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Red beans and smoked sausage with rice

Red beans and smoked sausage with rice is a Louisiana style stew for 4, ready in 50 minutes, rated easy, at €2.30 per person. The key is browning the sausage well first, its fat flavors the whole tomato and bean sauce that then simmers gently before being served over rice.

Tonight, red beans simmered with smoked sausage, onions and tomato, Louisiana style, served over rice.

Red beans and smoked sausage with rice
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
600 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

This is a dish that simmers quietly while you get on with other things, with a thick tomato sauce that's lightly smoky and just spicy enough thanks to the paprika and cayenne. The sliced sausage browns first on its own, and it's that fat that gives the tender red beans their character once they simmer with the onions and green pepper.

It's the kind of weeknight dinner that warms you up without much effort, and it goes down well with kids thanks to the rice that mellows everything out. Mon Chou suggests it in fall and winter, when you want something hearty that costs almost nothing to put together.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned red beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Cayenne pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Riceoften in the pantry 280 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Smoked cooking sausage 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the sausage and brown it in the oil in a Dutch oven. 6 min

    Let it get really colored, that's what brings the flavor.

  2. Add the chopped onions, pepper and garlic, and let them soften in the fat. 8 min

    Scrape the bottom well, those caramelized bits are worth their weight in gold.

  3. Pour in the tomatoes, the rinsed beans, the paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper, then let it simmer covered. 25 min

    Mash a few beans to thicken the sauce.

  4. Cook the rice in salted boiling water, then drain it. 11 min

    A little pepper in the cooking water flavors the rice.

  5. Serve the beans over the rice, with a bit of parsley if you have some.

    Make it the day before, the flavors are even better the next day.

Our tips to get it right

  • Rinse the canned beans well under cold water before adding them, this gets rid of the thick canning liquid and keeps the sauce from turning cloudy.
  • If the sauce looks too thin by the end of cooking, let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes so it thickens on its own.
  • Taste before adding more salt, the smoked sausage and canned tomatoes already bring in plenty.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked sausage for mild chorizo for a spicier, redder version.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage, double the green pepper and add a bit more smoked paprika to keep that grilled flavor.
  • For kids, blend a small ladle of the sauce before serving, it softens the texture while keeping the flavor.

What to serve it with

  • Slightly sweet cornbread
  • Crunchy coleslaw
  • A dark beer or apple cider

Storage

The beans keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and they often taste even better the next day. They freeze well for up to 2 months, though it's best to cook the rice fresh. Reheat gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge.

Questions about this dish

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, but soak them overnight and cook them for about an hour before adding them to the sauce. Canned beans are faster and work perfectly well for a weeknight dinner.

Can this dish be made ahead of time?

It's actually recommended, the flavors deepen after a night in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove the next day and cook the rice just before serving.

What kind of smoked sausage works best here?

A classic smoked cooking sausage like kielbasa or andouille works well. It just needs to be fatty enough to flavor the beans properly as it browns.

Is this dish too spicy for kids?

No, the pinch of cayenne stays mild and can be reduced or left out depending on taste. The smoked paprika mostly adds flavor, not real heat.

How long does it take to make red beans and smoked sausage with rice?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in red beans and smoked sausage with rice?

About 600 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does red beans and smoked sausage with rice cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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