New Orleans Creole
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
Traditionally a Monday supper in New Orleans — the beans simmered all day while the wash got done. The secret to the creaminess is long, slow cooking and mashing some of the beans against the pot.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 8 servings
My Sassy Southern Recipes
New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
Prep 20 min · Cook 3 hr · Total 3 hr 20 min · Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lbdried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 2 tbspvegetable oil or bacon fat
- 1 lbsmoked sausage or andouille, sliced
- 1large onion, diced
- 1green bell pepper, diced
- 3celery ribs, diced
- 5 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1smoked ham hock
- 9 cupswater or low-sodium stock
- 3bay leaves
- 1 tspdried thyme
- 1 tspCreole seasoning
- salt, black pepper and hot sauce, to taste
- cooked white rice and sliced green onions, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
- 2
Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Brown sausage 5–6 minutes; remove and set aside.
- 3
Add onion, bell pepper and celery; cook 8 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute.
- 4
Add beans, ham hock, water, bay leaves, thyme and Creole seasoning. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then reduce to a low simmer.
- 5
Simmer partly covered 2 ½–3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if it gets too thick, until beans are very tender.
- 6
Return sausage for the last 30 minutes. Mash about a cup of beans against the side of the pot to make them creamy.
- 7
Remove ham hock, pull off any meat and return it. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Serve over rice.
Cooking notes
- Hold the salt until the beans are tender.
- Old dried beans may take longer to soften.
Serving suggestions
Spoon over rice with green onions, hot sauce, and a piece of cornbread or French bread.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove with a splash of water, stirring, until simmering.
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