Creole Rice and Beans with Sausage (Printer-friendly)
Smoky sausage, tender rice, and creamy beans simmered in spicy Creole tomato sauce. A hearty, comforting dish ready in under an hour.
# What you'll need:
→ Meats
01 - 10 oz smoked sausage (Andouille or kielbasa), sliced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Rice & Beans
06 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
07 - 14 oz canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1⅔ cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Tomatoes & Sauce
09 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
→ Spices & Seasonings
11 - 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Oils & Garnishes
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
19 - Hot sauce for serving (optional)
# Method:
01 - Heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned on both sides, approximately 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
02 - In the same pan, add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, oregano, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add rice and toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently.
05 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices and chicken broth. Stir in bay leaf and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
07 - Add beans and browned sausage. Stir to combine, cover again, and simmer for another 10–12 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf, fluff rice with a fork, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with hot sauce if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The rice soaks up all those smoky-spicy flavors while still maintaining its distinct texture, creating little pockets of flavor that burst with each bite.
- Its that rare one-pot comfort meal that somehow tastes even better the next day, making those hectic weeknight dinners feel like a gift from your past self.
02 -
- Never rush the initial vegetable sauté, as those slow-cooked aromatics create the foundation that makes or breaks this dish.
- The pot needs to rest off-heat for those full 5 minutes at the end, otherwise youll end up with undercooked rice in some spots and mushy rice in others.
03 -
- Toast the rice in the spice mixture until you can smell its nutty aroma, which creates a flavor foundation that elevates the entire dish.
- Let the pot sit undisturbed during simmering rather than stirring frequently, allowing a slight crust to form on the bottom that adds incredible texture and depth.