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Red Beans and Rice Soup

Authentic Red Beans and Rice featuring smoky ham hock, savory sausage, and the holy trinity of Cajun cooking, slowly simmered with Creole seasonings until creamy and flavorful. This budget-friendly New Orleans classic is perfect for make-ahead meals and tastes even better the next day.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword red beans and rice
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Soaking time 4 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Karen Gibson

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried small red beans
  • 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
  • 12 ounces andouille sausage , sliced into thin coins
  • 1 small onion , diced
  • 3 ribs celery , diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper , seeds removed, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 smoked ham hock or pork shank , or a ham bone from a spiral ham
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (use more or less to your spicy-heat preferences)
  • 3 cups cooked or leftover white rice*
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large 5 or 6 quart soup pot or Dutch oven until the surface shimmers.
  • Brown the sausage coins in the pot until they attain golden edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another container.
  • Saute the onions, celery, and green peppers until softened and have taken on golden tones from the fond created by the sausage, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (just 30 seconds or so).
  • Clear an area in the center of the pot and return the ham hock to the cleared area.
  • Drain the soaking water from the beans and add the beans around the ham hock. Add water** to cover the beans by about 3/4" (about 5 cups).
  • Bring the water to a boil and skim off foam that forms on top of the water. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady, bubbly simmer. Add the 2 bay leaves.
  • Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Start the timer and cook the beans for an hour to an hour-and-a-half.
  • Check the beans every 20 minutes to see if too much of the water has cooked away/been absorbed by the beans (i.e., if the beans are no longer swimming in water). If so, add more water to the level of the beans so that they're just peeking through the surface. Cover ajar again and continue cooking.
  • At the one-hour mark, test the beans for doneness. Use a wide spoon or spatula and press some beans against the side of the pot. They're probably not done at this point, but it's your baseline. The beans are done when they're readily smashable against the side of the pot.
  • When the beans are done, fish out and discard the bay leaves. Use tongs to carefully transfer the ham hock to a bowl to cool
  • Stir in the Creole seasoning. If your spice blend doesn't have salt, add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, too.
  • Smash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back into the dish. This will add some lovely creaminess. Repeat until it's to your desired consistency.
  • Return the browned sausage and its drippings to the pot. Give everything a good stir.
  • If the ham hock or ham bone is nice and meaty, use a knife to cut off the meat from the bone, taking care to cut away the strips of fat. Add the meat to the pot.
  • Mix about half of the parsley into the pot, reserving the rest for serving time (and mix a big pinch into the rice).

Notes

* If you're cooking the rice fresh for your meal, check the cooking directions on your package, and count backwards from an hour-and-a-half, and start your rice at that point during the red bean's cook. Long grain white usually takes about 20 minutes, so start the rice at the one-hour mark.
** For extra flavor, you can substitute your favorite low-sodium broth.