665 minutes
A flavorful and creamy Cajun-style red beans dish with andouille sausage served over white rice.
Red Kidney Beans
0 lb
tablespoons
tablespoons
Andouille Sausage, cooked, cut into 1/2-inch disks
0 lb
Large Onion, finely chopped
0 oz
Bell Pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
0 oz
Celery, finely chopped
0 oz
Garlic, minced
each
tablespoons
Ground Sage
teaspoons
Black Pepper, freshly ground
to taste
Smoked Ham Hock, optional
each
Pickled Pork Shoulder, optional
0 oz
sprigs
each
to taste
Cider Vinegar, optional
to taste
White Rice, cooked
to serve
1. Soak Beans
Start by placing your red kidney beans in a large bowl. Cover them with 1.5 liters of cold water and stir in 30 grams of kosher salt. Allow the beans to soak for 8 to 16 hours. This soaking process softens the beans, making them plump and ready for cooking.
2. Drain and Rinse Beans
After soaking, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.
3. Cook Sausage
Heat 15 milliliters of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the andouille sausage and cook until it’s lightly browned, about 5 minutes. This step enhances the sausage's flavor and adds a rich base to the dish.
4. Cook Vegetables
Add the finely chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the Dutch oven. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned, around 8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant, about 45 seconds. Then, add the cayenne pepper, ground sage, and freshly ground black pepper, cooking for another 30 seconds to release their essential oils and deepen their flavors.
5. Combine Beans and Liquid
Combine the soaked beans with 6 to 8 cups of water in the Dutch oven. If you’re using a smoked ham hock and pickled pork shoulder or rind, add them at this stage. Throw in the fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook until the beans are tender, which should take between 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
6. Thicken Liquid
Once the beans are tender, remove the lid and continue cooking. Stir the pot occasionally for about 20 minutes, allowing the liquid to thicken and turn creamy. This process releases starches from the beans, giving the dish its signature creamy texture.
7. Season and Serve
Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems, then adjust the seasoning with hot sauce, cider vinegar (if using), and more salt and pepper to taste. For the best flavor, let the dish cool and refrigerate it overnight. Reheat it the next day and serve over cooked white rice.
Use the same base technique but with black beans, add bell peppers, cumin, and oregano. Serve with white rice and optionally, marinated roast pork or chicken.
Introduce paprika and swap in Spanish chorizo for the andouille sausage. Use navy beans for their creamy texture and serve with saffron rice.
Make a lighter version of the dish by using shrimp instead of sausage, add a sofrito base (onion, celery, bell pepper), and serve over rice with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
Swap out the Cajun seasoning for Italian herbs, use white beans, and replace the rice with creamy polenta. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.
For a lighter, seafood twist, add peeled, deveined shrimp in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.
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