How to cook red beans from scratch

Every Monday, you can find a pot of red beans and rice cooking in someone’s kitchen in New Orleans. The food writer and New Orleans bon vivant Pableaux Johnson’s house is no exception. The dish, an easy meal from when people used to reserve Monday to do the wash, was once made with the pork bone left over from Sunday supper. In this version, Mr. Johnson strongly encourages the use of hand-made Louisiana Andouille, but smoked sausage will do. —Kim Severson

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How long does it take to cook red beans from scratch?
How long does red bean take to boil?
How long cook red beans without soaking?
How do you make beans from scratch quickly?

Featured in: Fluffy. Tasty. Tricky.

Learn: How to Cook Beans

Learn: How to Make Rice

Yield: About 12 cups

1½pound dried red beans (preferably New Orleans Camelia brand)
1pound Andouille sausage, sliced ½-inch thick (smoked sausage can also be used)
4tablespoons olive oil
6garlic cloves, minced
2medium onions, finely diced
1large rib celery, finely diced
1medium green bell pepper, chopped
1½teaspoons black pepper
⅛teaspoon cayenne pepper
2teaspoons salt
3bay leaves
2teaspoons dried basil
¾teaspoon rubbed sage
1cup chopped fresh parsley
1bunch fresh green onions, chopped
Cooked white long-grain rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

317 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 324 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Step 1
In a large bowl, cover beans in water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Water should cover beans by at least an inch.)
Step 2
In a large, heavy pot, brown sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil until slightly crisp. Add remaining oil, then the garlic and onions. Sauté over medium heat until onions become transparent and limp. Add celery and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Pour soaked beans and water into the pot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, salt and all herbs except parsley.
Step 4
Cook until beans are softened, about 1½ to 2 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Step 5
Fifteen minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of beans to a bowl and, using a fork, mash them and stir back into the pot to enhance the creamy texture of the dish. Add parsley and green onions. Simmer about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning, and add up to 1 cup more water if beans seem too thick. Remove bay leaves. Serve over white long-grain rice.

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So thick, so creamy and so flavorful! The beans are cooked just right – perfectly tender, served with rice and smoky andouille sausage.

I kind of have a thing for Louisiana.

I don’t know if it’s all the beignets and the powdered sugar I leave on my pants or if it’s the classic red beans and rice but I keep returning to this state.

I mean, we just got back last week and I’m ready for another trip back!

But until then, I’ll be making the creamiest red beans and rice on the daily.

I’ve done a ton of research and development for this, eating so much red beans and rice every trip to make sure I perfect this for you guys.

Now I really like letting my beans simmer with the andouille sausage (instead of adding it in at the very end) so that it soaks up all the smoky flavors. When ready to serve, be sure to mash up about 1 cup of the softened beans off to the side of the pot – this makes the broth incredibly thick and creamy.

Serve with a scoop of rice, garnished with parsley, and maybe some extra sausage on top. That can’t hurt too much, right?

1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 12.8-ounce package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning, salt-free
3 15-ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, garlic and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately, topped with rice and garnished with parsley, if desired.

How long does it take to cook red beans from scratch?

Simmering Your Beans Simmering the red beans usually takes between one and a half and two and a half hours. Once everything is in the Dutch oven, including the drained beans and enough fresh water to cover them, it's time to bring it to a simmer, cover up that pot, and walk away to get your laundry done.

How long does red bean take to boil?

Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the beans simmer for 45 minutes and up to 90 minutes until tender and soft. Add the salt about 10 minutes before you think they'll be finished cooking. Some beans may split open during the cooking process.

How long cook red beans without soaking?

Method 1 – Cook beans without soaking on the cooktop Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the beans and simmer approximately 2 hours. The bigger the bean, the longer they need to cook.

How do you make beans from scratch quickly?

Cover the beans with water in a large pot, bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, set aside for at least an hour. When you're ready to cook the beans, drain and rinse, put back into a pot, cover with water again, add salt and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.

cook red beans scratch