The holidays and one pot meals go hand in hand for many, and this rings true for me as well. Usually, the night before Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day are ones for our household that include a big pot of soup or something else warm and scooped up out of a pot on the stove or a crockpot.
This red beans and rice recipe takes about 30 minutes from beginning to end, and it’s easy to bulk up to feed a crowd if needed. Some non-traditional ingredients exist here, like okra, which thickens the soupy dish without adding any more starch. And basmati rice just tastes delicious in this recipe as opposed to the more traditional long-grain rice.
Red beans and rice — made with okra and basmati rice in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry basmati rice + water (follow the recipe on package)
- 2 T bacon grease (or use olive oil)
- One container Creole mix in the Kroger produce section (fresh red pepper, green pepper, celery, onion, green onion. And, if you want extra veggies, use two containers. This is approximately two cups per container of this diced vegtable mixture.)
- 1 lb Andouille sausage, (4 links in most pre-packaged options)
- 2-3 T Cajun seasoning (add 2 T until the end and add 1 more if needed)
- 1 t black pepper
- 1 t garlic powder
- 2 cups diced frozen okra
- 1 can Bush's chili beans (pinto)
- 1 can Bush's chili beans (kidney)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- A few dashes of hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook the rice, according to the package directions, on the stove.
- In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of bacon grease over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced Creole mix diced vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. While they are cooking, slice the andouille sausage diagonally and then again in half. Add the sausage to the vegetable mix and combine. Next, add the 2 cups of frozen okra and combine, turning the heat down to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning, garlic and black pepper and mix. As the liquid starts to evaporate, add 1 cup chicken broth and cover the skillet to let cook for about 8 more minutes. Add both cans of beans, drained first, to the sausage/vegetable mix, keeping the heat on medium.
- The rice should be done by now. Scoop out the rice and add it to the skillet with the vegetables, sausage and beans. Thoroughly combine. Taste and add another tablespoon of Cajun seasoning if needed (it really depends on brand). I like to add a little hot sauce in the end for the acidity and spice. Taste to see if you'd like more spices and then serve!
Yes, okra makes red beans and rice taste better!
As a tip, the pre-diced vegetables in the Kroger produce section make this recipe so much easier to make on the fly. If you’d like to add a little green goodness at the end, a few green onions on the top would be great!
I suggest serving with cornbread. For more recipes, be sure to check out our entire recipe collection.
