Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

This Crockpot Red Beans and Rice delivers authentic Louisiana flavor with minimal effort. It is an easy and quick slow cooker meal that gives you the best smoky, rich bowl of comfort food. Perfect for a simple weeknight dinner or meal prep, this healthy and hearty dish simmers all day while you go about your work. The trick is mashing a portion of the beans at the end to create a creamy gravy that coats every grain of white rice perfectly.

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Cajun / Creole

Keyword: Crockpot Red Beans and Rice recipe

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 15

Servings:

Calories: 485kcal

Ingredients

1 pound red kidney beans Dry red kidney beans sorted and rinsed in cold water.
14 ounces andouille sausage Smoked Louisiana andouille sausage sliced into half-inch thick rounds.
1 large yellow onion Finely diced for aromatics.
1 medium green bell pepper Seeded and finely diced.
3 stalks celery stalk Diced to complete the Cajun Holy Trinity.
4 cloves garlic clove Minced finely.
6 cups chicken broth Low-sodium chicken broth to control salt level.
1.5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning Store-bought or homemade Creole spice mix.
2 whole bay leaf Dried bay leaves to add earthy aroma.
3 cups long-grain white rice Steamed hot long-grain white rice for serving.
3 stalks green onion Thinly sliced green tops for garnish.

Instructions

Dice the yellow onion, green bell pepper, and celery stalks into uniform 1/4-inch pieces. Slice the smoked andouille sausage into 1/2-inch thick rounds on a cutting board. You'll hear the crunch of fresh vegetables as your knife slices through them, releasing a sharp and sweet aromatic scent across the kitchen. (I tried using pre-diced frozen veggies once, they turned into mush after 8 hours. Fresh produce is the fix.) Cutting the vegetables uniformly ensures they break down evenly into the gravy later.
Place the sorted and rinsed dry red kidney beans into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the diced vegetables, sliced sausage, minced garlic, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, and low-sodium chicken broth. Stir well with a spoon to submerge all ingredients in liquid. The liquid should completely submerge the dry beans by at least 2 inches to ensure proper rehydration. You'll smell the smoky paprika and garlic right as the hot broth hits the seasonings. Submerging dry beans in broth ensures they soften completely without scorching.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW heat (about 200°F) for 7 to 8 hours. Avoid opening the lid during the first 6 hours to keep the steam trapped inside. Around hour 6, you'll see gentle bubbling around the edges and smell a rich, smoky Louisiana gravy aroma filling the room. The kidney beans should be completely tender and yield easily when pressed against the side of the pot. Slow low-heat simmering softens kidney bean starches gradually without bursting the skins prematurely.
Remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Use a potato masher or heavy wooden spoon to mash about 1 cup of the cooked beans against the inside wall of the slow cooker insert, then stir everything back together. The broth will immediately transform from thin liquid into a rich glossy mahogany gravy that coats the back of your spoon. (My first batch was too thin because I skipped mashing. Mashing releases bean starches to thicken the liquid naturally.) Mashing releases natural bean starches to thicken the dish into an authentic creamy gravy.
Ladle the hot slow-cooked red beans and sausage generously over individual bowls of warm fluffy long-grain white rice. Top each serving with thinly sliced fresh green onions. The hot red bean gravy pools around the white rice grains while steam rises off the fresh green onion garnish. The green cuts through the deep reddish-brown color of the dish. Serving over fresh warm rice balances the salty smoky seasoning of the slow-cooked beans.

Notes

Store leftover bean gravy and cooked white rice in separate airtight glass containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Storing rice separately prevents it from soaking up all the rich gravy and becoming soggy. You can also freeze the bean mixture in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Reheat individual portions in the microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Alternatively, warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding 2 tablespoons of chicken broth or water to loosen the thick gravy. Check for spoilage signs like sour odors or surface film before eating.

Nutrition