The cookbook Louisiana Real and Rustic by Emeril Lagasse had a huge influence on my early cooking. I made every single recipe in that book, eager to learn everything I could about cooking. And about my new town of New Orleans. One of my very favorite southern dishes was, and still is, Red Beans and Rice.
Although southern Red Beans and Rice is traditionally served on Mondays in New Orleans, I now make it any day of the week. It’s my go to comfort food when I’m missing NOLA.
Southern Red Beans and Rice is truly the essence of Louisiana and New Orleans cooking. It is such a local staple that Louis Armstrong added, “Red Beans and Ricely Yours,” to his correspondence letters.
My red beans and rice recipe has evolved, as I learned to add more flavor and spice to my cooking. This pot of stew is rich and full of flavor. The ingredients are enough to provide plenty of leftovers throughout the week.
So pour yourself an ice cold Abita beer, turn up the volume on some Louis Armstrong, and get to cooking.
Southern Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 large red or green pepper use red bell pepper for sweeter bean flavor
- 3-4 stalks celery
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 pound dried red beans I use Camellia brand red beans
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 pound beef sausage link
- 3-4 strips of bacon
- 1 chicken breast or chicken tenders
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground cayenne
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups white rice
Instructions
- Triple rinse red beans in a colander. Set aside. (You can also soak beans overnight if that is your thing.)
- In a large stockpot over medium heat bring chicken broth to a simmer. Add red beans and reduce heat to low.
- While beans are simmering, chop red bell pepper, onion, celery and mince the garlic. Set aside.
- Cut beef sausage link into rounds, then cut rounds in half. Chop 3-4 slices of bacon into ½ inch pieces. Cut chicken breast into rough ½ inch pieces.
- In a skillet over medium heat add 1 Tbsp canola oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add bacon and sausage and cook meats together until browned. Remove from skillet to a plate.
- In the same skillet with drippings from the meats cook the onion, pepper and celery until wilted, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add remaining butter and canola oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Add the cooked vegetables and drippings to the pot of beans. Add meat to the pot of beans. Remove a cup of liquid from the beans and use it to deglaze the skillet, then add all the liquid back into the stock pot. Add bay leaves to the pot.
- Bring pot to a low boil for 15 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Add more broth or water to achieve your desired consistency for the beans.
- After 2 hours press some of the softened beans against the sides of the pot to smash. Continue to smash the beans until the broth becomes creamy and thickened. You do not need to smash all of the beans. Just enough to achieve creaminess. Remove bay leaves. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes or so.
- Cook 1-2 cups of rice. More or less depending on your serving needs.
- Serve red beans in bowls over rice. Garnish with parsley or green onions.