Monday Red Beans and Rice (The Way New Orleans Does It)

In New Orleans, red beans aren’t a Tuesday dish or a Friday dish. They’re a Monday (EVERYDAY!) dish, and there’s a reason for it. Most schools in the city still have beans on Mondays for lunch, although it is not always red beans and Gravy lets us know when it something different.

Gravy’s job is the cayenne (she has opinions), mine is keeping an eye on the pot. The secret isn’t a secret at all: time, the holy trinity, good Louisiana sausage, and enough patience to let the beans turn their own liquid into gravy.

No roux here. Just a lovely pile of creamy beanies. We’ll show you how.

Why this one works

• The beans do the work. Mashing the cooked beans into the pot is what gives you that thick, creamy gravy — not flour, not cream.
• Two kinds of pork. Andouille (or Chaurice) for spice, plus a ham hock (or that leftover ham bone) for deep background flavor.
• The holy trinity. Onion, celery, and bell pepper are the foundation of nearly everything we cook. Get comfortable with it here.
• Forgiving. This is a pot you can walk away from. It’s better the next day, and it freezes beautifully.

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Creamy, smoky red beans simmered low and slow with andouille (or our favorite for with beans chaurice), ham hock (or tasso ham), and the holy trinity — served over white rice the way New Orleans does it on Mondays, or Sundays, or all the days.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, Creole

Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb 450 g dried red kidney beans, preferably Camellia
• 2 tbsp neutral oil or bacon fat
• 1 lb andouille sausage (or chaurice if available) sliced into ½-inch coins
• 0.5 – 1 lb smoked ham hock or leftover ham bone, or 8 oz pickled pork, or tasso ham
• 1 large yellow onion diced (about 2 cups)
• 2-3 celery stalks diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves (we usually double it) minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp cayenne plus more to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 3-6 dashes worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Zatarain's Creole seasoning (Optional)
• 2-3 dashes Hot sauce and to serve
• 5-6 cups chicken stock, or pork stock, or water plus more as needed
• ¼ cup sliced green onions plus more to serve
• Salt to taste (add at the end)
• Cooked long-grain white rice to serve
• Cornbread to serve (with or instead of rice)

Equipment

• 1 Big Pot

Method

 

1. Soak beans overnight in cold water covered by at least 2 inches. Drain. (Quick-soak: boil 2 minutes, rest covered 1 hour, drain.)
2. Brown the sausage in oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat.
3. Cook onion, celery, and bell pepper in the fat 6–8 minutes until soft. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
4. Add beans, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, Creole seasoning (optional), black pepper, cayenne, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, and stock. Bring to a boil, return the sausage. then reduce to a low simmer.
5. Simmer partially covered 2–2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Add water if it thickens too much.
6. Mash about 1-2 cups of beans against the side of the pot and stir to create a creamy gravy.
7. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat, and return it to the pot. Discard bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt.
8. Serve over hot white rice or fresh baked cornbread. Top with green onion and hot sauce.

Video

Notes

Better the next day. Beans freeze well for up to 3 months (freeze without the rice). For deeper smoke, run the andouille on the smoker 30–40 minutes before slicing.

We prefer chaurice sausage over andouille. It brings a slightly different flavor profile and texture. 

If you haven’t tried it, cornbread topped with red beans is a flavor bomb of joy. You might even rate it higher than a Popeyes red beans and buttermilk biscuit sandwich. 

Tips & make-ahead

• Don’t salt early. The sausage and ham bring their own. Salt at the end.
• Better the next day. The flavor deepens overnight. Make a double batch for an amazing lunch.
• Freezes well. Cool, portion, and freeze the beans (not the rice) for up to 3 months.
• On the smoker. Run the sausage on a smoker for 30–40 minutes before slicing — it pushes the smoke way up.
• Try out using cornbread. It really does amp up the red beans, but rice is always nice down here

FAQ

Do I have to soak the beans? It’s not strictly required, but soaking gives you more even cooking and a creamier pot. If you skip it, expect to add 45–60 minutes of simmer time and more liquid.

Can I use canned beans? Yes. Use 3–4 cans of red kidney beans, drained. Cut the simmer to about 45 minutes and lean harder on the sausage and hock for flavor. It won’t be quite as creamy, but it’s a solid weeknight version.

What is the holy trinity? Onion, celery, and bell pepper — the aromatic base of Cajun and Creole cooking, the local cousin to the French mirepoix.

Can I make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot? Slow cooker: 6–8 hours on low after browning the sausage and trinity. Instant Pot: pressure-cook soaked beans 25–30 minutes, then mash and simmer to thicken.

How spicy is it? Mild as written. The heat lives in the cayenne and the hot sauce at the table, so everyone can dial in their own.