Red Beans and Rice
This delicious smoky twist on a Cajun classic is super easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice or long grain rice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 (12.8) ounces package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- 1 smoked turkey leg, shredded
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*
- 3 (15) ounces can red beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, I prefer Louisiana Hot Sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons green onion or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; remove and set aside.
- Add in the oil and butter then the onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; add the smoked turkey leg and continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Using a wooden spoon, mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with rice and garnished with green onion or parsley, if desired.
Notes
*I use a personal blend of spices for my Cajun blend, but if you want you can use a pre-made spice blend like Slap Ya Mama or Tony Checeres. However, these blends have salt in them already so be sure to taste before adding in more salt.
If using dry beans use 2lb bag and quick soak by placing the beans in a pot, cover with water, one inch above the beans. Bring to a boil and boil for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 to 2 hours.