: Louisiana Creole
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Seasoning
- 1 pound dry kidney beans
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
Rice
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups long grain white rice
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Collect all the necessary ingredients listed for the beans and the rice to streamline your cooking process.
- Soak Beans: Rinse the dry kidney beans under cold water thoroughly. Place them in a large pot, cover with water, and soak overnight to soften and reduce cooking time.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, green bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables are tender and fragrant.
- Cook Beans: Rinse the soaked beans and transfer them to a large pot with 6 cups of fresh water. Stir in the sautéed vegetables. Add bay leaves, dried parsley, thyme, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and dried sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer gently for about 2½ hours until the beans are tender and the flavors meld.
- Prepare Rice: While beans simmer, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a separate saucepan. Add the 2 cups of long grain white rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked and water is absorbed.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves from the beans. Spoon the red beans over the steamed white rice and enjoy a comforting authentic Louisiana meal.
Notes
- Soaking beans overnight helps reduce cooking time and improves texture.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to control the spiciness based on your preference.
- For added flavor, you can include smoked sausage or ham hocks if dietary preferences allow.
- Leftover beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a gluten-free version, confirm that Cajun seasoning used is gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup beans with 1/2 cup rice
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Louisiana Red Beans and Rice, Creole cuisine, kidney beans recipe, Cajun seasoning, comfort food, traditional Southern dish
