If you’re in the market for an easy, inexpensive, super filling, and all-around delicious meal, you simply need this Crockpot Red Beans and Rice recipe! Made with primarily pantry staples and only about 15 minutes of active work, this recipe for slow cooker red beans and rice is a perfect “set it and forget it” meal you can enjoy all week long.

Why We Love This Recipe

While we love to go all-out in the kitchen for holidays, celebrations, and game days (Go Saints!), we’re both full-time working mamas who also just so happen to run a food blog. If you, like us, are busy-busy and looking for an easy dinnertime solution that the whole family will love, you need to learn how to make our red beans and rice in the crockpot!

Aside from being the perfect representation of comfort food, this easy red beans and rice recipe is:

• • Quick & Easy. You only need about 15 minutes of prep time to get everything in the slow cooker where all the magic happens.

• • Hearty & Comforting. It’s warm and cozy and has some serious stick-to-your-ribs staying power.

• • Budget-Friendly. Dried beans and rice, a tub of prepared veggies, a few sausages, and some spice aisle staples are all you need to make a big ol’ vat of flavorful goodness. This is a rent-week special if there ever was one!

• • Meal-Prep & Freezer-Friendly. As with most soups and stews, Cajun rice and beans get even tastier after a short spell in the fridge. Oh, and you can freeze them, too!

• • Allergen-Friendly. Naturally gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and dairy-free, this Cajun staple meal is ideal for just about any diet. You can also easily make a few swaps to make it vegetarian or vegan!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you likely already have most of what you need on hand to make Louisiana red beans and rice with sausage. Here’s what to grab:

• • Red Beans – We prefer Camellia Brand “small reds” or “red kidney” beans.

• • Smoked Sausage – Andouille sausage is usually our go-to, but feel free to use a leftover ham bone, ham hock, tasso ham, or any other smoky meat you like.

• • Pre-Chopped Trinity – The Cajun trinity of onions, celery, and bell pepper is ubiquitous in Louisiana. We like to grab a tub of Guidry’s Creole Seasoning to keep our prep work to a minimum, but feel free to chop your own to save a few bucks. You can also check the frozen aisle!

• • Olive Oil – Nothing fancy, just your regular ol’ cooking oil will do.

• • Cajun Seasoning – Tony Chachere’s is our preferred brand, but feel free to use whatever you like.

• • Garlic Powder & Onion Powder – For lots of allium flavor without any tears or sticky fingers. Dried minced garlic and onions will also work.

• • Chili Powder & Cayenne Pepper – For warmth. Feel free to dial up the heat by adding extra cayenne to your liking.

• • Bay Leaves – For that flavorful je ne sais quois. If you’re fresh out, you can omit them.

• • Salt & Pepper – For seasoning.

• • Stock – For that delightful gravy-like consistency. You can use boxed, canned, or homemade chicken, beef, pork, or vegetable stock. You’re also free to use water, but stock is more flavorful.

• • Brown Sugar – Just a smidge of either light or dark brown sugar helps to balance out the flavors. Feel free to use unrefined sugars like grated jaggery or piloncillo if you prefer.

• • Cooked Rice – You can use either white or brown rice here! White cooks faster, but brown is more nutritious. It’s entirely up to you.

 

How To Make Red Beans & Rice In The Crockpot

Making Cajun red beans and rice is a snap. Here’s how it’s done:

Optional Prep: Soak the Beans overnight. Sort and rinse the beans under cool, running water. Place in a large bowl or pot and cover with several inches of clean water. Let sit overnight. Drain before cooking. 

Note: While soaking the beans is optional, they will cook faster and more evenly if you do. If you’re short on time, feel free to rinse the beans, cover with several inches of water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and soak for an hour instead.

Step 1: Sauté Aromatics. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the trinity, stir well, and cook until vegetables start to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure that the vegetables don’t stick.

Step 2: Brown Sausage. Add the smoked sausage, stir well, and continue to cook until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender about 5-7 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally to make sure the trinity and sausage aren’t sticking.

Step 3: Slow Cook. Transfer the contents to a slow cooker. Add the water and red beans along with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and bay leaves. Stir well and place the cover on the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on low for 10 hours (or 4 hours on high setting). Stir occasionally.

Step 4: Add Brown Sugar at the halfway mark (5 hours on low, 2 hours on high).

Step 5: Mash Some Beans. After eight hours (on low setting) or three hours (on high setting) the beans should be soft. Use the back of a spoon to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the beans, for a creamier style of beans.

Step 6: Serve. Before serving, stir in thinly sliced green onions and the desired amounts of salt and black pepper. Serve over rice and enjoy!

 

Optional Variations

Not to toot our own horn, but we think this is the best red beans and rice around. That said, there’s always plenty of room for you to customize any recipe to your liking! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• • Extra Spicy – Feel free to add extra cayenne and/or add some chopped spicy green chiles (e.g. jalapeños) to the pot with your trinity.

• • Instant Pot Directions – Cut back on dishes by using your Instant Pot! Use the “Sauté” function on high heat for steps 1 & 2, then use the “Slow Cook” function on either low or high as directed in the recipe. 

• • Vegetarian/Vegan Red Beans and Rice – Either omit the smoked sausage or use a vegetarian substitute and opt to use either veggie stock or water to make an entirely plant-based meal. 

• • Any other variations you can think of??

Expert Tips & Storage

To store red beans and rice in the refrigerator: Place any leftovers in clean, airtight containers, preferably keeping the beans and rice separate. 

Safety note: Make sure to refrigerate the rice within an hour of cooking, and also be sure to reheat it thoroughly (to 165F) and eat it within 2 days. 

To store red beans and rice in the freezer: Once cooled entirely (preferably overnight in the fridge), your leftovers can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. 

To reheat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator then simmer on the stovetop or microwave in 45 second bursts, stirring occasionally, until heated to 165F.

FAQs

Are red beans and kidney beans the same thing? While they’re technically not the same (red beans are smaller, rounder, and taste slightly “beanier” than red kidney beans), you can use them interchangeably in this New Orleans red beans and rice recipe. 

Is red beans and rice healthy? “Healthy” is a loaded and subjective term that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. We’re also not nutrition professionals. What we will say is, 

1. 1. Beans and rice make a “perfect protein,” meaning they have all the amino acids; 

1. 1. These homemade red beans and rice are made with entirely whole foods and you have complete control over how much added salt and fat go into them; and,

1. 1. We feel perfectly virtuous eating them and serving them to our loved ones.

What kind of sausage should I use for red beans and rice? Depending on who you ask, “authentic” red beans and rice should be made with andouille sausage, tasso ham, or ham hock. We say you should use whatever smoky meat (or meat-free) sausage you like.

Is red beans and rice spicy? Not particularly, unless you add a bunch of cayenne! Feel free to dial the heat up or down according to your preferences.

What should I serve with red beans and rice? Generally speaking, red beans and rice is considered a meal unto itself, often served with a hunk of crusty bread on the side. If you prefer to make more of a feast out of it, try serving it with….

 

More Easy Cajun Recipes

• • Louisiana Seafood Gumbo Recipe

• • Easy Keto Jambalaya

• • New Orleans Crawfish Bread (No Mayo!)

• • Creamy Shrimp & Grits

If y’all tried this sumptuous recipe for our easy Crockpot Red Beans & Rice, holler and let us know how it turned out for you by giving us a rating and commenting below. You can also always feel free to tag us (@creamcheeseandlemonsqueeze) in your social media posts so we can cheer you on.

Alright, y’all. Thanks so much for stopping by! For even more down-home Mississippi Coast cooking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok. You can also get all of our newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for our weekly newsletter. We can’t wait to see you again soon!

XO,

Anna & Ashley