Rice and Beans Recipes?

[Anonymous]

I love rice and beans but don't know how to make it well on my own -- does anyone have flavorful but not too too spicy recipes to share? Trying to wean myself off of Zatarain's.

Recipe rather than list of ingredients preferred. Left to my own devices I will just mess it up! Thank you.

[Anonymous]

1 bag of small red beans
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 package of andouille sausage, chopped

Throw the beans in the Crock Pot with 5 cups of water. If you want, you can soak them the night before and dump them in the Crock Pot (with fresh water, not the soaking water) in the morning. Add in the chopped veggies. You say "flavorful but not spicy" so I'm going to try and guesstimate the amount of spices I'd use to get that level (I like mine spicy). For "flavorful but not spicy" I would throw in 2 tbsp of Tony Chachere's seasoning, maybe another tbsp of salt and a tbsp of black pepper. Cook this on high for about 4 hours, then taste to see if you need to add extra seasonings- the long cook times can subdue some of the spices. Add more of whatever if the beans taste too bland.

At the 4 hour mark, add in a package of Andouille sausage that you've chopped up. (Or kielbasa, or leave it out if you're vegetarian or want to make this super cheaply.) Cook another 2 hours or so and by the 6 hour mark, the beans should be nice and tender and fully cooked. Serve over rice, maybe garnish with some green onion if you're into that.

[Anonymous]

1 bag dry kidney beans
1 onion
1 can tomato paste (love Cento)
Oregano

Rice

Optional:
- 3 cloves garlic (optional)
- adobo seasoning (Goya, red lid) or salt

Fry onion/garlic. add lots of water and other ingredients except the rice (the water will evaporate and you will need to add more too to make it a little saucy). Boil 2+ hours till tender. Add water as needed during cooking. Soaking the beans in water the nite before cuts boiling time in half. Serve beans over rice.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1 bag of small red beans
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 package of andouille sausage, chopped

Throw the beans in the Crock Pot with 5 cups of water. If you want, you can soak them the night before and dump them in the Crock Pot (with fresh water, not the soaking water) in the morning. Add in the chopped veggies. You say "flavorful but not spicy" so I'm going to try and guesstimate the amount of spices I'd use to get that level (I like mine spicy). For "flavorful but not spicy" I would throw in 2 tbsp of Tony Chachere's seasoning, maybe another tbsp of salt and a tbsp of black pepper. Cook this on high for about 4 hours, then taste to see if you need to add extra seasonings- the long cook times can subdue some of the spices. Add more of whatever if the beans taste too bland.

At the 4 hour mark, add in a package of Andouille sausage that you've chopped up. (Or kielbasa, or leave it out if you're vegetarian or want to make this super cheaply.) Cook another 2 hours or so and by the 6 hour mark, the beans should be nice and tender and fully cooked. Serve over rice, maybe garnish with some green onion if you're into that.

This would need some chopped celery too, if you are looking for authentic red beans and rice. Also a bay leaf or two. To make it creamy, when all is done, mash up a cup or so of beans to a paste and put them back in and stir.

[Anonymous]

Awesome, thank you everyone! These look simpler than I was expecting, I can't wait to try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 bag of small red beans
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 package of andouille sausage, chopped

Throw the beans in the Crock Pot with 5 cups of water. If you want, you can soak them the night before and dump them in the Crock Pot (with fresh water, not the soaking water) in the morning. Add in the chopped veggies. You say "flavorful but not spicy" so I'm going to try and guesstimate the amount of spices I'd use to get that level (I like mine spicy). For "flavorful but not spicy" I would throw in 2 tbsp of Tony Chachere's seasoning, maybe another tbsp of salt and a tbsp of black pepper. Cook this on high for about 4 hours, then taste to see if you need to add extra seasonings- the long cook times can subdue some of the spices. Add more of whatever if the beans taste too bland.

At the 4 hour mark, add in a package of Andouille sausage that you've chopped up. (Or kielbasa, or leave it out if you're vegetarian or want to make this super cheaply.) Cook another 2 hours or so and by the 6 hour mark, the beans should be nice and tender and fully cooked. Serve over rice, maybe garnish with some green onion if you're into that.

This would need some chopped celery too, if you are looking for authentic red beans and rice. Also a bay leaf or two. To make it creamy, when all is done, mash up a cup or so of beans to a paste and put them back in and stir.

You can use a potato masher directly in the pan to mush the beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1 bag dry kidney beans
1 onion
1 can tomato paste (love Cento)
Oregano

Rice

Optional:
- 3 cloves garlic (optional)
- adobo seasoning (Goya, red lid) or salt

Fry onion/garlic. add lots of water and other ingredients except the rice (the water will evaporate and you will need to add more too to make it a little saucy). Boil 2+ hours till tender. Add water as needed during cooking. Soaking the beans in water the nite before cuts boiling time in half. Serve beans over rice.

Im this poster - FYI, this recipe has a central american flavor if you will (its my friend from el salvador's recipe, and its very similar to the consensus of the recipes on the goya bean bags). And I use LOTS of oregano

[Anonymous]

Fresh oregano? Would the dried leaves do? thx.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fresh oregano? Would the dried leaves do? thx.

You can used dried. I wouldn't go overboard with it though. A little goes a long way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That's funny. I think I have that in my pantry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fresh oregano? Would the dried leaves do? thx.

Dried (I'm this poster). I use a lot, like a large spoon.

[Anonymous]

Zatarians has MSG. I loved it until I read the label. MSG makes my face swell up and turn red. It's not dangerous (for me) but it's not pretty!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fresh oregano? Would the dried leaves do? thx.

Dried (I'm this poster). I use a lot, like a large spoon.

And to jazz the rice, after its cooked, add:
- splash of canola oil
- juice of 2 limes
- chopped cilantro stem and all

[Anonymous]

Zatarians has MSG. I loved it until I read the label. MSG makes my face swell up and turn red. It's not dangerous (for me) but it's not pretty!

Thank you for explaining. I was wondering why OP would be trying to wean herself off of it.

These recipes sound great.

I like chopped green onions at the end, or for garnish. Not sure if this is traditional, but I think it adds an extra something.