2cupschicken brothplus 1 cup if needed, see step 5
3bay leaves
3cupscooked rice
Instructions
Be sure you have soaked your red beans in water overnight before moving on to the next steps.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add sliced sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside.
To the remaining oil in the skillet, add the onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, half of the Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Stir together and cook for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are softened.
Add beans and hot sauce. Sprinkle in remaining Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine. Add chicken broth and stir. Add bay leaves.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 60 minutes. If the water has been absorbed and the beans still aren’t tender, add another cup of chicken stock.
Add sausage and stir to coat. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes to heat through.
Serve with rice.
Notes
Chef Antoine likes to use dried beans that have been soaked for this recipe in order for them to soak up the flavor. Soak the beans in water overnight before beginning. You can certainly use a mixture of both red beans and kidney beans. Using a mixture of the two will provide both creaminess from the kidney beans and density from the red beans.
Yes, you can substitute with canned beans if needed. You can use our Cajun Rice recipe, add the sausage and the drained canned beans, and heat through. Do note that using canned beans will not hold their shape as well compared to soaked beans, and they will not need to simmer for as long in the pot.
Any kind of smoked sausage will work here. Cajun-style andouille sausage is an obvious choice, but regular works just as well. Go with your favorite.
To make this recipe vegetarian friendly simply omit the andouille sausage and substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.