Description
Creamy Cajun-spiced red beans cook with smoky andouille sausage, smoked sausage, garlic, onion, celery, and bay leaves for a comforting slow cooker dinner. Serve the tender beans and rich sauce over hot white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried small red beans
- 1 link andouille sausage, quartered or sliced
- 2 links smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 6 cups hot cooked white rice, for serving
- Sliced green onions, optional
- Chopped parsley, optional
- Hot sauce, optional
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the dried beans under cool running water. Discard damaged beans, stones, or other debris.
- If using red kidney beans, soak them for at least 5 hours. Drain and rinse them, then boil them in fresh water for 30 minutes before draining. Small red beans may be rinsed and used according to their package directions.
- Dice the onion and celery, mince the garlic, and cut the andouille and smoked sausage into bite-size pieces.
- Add the prepared beans, andouille sausage, smoked sausage, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, water, beef bouillon cubes, and Cajun seasoning to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Stir thoroughly, cover, and cook on high for about 6 hours, or until the beans feel completely tender.
- Check the beans near the 5-hour mark. Add a small amount of hot water if the mixture becomes dry before the beans soften.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Mash 1 to 2 cups of beans against the side of the slow cooker with a spoon or potato masher. Stir the mashed beans back into the pot.
- Let the beans rest uncovered for 10 minutes for a thicker consistency.
- Taste and adjust the Cajun seasoning as needed. Serve the creamy beans and sausage over hot cooked white rice.
Notes
- Check the package carefully to determine whether you have small red beans or red kidney beans.
- Red kidney beans require soaking and a full stovetop boil before they enter the slow cooker.
- Brown the sausage before slow cooking for a deeper roasted flavor.
- The bouillon, sausage, and Cajun seasoning contain salt, so taste the finished beans before adding more.
- Store the beans and rice in separate airtight containers for the best leftover texture.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze the beans without rice for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Cajun and Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 132
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 669
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 10