This traditional Creole red beans and rice recipe is made extra easy in the slow cooker!
Oh, rice and beans.
These two simple ingredients are such a staple around the world. And I love how it seems like every different country — heck, often every different culture within a country — has their own totally unique way of making them.
When I lived in Costa Rica, for example, they called rice and beans “gallo pinto”, which was white rice stirred together with black beans and a few veggies and salsa lizano, and was served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. When I was in Jamaica, I loved how they simmered their white rice in sweet coconut milk and served it with pigeon peas or kidney beans. When I was in Mexico, I couldn’t get enough of their classic refried beans, and some well-seasoned Mexican rice can’t be beat. And the list goes on and on…
But. I’m pretty sure that my favorite take on rice will forever-and-always be the classic, zesty, Creole dish that I can’t get enough of — Red Beans and Rice.
Even better? Red Beans and Rice made extra-easy in the Crock-Pot®.
Red Beans and Rice Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Mmmm hmmmm.
No boring rice and beans here. Just take a look at all of those vibrant ingredients!
The main ingredients here, of course, are the “trinity” — onions, bell peppers, and celery — which is kind of the Creole version of mirepoix, or sofrito, etc. So delicious. Then I added in some flavorful Andouille sausage (or you can use smoked sausage, if this is unavailable at your grocery store), tons of garlic, Creole seasoning, and bay leaves. And yes, an entire pound of dried red beans.
The brilliant thing about slow cooking this recipe is that you don’t have to babysit a pot on the stove for hours while those red beans cook completely to perfection. Just toss everything in the Crock-Pot® slow cooker (here’s the one I use) and give the mixture a good stir. Then about 6-8 hours later, this big pot of goodness will be yours to enjoy.
Seriously, it’s so simple! I served mine over traditional white rice, but brown rice (or even quinoa or farro) would work well here. Or you can also serve up a little bit of it for breakfast in a mug, which I also did the next day for leftovers. Delicious at all hours of the day!
So if you happen to love red beans and rice as much as I do, give this one a try! And bonus — if you happen to be in the market for a new slow cooker, Crock-Pot® is giving a sweet discount to Gimme Some Oven readers today who click over to their site. This Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Slow Cooker with a Stovetop-Safe Cooking Pot is the one I own and use most, and totally recommend.
Enjoy!
Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked (dry) red kidney beans
- 3/4 pound (12 ounces) Andouille sausage, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 bell pepper, cored and diced
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more/less to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- for serving: cooked white or brown rice, thinly-sliced green onions
Instructions
- Rinse the kidney beans thoroughly under water.
- Add the kidney beans, sausage, garlic, celery, onion, bell pepper, Creole seasoning, hot sauce, dried thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 6-8 hours, or until the kidney beans are soft and cooked through*. Taste, and season with however much salt and pepper you’d like. (I used about 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.**) If you’d like a spicier dish, feel free to also add in more hot sauce. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve immediately over rice, garnished with green onions.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!This post is sponsored by Crock-Pot®, maker of my beloved slow cooker. Thanks for continuing to support the brands who help make this site possible!
I happened across your sight by following the link to this recipe. It looks scrumptious! I will definitely be trying this. Your photographs are lovely and I like your format.
Aw, thank you, Beverly Ann! :)
Made this tonight and it was great! Made a vegetarian version, by not adding sausage, adding a little more beans (1.25 lbs roughly, just happened to be what I had in small red beans), and adding about 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika (as suggested in the comments). I think next time I will add a little more smoked paprika and maybe some sort of veggie protein, as I think it needed a bit more texture.
Absolutely amazing! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing with us, Amber — we’re so happy you enjoyed it!
Planning to make this vegetarian for Ash Wednesday. It looks so good!
Awesome, Gennifer — we hope you enjoy it!
Made this for my family last night and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing!
We’re so glad to hear that, Cami!
My freezer meal club made this and it turned out great. We put all the ingredients (including canned red beans) into freezer bags uncooked. Then, we put the contents of the thawed bag in the crock pot. Cooked rice freezes well too. Will definitely make again!
Thanks for sharing with us, Jennie — we’re so happy this was a hit! :)
Hope I can try these during the cold days Thanks for sharing :)
It’s definitely a great recipe for chilly days. :) Enjoy!
Freezing the red beans and sausage is great it freezes just wonderful if putting in freezer bag wouldn’t keep longer than 6 math but if you have a seal a meal it will last indefinitely within reason. I’m from Louisiana and cook this all the the time.
Wow , we just made and what a dish !
Very easy and great tasting . Tried out on
ourselves before making for company.
This recipe is definitely a “keeper ” !
Can’t wait to make again and serve to guests.
Thanks for another awesome yet easy recipe .
We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Cindy! :)
Do u HAVE to use a slow cooker? Can I just use a regular pot?
Feel free to do this on the stovetop if you prefer!
Had this for dinner last night. It was delicious! My husband is out of work right now so he is doing the cooking. I asked him to put this in the slow cooker yesterday morning. He made it exactly as stated. When I say exactly, I mean EXACTLY! He is such a stickler for rules that he will even weigh the 1 lb. bag of beans to make sure it is 1 lb.! Can we say O.C.D.?!?! But kidding aside, when I pulled into the garage and opened my car door I could smell this cooking and my mouth started watering. We loved it! Even my 2 year old daughter enjoyed it. She would take a bite of sausage and say “Oooh! Spicy! Mama, I need drink!”. She went through a cup of milk and 2 cups of tea but she didn’t stop eating until her bowl was clean.
Thanks for sharing with us, Debbye — we’re so glad to hear this was a hit with your family — especially your little one! :)