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Have you ever had authentic red beans and rice? Over ten years ago, I visited Louisiana to help out with hurricane relief from Hurricane Katrina. While I was there, one of the ladies we helped out made us some red beans and rice. I loved it so much that I decided that I wanted to come up with my own red beans and rice recipe.

This easy red beans and rice recipe doesn’t have that many ingredients. Most of the ingredients are just different spices that give it a lot of flavor. This recipe doesn’t take very long to make either, so it is a great weeknight meal to have with your family!

 

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Red Beans and Rice Recipe Ingredients

• 3 15.5 oz. cans red beans
• 1 lb. smoked sausage or kielbasa or Andouille sausage
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. sage
• 2 Tbs. minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 Tbs. parsley
• 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup water
• rice

 

Red Beans and Rice Recipe Instructions

 

Step 1: Chop Onion & Mince Garlic

Chop up your onion into small pieces. Then, mince up enough fresh garlic cloves to make approximately 2 tablespoons.

I like to use my garlic press to mince garlic because it’s fast and easy (you don’t even have to peel the garlic cloves!)

 

Step 2: Saute Onion, Garlic, & Spices

Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a large pot and saute the onion, garlic, and all the spices.

This will help strengthen the flavor.

 

Step 3: Add Beans & Water

Dump 2 1/2 cans of beans and the water into the pot.

Then, take the remaining half can of beans and smash them with a fork.

Add the smashed beans to the pot and stir. This will thicken it up a bit.

 

Step 4: Cut & Add Sausage

Cut the smoked sausage into 1/2 inch thick slices and add to the pot.

 

Step 5: Simmer

Stir all the ingredients together and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

 

Step 6: Cook Rice

I usually make instant brown or white rice in my microwave.

You can make whatever kind of rice you want and serve it with the red bean mixture.

 

Step 7: Serve

After the red bean mixture is done cooking, remove the two bay leaves and serve over rice.

Red beans and rice is good by itself or served with bread. Hot sauce tastes great on it too.

 

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Have you ever made red beans and rice?

Comment down below your experiences making red beans and rice and other Cajun foods.

 

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