Red Beans and Rice has its roots in New Orleans as a “Monday dinner” favorite. According to one popular legend, families way-back-when would have a ham for Sunday dinner, and not wanting to be wasteful they would use the leftover ham bone (and maybe some of the meat) to add flavor to a pot of red beans for the next day’s meal.
This dish is considered Cajun style (i.e. it does not use tomatoes), and has smoked sausage in place of the ham/ham bone to provide for a more complete meal. While it could be prepared on a stovetop, a slow cooker allows the flavors to blend together better and makes it a great “set it and forget it” meal for busy weekdays.
Adapted from Add A Pinch
![](https://www.miketriesanewrecipe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/20210425_185814-768x1024.jpg)
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
Description
This dish is considered Cajun style (i.e. it does not use tomatoes), and has smoked sausage instead of the traditional ham/ham bone to provide for a more complete meal. Slow cooking allows the flavors to blend together and makes it a great "set it and forget it" meal for busy weekdays.
Adapted from Add A Pinch
Ingredients
Instructions
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Drain and rinse two cans of the kidney beans and add them to a 6 quart slow cooker. Add the third can of kidney beans to the slow cooker without draining or rinsing.
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Add sausage, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and chili powder to the slow cooker. Mix until everything is evenly blended.
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Cook on High for 4 hour or Low for 8 hours.
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Prepare rice according to package directions.
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Serve by placing a bed of rice in a bowl and spoon the red beans on top. Garnish with green onions and parsley if desired.
Servings 10
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 575kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14g22%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 38mg13%
- Sodium 487mg21%
- Potassium 290mg9%
- Total Carbohydrate 81g27%
- Dietary Fiber 11g44%
- Sugars 2g
- Protein 24g48%
- Calcium 3 mg
- Iron 22 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
This recipe as written has a mild flavor. Suggested ways to make it spicy:
- Use andouille sausage in place of the smoked pork or beef sausage
- Increase the amount of chili powder to taste
- Add hot sauce to taste
- Provide hot sauce on the side when serving