My Cajun red beans and rice is a super simple meal that’s packed with smoky, spicy Southern flavor! The beans cook up wonderfully creamy with bold spices, making for an incredibly comforting vegan dinner when served over a bed of fluffy rice.
Sometimes the simplest meals are the best! Case in point: rice and beans, in basically any form. My Spanish rice and beans, Mediterranean chickpeas and rice, and Mexican black beans and rice are some of my favorites, and they’re all so simple. Cajun red beans and rice is even more basic, but they’re arguably the best. You just can’t beat the creamy texture of slow-cooked beans and that spicy Southern flavor profile.
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Now, full disclosure: this rice and beans recipe takes longer than the others I mentioned above. That’s because it uses dried beans, which need an overnight soak and a long simmer. The good news is that almost all of that time is hands-off, and it gives the finished beans the creamiest, most irresistible texture.
If you’re set on using canned beans or want to make this on a busy weeknight, I get it! I’ve included tips in the FAQ section below for making this recipe with canned red beans.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below you’ll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Dried kidney beans. Dark red beans or light red beans will work — cook’s choice!
- Vegetable oil. Whatever neutral oil you normally like to cook with can be used.
- Onion.
- Green bell pepper.
- Celery.
- Garlic.
- Water.
- Dried spices. We’re using a simple mix of dried thyme, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and a bay leaf. You can get them all in the spice aisle of just about any grocery store.
- Rice. Long grain white rice is traditional for rice and beans, but feel free to use another variety like brown rice if you prefer.
- Hot sauce. I like Crystal brand for this recipe, because it works so well with Cajun spices and adds a lot of tangy flavor along with heat.
- Liquid smoke. Traditional Cajun red beans and rice is made with ham hock or sausage, so we’re adding smoky flavor to this vegan version with a bit of liquid smoke. You can leave it out if you prefer!
- Salt.
- Scallions.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Soak the beans. Place them into a large bowl and cover them with water. The beans will double or even triple in size, so make sure to use plenty of water. Let them soak at least 8 hours, though overnight is ideal. Drain and rinse them when they’re done.
Step 2: Cook the vegetables. Heat your oil in a pot, then add the holy trinity of veggies: diced onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally, until everything starts to soften.
Step 3: Cook the garlic. Push the veggies to the side, add minced garlic, and cook it briefly, until it becomes very fragrant. Be sure to stir the garlic constantly to prevent it from burning.
Steps 4 and 5: Simmer. Add the water, dried beans, and spices to the pot. Turn up the heat and bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for a couple of hours, giving it an occasional stir.
Step 6: Cook the rice. Start it when the beans have about a half hour left to cook. Simply cook the rice according to the package directions.
Step 7: Finish the beans. They should be soft and a bit creamy when they’re finished. Take the pot off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and season the beans with salt and hot sauce.
Step 8: Serve. Divide the rice among bowls or plates, then top it with the beans. Give each portion a sprinkle of chopped scallions before serving.
Variations
- Add greens. Beans and greens are a great combination! Stir in some chopped up kale, collards, spinach, or chard when the beans have just a few minutes of simmer time left.
- Add vegan sausage. Traditional Cajun rice and beans are often served with sausage, so add some vegan sausage to yours! Beyond Sausage Cajun Sun Sausage or Field Roast Spicy Chipotle Sausage both work really well with this recipe.
- Make it extra creamy. Mash some of the beans using a fork or potato masher.
- Make it extra spicy. Add extra hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or a minced jalapeño.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The recipe includes no gluten-containing ingredients.
You can! Use three 15-ounce cans of red beans, drained and rinsed. Reduce the water to 2 cups. Simmer the beans uncovered for about 15 minutes, until they’re very soft and the flavors have melded, adding a splash of water if the pot starts to dry out.
If you follow the recipe as written and use Crystal hot sauce, it will have a slight kick. If you prefer no heat, you can leave out the cayenne pepper and hot sauce, and instead season the beans with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar.
More Vegan Cajun Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
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Ingredients
- 1 pound dried kidney beans
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper hot sauce, or to taste (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 4 scallions, chopped
Instructions
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Rinse the beans, then place them in a large bowl. Cover them with water, making sure that the water level is at least three times as high as the beans. Let them soak overnight, about 8 to 12 hours.
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When the beans have finished soaking, coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
-
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot, then add the minced garlic to the space you just created. Sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.
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Add the soaked beans to the pot, along with the water, thyme, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf. Raise the heat and bring the water to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover the pot. Let the mixture simmer until the beans are very tender and starting to fall apart, about 2 hours. Occasionally uncover the pot and give the mixture a stir. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to look too dry.
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Cook the rice according to the package directions. Start when the beans have about 30 minutes of cooking time left.
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Once the beans have finished cooking, uncover the pot and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the hot sauce, liquid smoke, and salt. Taste-test the mixture and adjust any seasonings to taste.
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Divide the rice into bowls or onto plates, then top with the bean mixture. Sprinkle each portion with chopped scallions and serve with extra hot sauce on the side.
Notes
- I recommend using Crystal brand hot sauce in this recipe. You may need to adjust the amount if you use a different brand. Tobasco, for example, is much hotter. If you’re not sure how much hot sauce to use, just add a bit at a time until you’re happy with the heat level.
Nutrition
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