I grew up in Louisiana eating red beans every Monday night. I also grew up with working parents which meant most Mondays included that infamous royal blue Blue Runner can.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s something novel about that blue can for me now however, now that I have my own family I’ve searched for a recipe that still provides that same level of comfort but is also weeknight-easy and lightened up and.. I’ve found it!
You can truly taste just how homemade it is and it’s as simple as adding everything to the slow cooker and forgetting about it.
What makes it healthier
It’s more nutrient dense than canned beans by using dried red beans, fresh vegetables (I’ve even added chopped tomatoes before), and chicken sausage which has 1/3 of the amount of fat as traditional pork sausage and still all of the great flavor from the herbs.
This dish is kiddo approved, too with just the right amount of flavor but not spice. My husband and I add our own Louisiana hot sauce on top to make it a little more PG-13.
Make it Simple
You know I’m all about making meal time easier. Make sure to rinse the red beans thoroughly before cooking- but no need to soak. If you’re prepping on Sunday night, go ahead and chop the onion, celery, and sausage (just store vegetables and sausage separately), that way on the day of it just requires you to toss it in and turn it on.
If you need more tips on how to make meal prep easier, check out my Meal Prep Guide for Beginners.
Clean Red Beans
Equipment
- Slow cooker, Chef’s knife, Cutting board, Pot or rice cooker, Immersion blender or potato masher, Tall bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry red beans rinsed thoroughly
- 1 lb chicken sausage cut into thin slices,
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 5 celery stalks chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 leaves bay
- 7 cups water
- 10 cups cooked rice approximately 3 cups dry
- A couple drops of hot sauce on top optional
Instructions
- Rinse the red beans thoroughly and drain.
- Add all the ingredients (with the exception of the rice) to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or 9-10 hours on low. My slow cooker gets incredibly hot and I have found it only takes about 8 hours for us. Make sure to check around the 8 hour mark
- When there is one hour remaining, ladle 4-5 spoonfuls of beans (try not to get any sausage) into a tall bowl and blend with immersion blender for 30 seconds. You may use potato masher if needed. Add back to slow cooker and continue to cook for the remaining hour.
- Set the rice to cook at this time according to package directions.
- Serve with 1 cup rice in each serving with a small dab of hot sauce on top for the parents!