Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 15 votes

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice is chock full of smoky sausage (add chicken or ham), delicious creole cajun spices, veggies and healthy red beans. Perfect for Mardi Gras, or anytime you need some delicious comfort food!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 hrs
Total Time
10 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 -10 Servings
Calories: 578 kcal
Cuisine: American , Creole

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3-4 ribs celery diced
  • 6 cloves garlic minced or diced
  • 1 lb dried red beans rinsed and sorted* (kidney beans or black beans may be substituted)
  • 14-20 oz smoked sausage andouille, kielbasa or other smoked sausage works great!, sliced into ½" slices
  • 7 oz ham chunks or other smoked meat (optional)
  • 2 chicken breasts whole (optional)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons Creole or Cajun Seasoning
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Cayenne Pepper to taste up to 1 teaspoon (I do a couple shakes)
  • 6 cups water
  • 4 cups cooked rice white or brown

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil (or if you have a slow cooker to stove insert, do this in your insert). Rinse and sort* dried beans, set aside.
  2. Saute onions, celery until translucent and slightly golden, toss in garlic for the last minute until fragrant. Stir in spices to coat onion, celery, garlic mixture and stir for a minute to bloom the spices. Place all ingredients into crockpot - slow cooker (except rice). Pour about 6 cups water, enough to cover everything by about ½ inch. Stir to mix everything, cover and set slow cooker on high between 6-8 hours or on low between 8-10 hours.
  3. If using chicken breasts, add to crockpot about 4 hours before serving and shred before serving.
  4. To thicken, use a potato masher and mash some of the beans, stir and cook an hour longer or so. Taste before serving, adding additional sea salt and pepper, if needed. Remove bay leaves. Serve red beans over bowls of cooked rice (white or brown)

Notes

  • *Pour dried beans into a sieve and rinse with cool water well. Then sort through beans (see post for what you are looking for) and remove any broken, shriveled beans. Once I have rinsed the beans, I toss onto a sheet pan and "sort" them.
  • sieve
  • sheet pan
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Recipe adapted from Kylee Cooks Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice.
  • Stay Southern, serve with collard greens, Cream Biscuits or cornbread.
  • Make a nice big crisp green salad and serve with a loaf of warm French bread or Beer bread. 
  • We are kind of crazy about naan in this house, which is delicious to sop up all of the juice!
  • You could also try baking some delicious, hearty rolls like these Copycat Outback Molasses Brown Bread Rolls.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 578kcal (29%) Carbohydrates 60g (20%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 9g Trans Fat 0.01g Cholesterol 87mg (29%) Sodium 1325mg (55%) Potassium 1153mg (33%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 239IU (5%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 77mg (8%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8-10 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 578

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 578kcal 29%
Carbohydrates 60g 20%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 0.01g 1%
Cholesterol 87mg 29%
Sodium 1325mg 55%
Potassium 1153mg 25%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 239IU 5%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 77mg 8%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.