This quick and easy red beans and rice recipe is thick and creamy with all the flavors of New Orleans everyone loves. Ready to eat in 20 minutes! Creamy creole red beans, smoked sausage, cajun seasoning, and trinity simmered together & served over hot cooked rice.
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Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe
A homemade meal doesn’t necessarily have to take a long time to put together! Whether you have a full-time job outside the home, or you’re a stay at home parent, everybody can appreciate the effort you’ve taken to prepare a hot meal; no matter how much time the meal took to prepare.
Red Beans and Rice is a great meal any time of the year (not just on Mondays, anymore)! Traditionally served during Mardi Gras, but we eat it all year round. Some people think of it as southern comfort food. My Cajun family will eat this meal any day of the week and any time of the year!
Growing up, my family ate rice way more often than we ate potatoes! It probably has something to do with our Louisiana family heritage. Both sets of my grandparents (and many generations before them) were born and raised in St. James Parish, Louisiana. My mother is (and my grandmothers were) an exceptional cook. We grew up on all sorts of rice dishes such as jambalaya, shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee, and seafood gumbo. Check out my Easy Cajun Shrimp and Rice Casserole!
What makes this recipe easy and quick is simply using canned red beans. Yes, I said “canned beans” and we love them! But not just any canned red beans will do. The canned Blue Runner Creole Red Beans are amazing because they’re smooth, creamy, and flavorful.
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Using the creole canned red beans is a huge time saver vs. soaking dry beans. First, you don’t have to prepare the dry beans for soaking the night before. Second, you don’t have to wonder, “how do you thicken red beans and rice”?
When you combine the thick & creamy creole red beans with a can of regular red beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans, the consistency is perfect! Is there anybody out there who likes soupy red beans & rice?
Another time-saving tip is to use the frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mix that’s in your grocery store’s frozen vegetable section. (If you don’t like the idea of using the convenient frozen blend, or if you already have fresh veggies on hand, then by all means, use the fresh ingredients instead. Use about 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped bell pepper, and 1/2 cup chopped celery). The mixture of onion, bell pepper, and celery is commonly referred to as the “trinity” in cajun and creole cooking.
Ingredients for Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
(please refer to the actual recipe card for complete details)
- 1 pound Sausage (andouille or Conecuh hickory smoked sausage)
- 1 10-ounce bag frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery blend (see recipe card if using fresh veggies)
- 1 15.5 ounce Canned red beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans
- 1 16-ounce Canned Blue Runner Creole Cream Style Red Beans
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
- Dried basil
- Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere’s or Slap ya Mama)
- Cooked rice (prepare yourself or buy cooked rice such as Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice).
How to Make Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
STEP 1: Saute the sliced sausage in the oil until the sausage is slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. I recommend using either andouille sausage or Conecuh sausage. In addition, be sure to use a heavy duty pot, which cooks more evenly. I absolutely love my Calphalon pot that I exclusively use for this recipe and my jambalaya recipe. This pot is worth every penny and has lasted for over 15 years.
STEP 2: Add the undrained red beans (I prefer the pinto beans with bacon), creole cream style red beans, and seasonings. See Note #1 below. Mix well and gently simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Serve with hot, cooked rice. (See Note #2 below). Enjoy with crusty french bread!
Notes: (1) This recipe makes a medium-thick “sauce.” If you prefer a more “liquidy” consistency, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth but I don’t recommend adding any more than that, or you may end up with a soupy texture! (2) To save even more time, use the pre-cooked rice that comes in a pouch (man oh man, now we’re taking it to the next level with the time-saving tricks). Here’s a picture of the onions, bell pepper, and celery that have simmered 5 minutes with the sliced sausage.
Creamy Creole Red Beans
The Blue Runner Creole Red Beans are the secret to a thick, creamy texture. You should be able to easily find them near the canned red beans. If not available in your area, you can find them here Blue Runner Creole Cream Style Red Beans.
What is Traditionally Served with Red Beans and Rice?
French bread is the most popular side served with red beans and rice. Cornbread, turnip greens, and a simple salad are all great choices, too.
CAN YOU FREEZE RED BEANS AND RICE WITH SAUSAGE?
Yes, this freezes well. Allow the red beans and sausage and rice to completely cool off. Then place into a freezer container or sealable plastic freezer bag (write the date on the bag so you can easily remember it). Frozen red beans and sausage and rice will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge the day before you plan to eat if. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.
HOW LONG WILL RED BEANS AND RICE WITH SAUSAGE LAST IN THE FRIDGE?
Red Beans and Rice with Sausage will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store in airtight containers. I like to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 20-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids. These containers are great for meal prep, too!
Quick and Easy Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sausage, spicy smoked, sliced (andouille sausage or Conecuh sausage)
- 1 10-oz bag frozen seasoning blend (pre-chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery)*
- 15.5 oz Can red beans (or pinto beans with bacon), undrained
- 16 oz Can creole cream style red beans
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Dried parsley
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- 1 tsp Dried basil
- 1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning (such as Tony's)
- Hot cooked rice
Instructions
- Saute the sliced sausage in the oil until the sausage is slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the undrained red beans (I prefer the pinto beans with bacon), creole cream style red beans, and seasonings. Mix well and gently simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Serve with hot cooked rice.
- *if using fresh veggies, use 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup diced bell pepper, and 1/2 cup diced celery
Notes
Nutrition
Please leave me a comment if you make this recipe. I’d love to hear from you.
Some of the items used for this recipe include:
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Hi. I’m Anne and I’m happy to share with you my easy, family friendly recipes. I’ve been cooking for my family for 30 years, and what I’ve learned is that most busy families appreciate easy, homemade meals. Now that the kids are grown, my passion is creating and sharing flavorful food for you and your family to enjoy as well. If you ever have any questions, feel free to send me an email at 
I made this last weekend for the wife. Incredibly easy and delicious. And she wanted seconds! Will make this again!
Thank you, Asher. I’m glad she loved it. Yay!
I simply cannot believe how delicious this turned out using canned beans! And the fact this was ready in 20 minutes just blew me away. This recipe is a keeper and I’m sharing it with my neighbor!