MENU

Special Diet Information

Coumadin® (Warfarin)
This recipe is safe for Coumadin (warfarin) users.

Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.

Sodium
This is a low sodium recipe.

GERD / Acid Reflux
This recipe contains GERD triggers and those with GERD may wish to avoid it.

Gluten Sensitivity
This recipe is safe for those who are sensitive to gluten. Make sure the sausage is gluten-free

 

"Those who have not lived in New Orleans have missed an incredible, glorious, vital city--a place with an energy unlike anywhere else in the world, a majority-African American city where resistance to white supremacy has cultivated and supported a generous, subversive, and unique culture of vivid beauty. From jazz, blues, and and hip-hop to secondlines, Mardi Gras Indians, jazz funerals, and the citywide tradition of red beans and rice on Monday nights, New Orleans is a place of art and music and food and traditions and sexuality and liberation." -Jordan Flaherty, Floodlines: Community and Resistance from Katrina to the Jena Six

The refrigerator light goes on...

Traditional Red Beans and Rice takes hours to cook. Simmering for a long time thickens the red beans and makes a great rich, creamy dish. Sometime you just don't have the time, and this recipe is a fast and tasty substitute to traditional red beans and rice.

Not draining or rinsing the beans and using the liquid makes for an even thicker sauce.

Most recipes call for a lot of sausage, and you just need a bit for a big punch of flavor. Look for as natural a sausage as possible with as little sodium as you can find. There are a lot of sausages on the market with about 350 milligrams of sodium per ounce. This is where most of the calories, saturated fat and sodium come from in traditional recipes.


 

Quick Red Beans & Rice

Servings: 4 | Serving size: about 1 cup beans with rice

Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

This recipe can be multiplied and keeps well in the refrigerator.

Quick Red Beans and Rice, an easy healthy recipe from Dr. Gourmet

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 Tsp. olive oil
  • 1 large onion (finely diced)
  • 1/2 large green bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 ounce Andouille or other spicy sausage (finely diced)
  • 2 15-ounce cans no salt added kidney beans (NOT drained and rinsed)
  • 2 cups no salt added vegetable stock (or water)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  •  fresh ground black pepper to taste

Place the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add the brown rice, stir, and reduce to a simmer.

Partially cover the pan and cook for 40 minutes or until rice is tender and the water is fully absorbed.

Fluff with a fork when finished.

While the rice is cooking, place a medium sized pot over medium-high heat.

Add the oil.

Once hot, add the onion, celery, green pepper, sausage, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the beans, stock, and bay leaves.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to thicken.

If you prefer a creamy texture, mash some of the beans with a potato masher, fork, or whisk.

Serve over hot brown rice.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: about 1 cup beans with rice

Servings: 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 412 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value
Total Fat 8g 10%
  Saturated Fat 1g 7%
  Monounsaturated Fat 4g
  Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 4mg 2%
Sodium 366mg 16%
Total Carbohydrates 70g 26%
    Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
    Sugars 2g
Protein 16g
Vitamin K 17mcg