A spicy and hearty side dish so classic to the South.
Red Beans and Rice
- 1 pound dry kidney beans
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 pound andouille sausage (sliced)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups long grain white rice
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Sort and rinse beans, then soak in water overnight.
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Add olive oil to skillet, then sautee onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery for 3 to 4 minutes.
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Rinse beans. Pour into a large pot. Add 6 cups water and the cooked vegetables. Add seasonings (bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning). Bring this to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 2-1/2 hours.
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Add sausage into beans, and simmer 30 minutes.
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While the beans are simmering, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, boil water and rice. Reduce heat to low and cover for 20 minutes. Or use a rice cooker for this step. Serve the red beans over steamed white rice.
Note: Don’t forget to soak the beans overnight to soften them and remove some of the indigestible complex sugars that cause gas. You really don’t want to forget this step!
Adapted from Allrecipes.com