crock pot red beans and rice recipe

Written BySheba G Updated On
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Table of Contents▼

The Best crock pot red beans and rice recipe

I started making red beans and rice in the slow cooker on busy weeks and it became one of the few dinners nobody complains about. The work is minimal. I chop the onion, celery, and bell pepper, brown the sausage if I have it, then put everything in the crock with dried beans and let it cook while I get through my day. Six to eight hours on low and it is done. The house smells like someone spent the afternoon cooking, and all I did was fill a pot.

My kids eat it because it is mild and hearty, and they like it spooned over rice with a little extra sausage on top. My husband takes the leftovers to work and says it is better the second day. I serve it on regular weeknights, but I also make it for game days and for family gatherings because it feeds a crowd without doubling my work. Cornbread and a simple green salad on the side is the whole meal.

What keeps it in rotation is that it is filling food that also happens to be good for us. Beans bring fiber and protein to the plate, and I can stretch the sausage further than I could in most recipes without anyone noticing. I use turkey sausage or smoked sausage depending on what is in the case, and I keep the salt in check by tasting at the end instead of seasoning at the start. It is one of those dinners where I know everyone at the table will eat what is in front of them.

Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice

4.9 from 1561 votes

Dried red kidney beans simmer low and slow with smoked sausage, the holy trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery, and a warm hit of paprika and thyme. The slow cooker does the work, and a quick mash at the end gives the pot that creamy, spoon-coating body.

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time8 hrs
Resting Time0 mins
Total Time8 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 8Cuisine: InternationalCalories: 460 kcal

🥘Ingredients

For the Red Beans

1 lb dried red kidney beans
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
6 cups water, plus more as needed
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp hot sauce, plus more to taste

For the Rice

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp kosher salt

For Serving

2 green onions, thinly sliced

👨‍🍳Directions

1Spread the dried beans on a sheet pan or counter and pick through them, tossing any stones, clumps of dirt, or shriveled beans. Rinse the beans in a colander under cold running water and set aside.
2Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced sausage and brown it for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until the edges are crisp and deeply colored. Transfer the sausage to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat behind.
3Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables soften. Stir in the garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, and black pepper and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
4Scrape the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker. Add the rinsed beans, bay leaves, and 6 cups of water, then stir once to combine. The beans should be fully submerged with about an inch of liquid above them.
5Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the beans are completely tender and crush easily against the side of the pot with a spoon. If the pot looks dry at any point, add water in 1/2-cup splashes to keep the beans covered.
6Fish out and discard the bay leaves. Scoop about 1 cup of the beans against the side of the slow cooker and mash them with the back of a spoon, then stir them back into the pot. This thickens the liquid into a creamy gravy.
7Stir in the salt and hot sauce. Taste and adjust, adding more salt or hot sauce until the flavor is rounded and the heat lingers just slightly at the back of your throat.
8About 25 minutes before serving, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine the rice, water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Let it sit off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
9Spoon the red beans over a mound of rice, scatter the sliced green onions on top, and serve hot.

🔧Equipment

6-quart slow cooker
Large skillet
Chef’s knife and cutting board
Colander
Wooden spoon
Medium saucepan with lid
Measuring cups and spoons

📊Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🔥Calories: 460 kcal🧈Total Fat: 14g💛Saturated Fat: 5g❤️Cholesterol: 25mg🧂Sodium: 780mg🌾Total Carbs: 60g🥦Dietary Fiber: 12g🍬Sugars: 3g🥩Protein: 23g

📝Notes

Tips: Salt goes in at the end rather than the start, which keeps the beans from staying firm during the long cook. For a meat-free version, skip the sausage, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil with the vegetables, and use vegetable broth in place of 2 cups of the water. The beans thicken considerably as they cool, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water when reheating. Nutrition values are estimates and will vary with the sausage and rice you use.

Watch Video Of How Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice Works

I keep this crock pot red beans and rice recipe in my regular rotation because it feeds a crowd without demanding much from me. It works for family gatherings, holidays, and plain busy weeknights, and everyone at the table finds something to like about it.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice

1. Do I need to soak the dried beans overnight?

It is not strictly required, but soaking pays off. A long soak of six to eight hours, or a quick soak where you boil the beans for two minutes and let them sit off the heat for an hour, gives you creamier beans and a more even cook. Unsoaked beans will still work, but plan on more liquid and a longer stretch on high before they turn tender.

2. Can I use canned beans instead of dried?

Yes, and it turns this into a weeknight recipe. Use about three 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed, and stir them in during the last 30 to 45 minutes so they heat through without falling apart. Cut the broth back by roughly two cups, since canned beans will not soak any up.

3. Can I swap in kidney beans for the small red beans?

You can, but boil raw kidney beans hard on the stovetop for at least 10 minutes before they go into the crock. A slow cooker does not always reach the rolling boil that makes kidney beans safe to eat, so do that step first and then transfer them with the rest of the ingredients.

4. When should I add sausage or a ham hock?

Add smoked sausage, andouille, or a ham hock at the start so the fat and smoke season the whole pot. If you want the sausage to hold its shape, brown the slices first and add half at the beginning for flavor and half in the last hour for texture. Taste before salting, since cured meat brings plenty of its own.

5. How do I thicken the broth if it comes out too thin?

Mash about a cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in, which thickens things naturally. If you need more, take the lid off and cook on high for the last 30 minutes, or whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch into a little cold water and stir that in near the end. Serve over hot rice so the extra liquid has somewhere to go.

Hi, I’m Sheba G, the creator behind **Sheba’s Recipe**, where I share my favorite homemade dishes and easy recipes anyone can try. I love experimenting in the kitchen and helping others enjoy simple, flavorful meals with confidence.

Similar Posts