one-pot red beans and rice with andouille sausage

Up until the COVID shelter in place order went out in San Francisco in 2020, I’d never heard of Aduki beans. And then, just like that I had a dozen cans. If you've never eaten them, you'll want to go out and grab some and make this one-pot red beans and rice recipe either on your stovetop or in a slow cooker.
 

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, preceded by (*affiliate link).

When news of a highly contagious virus with no known cure began surfacing in the Bay Area back in the Spring of 2020, I’d already begun restocking our earthquake provisions. (After we moved into The Nest, I’d neglected to do so. Living in earthquake country, it’s recommended we have at least 3 days of non-perishable food. I try to aim for two weeks.) Canned items were in short supply, and I was leaving early March for a week long conference. So Aduki beans it was.
 

 

ABOUT ADUKI BEANS.

If you’re not familiar with Aduki (or Aduzki) beans, they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds. According to Eden Valley—the brand we buy—these beans are “a compact red bean that's mild, sweet, strengthening, easy to digest, and balancing.”
 

You've probably had aduki beans, also called red mung beans, and not even realized it. If you’ve ever eaten a sesame ball with mung bean paste, you’ve had an Aduki bean. Like black-eyed peas, Aduki beans eaten at the new year are auspicious.
 

Now that you know what Aduki beans are, I’ll get back to how I discovered my favorite way to eat them.
 

 

RED BEANS AND RICE RECIPE.

Having lived in Texas for seven years, I fell in love with Louisiana-style cooking. (I first had red beans and rice in a place just outside of Lafayette, LA.) In our household, we routinely purchase Andouille sausage (it has an amazing shelf-life before it even needs to be frozen; so, basically, it’s a protein that’s always on hand and ready to eat). So, I decided to add Aduki beans into a red beans and rice shop-the-pantry recipe. This is that recipe. We’ve made it over a dozen times since we sheltered in place. And, now, I’m sharing. Enjoy!
 

ingredients (serves 4 as a meal or 6 as a side dish)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can Aduki beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon thyme
• 2 cups broth (I’ve used both mushroom and turkey)
• 2 bay leaves (optional)
• 1 cup brown basmati or jasmine rice

Just a warning, if you’re not a fan of spice, experiment with the mix. The recipe as written has some heat. When our almost ten year old tried a bite the first time I made this dish, she immediately grabbed for milk.
 

instructions (prep time: 5 minutes; active cooking: 50 minutes; simmer time: at least 30 minutes; total time: 1 hour 25 minutes)

1. Heat a large pot with a lid over medium heat.
2. Add olive oil to warmed pot.
3. When oil is warm, add chopped onion.
4. When onion is translucent, add peppers. Cook until peppers are almost soft, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned.
6. Add drained and rinsed beans, undrained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis, spices, bay leaves, andouille sausage, and broth.
7. Bring to a boil (depending on your stove top this make take 10 to 15 minutes), then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
8. Either 35 minutes or 15 minutes before serving add brown basmati or jasmine rice, respectively, stir well, and cover.
9. When the rice is done, remove from the heat. Fluff the rice and let sit for 5 minutes.
10. Dish into bowls, and serve immediately with an earthy Pinot Noir like one from Cultivar Wine. We originally served this with a 2019 Cultivar Wine Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, which is no longer available.

 

CROCK POT PREPARATION OF RED BEANS AND RICE.

Who has time these days to stand over a stove? Definitely not me as I work to unpack our home.
 

 

ingredients (serves 8)

With cold, rainy weather in Berkeley, it was the perfect time to try making Red Beans and Rice in our unpacked 4-quart slow cooker. For our slow cooker, we increased the recipe by adding:

• 1 (15 ounce) can Aduki beans, drained and rinsed, for a total of 2 cans, or use 1 cup dried (*affiliate link) organic Adzuki beans instead
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beeans, drained and rinsed, for a total of 2 cans, or use 1 cup dried (*affiliate link) organic dark red Kidney beans instead
• 1 cup broth for a total of 3 cups
• 2 (8 ounce) (*affiliate link) organic brown Jasmine Heat and Eat rice pouches in place of raw rice

The first time we made this, we left the amount of spices the same as we used in the stove top version above to create a milder dish. If you want a medium-spiced dish, increase each measure by a half. Here are the revised amounts of spice, if you'd prefer not do any math:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme

 

instructions (prep time: 5 minutes; active cooking: 3 hours on high; plus 30 minutes with the lid off while simmering; total time: 3 hours 35 minutes)

For the slow cooker preparation, we skipped sautéing our bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and just tossed them into the crock pot. You don't want to do this in all recipes as it adds moisture to your dish. Because we'll finish the red beans and Andouille sausage using the simmer setting and having the lid off the crock pot for the last 30 minutes, any excess moisture that's added evaporates.
 

1. Sort your kidney beans, removing any stones and debris. Place in a large bowl and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water. Discard any beans that float. Let sit overnight (at least eight hours) at room temperature.
2. In the morning, drain and rinse your soaked kidney beans, then place in your 4-quart slow cooker.
3. Sort your dried aduki beans, removing any stones and debris. Rinse and add to your slow cooker. NOTE: These beans are more delicate than the kidney beans; there’s no need to soak your aduki beans overnight.
4. Dump all ingredients with the exception of olive oil, which you won't be using, and fully cooked rice, into your 4-quart slow cooker and close the lid.
5. Set your slow cooker on HIGH for 3 hours.
6. After your red beans have cooked for 3 hours, remove your slow cooker's lid. Toss in two 8-ounce packets of fully cooked rice and stir until well combined.
7. Reset your slow cooker to SIMMER for a half hour. If you don't have a SIMMER setting, use the HIGH setting.
8. After fifteen minutes, stir your red beans and rice. Check to see if your rice is heated through and your sauce has reduced. If not, continue to simmer and check periodically.
9. Once your sauce has reduced and your rice is heated through, serve.

 

SHARE YOUR MEAL.

I’d love to know if you make this recipe for your family. If you and you post to Instagram, please tag your culinary creation with #TRTTGL. This recipe was originally shared to Instagram December 29, 2020.
 

If you have questions or comments about this recipe, please comment on my Facebook page (or the original Instagram post). Because of a high number of spammy posts, comments here on the blog have been turned off.
 

Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided the wines for free by Cultivar SF for tasting and pairing. All opinions are my own.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, preceded by (*affiliate link). I feature products that I own or that I am considering purchasing. All opinions presented are my own.
 
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