New Orleans Style Red Beans with Rice
These New Orleans style red beans are full of flavor from spices, chicken, and andouille sausage, all coated in a velvety smooth sauce.
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Something about the colder weather makes me desperate for soups, stews, and comfort food of all shapes and forms. This hearty meal works great for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or a rainy weekend lunch.
Served with a scoop of white rice, a drizzle of my favorite hot sauce, and fresh green onions, I’ve definitely contemplated enjoying it for breakfast a time or two.
New Orleans Flavor
This dish, originated in New Orleans, is something truly special. I am always on the lookout for it at local restaurants, but here in the northwest it’s been a challenge to find.
The Louisiana inspired spices paired with both chicken and sausage, plus a blend of red beans is about as authentic as it gets in this pacific northwestern kitchen.
Cooking Tips
Here are a couple tips for these New Orleans style red beans I learned in testing this classic recipe:
- Cook everything in the same pot. If you already follow Diane, you’ve seen her epic cooking stories. She always encourages cooking in the same pan/pot to develop flavor.
- Sear the protein first! Again, this site adds depth of flavor to the dish as a whole. It also creates a nice crispy texture to the sausage and chicken.
- Purée some of the beans and broth. You could skip this step if you’re in a hurry, but it’s what gives this dish that creamy smooth sauce that’s basically the best part.
New Orleans Style Red Beans with Rice inspired by Diane Morrisey
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, New Orleans, Creole
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: New Orleans, Creole, American
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 organic chicken thighs
- 2 andouille sausages, cut into rounds
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 stems of celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 2 tsp red chili flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cans of red kidney beans, drained
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp of your favorite hot sauce
For Toppings:
- 1 cup basmati rice
- additional hot sauce
- green onions, minced
- cilantro, minced
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Chop and prep all veggies. Cut sausages into rounds. Cut chicken thighs into bite sized pieces. Add chicken to the saucepan and brown on all sides until cooked through. Remove and set aside. Repeat the same process with the sausage.
- Reserve the remaining oil from cooking the meat. Add diced onion, pepper, celery, and carrot to the pot. Sauté until translucent. Add in paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne, and red chili flakes. Continue to stir for 2 minutes. Add in tomato paste and cook an additional minute.
- To the pot, add the kidney beans, bay leaves, vegetable broth, and hot sauce. Stir well, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. If needed, add more broth or water. While this is cooking, make your rice.
- Using an immersion blender, blend some of the bean mixture until smooth and creamy. This step allows a creamy contrast in consistency. Add back in the sausage and chicken. Top with rice, hot sauce, and herbs. Enjoy!