As a Louisiana girl, I consider slow-cooked red beans and rice part of my cultural heritage, as much a part of my childhood as climbing too high in the live oak trees and eating watermelon at the picnic table in the back yard. I know from experience that it takes all day to make good red beans, and I would never try to convince you otherwise. Except, well, maybe I am about to do just that.
The trouble is, I get cravings. I start remembering the spicy, creamy red beans of my childhood and I want some–right now. But red beans is not a spur-of-the-moment, impulse kind of dish. You have to plan for red beans, putting them on to soak the night before and then cooking them the next day for no real set amount of time, just as long as it takes until they start to break down into a creamy goodness. It’s not fast food, nor should it be. Except when you’ve got a craving.
Truth be told, there’s a guilty secret that many Louisiana home cooks share, and its name is Blue Runner Cream Style Red Beans. For years when I needed a quick dose of Louisiana cooking, I’d open a couple of cans of Blue Runner beans, sometimes adding extra “trinity” (onions, bell pepper, celery) or tomatoes, sometimes just heating and eating them on a pile of fresh-cooked rice. For something out of a can, they’re pretty damned good. I used to be able to buy them here in Jackson, and then suddenly I couldn’t. When I went home for visits, I would often bring cases of them back to Jackson with me, but my supply always seemed to run out too quickly. So in the absence of Blue Runners, I started thinking about making my own fast-food red beans using regular canned beans, and after a couple of attempts, I think I’ve finally gotten it right.
It’s essential to use canned beans that don’t contain sugar. The Fresh Market and Kroger have these sugar-free options.
Before you do this at home, there is something very important (and kind of scary) that you need to know about canned red beans: Many–or even most–brands add sugar to their kidney beans, making them unfit for this recipe. The first time I made this, I used the light red kidney beans I had in my pantry, and I couldn’t stand the sweet taste they lent to the dish. So I went in search of unsweetened red beans and had a harder time finding them than you would think. Both the store-brand (Kroger) and the national brand (Bush’s Best) contained sugar and dextrose.
Finally I found two cans in Kroger that were sugar free, their Simple Truth Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans and a can marked simply “Red Beans.” Of the two, the Red Beans are the most like the Camilla brand red beans that are used to make Louisiana red beans and rice, and they’re what I used in this recipe. Dark red kidneys are larger and have a tougher texture, and they can be used if that’s all you can find, but use the ones marked Light Red or just Red Beans if you can find them. Just please, avoid the sugar.
I can’t promise that these beans will be as authentic as slow-cooked red beans, but they will be good. Of course, if you’ve got the time, please give my Real Louisiana Red Beans a try. They’re the real deal, as close to New Orleans as you’re likely to get without doing some traveling.
Easy Red Beans and Rice
In traditional recipes, long slow cooking breaks down the beans and gives them their creamy texture. I shorten that cooking time by using pre-cooked red beans and pureeing half of them in the food processor. The food processor also shortens the time it takes to chop the vegetables that give New Orleans red beans their characteristic flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 green pepper
- 2 ribs celery
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 15-ounce can cans red beans (no sugar added), drained and well-rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt (optional or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 – 1 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce, plus more to serve
- Smoked salt or Liquid Smoke seasoning (optional)
- cooked brown rice, to serve
Instructions
- Begin heating a large, non-stick pot over medium-high heat as you use the food processor to chop the vegetables:
- Cut the onion into quarters and pulse it in the food processor to mince; add it to the heated pan. Cut the pepper into quarters and chop it finely in the processor; add it to the pan. Cut the celery into 2-inch long pieces and chop it and the garlic in the processor; add it to the pan.
- Stir the vegetables well and add 2 tablespoons of water. Cook until soft, about 6-10 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, rinse the beans well. Put half of them (1 1/2 cans) into the food processor with half of the can of tomatoes. Process until all the beans are coarsely chopped, just short of pureed.
- When the vegetables are soft, stir in the blended beans, remaining whole beans, remaining tomatoes, and all seasonings except smoked salt. Cover tightly, reduce heat to very low, and cook for at least 30 minutes. Stir every 5 or 10 minutes and add water as needed to keep beans moist but not soupy. Like regular red beans, these taste better the longer they cook, so consider 30 minutes the bare minimum and cook them longer if you can, adding water as necessary.
- Just before serving, sprinkle with smoked salt or a little Liquid Smoke. Stir well, and serve atop rice with more hot sauce on the table.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
Nutrition (per serving, without salt or rice, using salted red beans): 218 calories, 8 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 767.1mg sodium, 678.6mg potassium, 41.2g carbohydrates, 13.6g fiber, 7.6g sugar, 12.7g protein, 6.3 points. (Most of the sodium is from the beans and fire-roasted tomatoes; using unsalted products will reduce the sodium greatly.)
More Louisiana Recipes
Vegan Sausage and Mushroom Etoufee and more from my Louisiana Recipes section
Vita’s Vegan Gumbo at Vita’s Vegan Ventures
Cajun-spiced Dirty Rice from Lisa is Cooking
Cajun Lentil Patties at Cajunlicious
Enjoy!
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{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
This is why I always buy organic canned beans. The only ingredients they ever have are beans, sea salt, and water. Non-organic canned beans contain all kinds of weird ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives.
I have been studying for a neurology exam the whole day and when I first saw that picture of that plate I thought it was a brain for a moment!
Thanks for the recipe. I bet it will be lovely with all that garlic!!
Good news! Amazon now sells cases of Blue Runner canned beans and Camillia dried beans! Heaven!
I didn’t find out about the Blue Runners until I was writing this post. I thought Duh–I should have checked before! The price is pretty good, too, with free Prime shipping. I had them ordered before I finished writing. This recipe is pretty easy, but for almost instant meals, nothing beats Blue Runner beans.
This looks delicious. I live in Australia and can never seem to find Liquid Smoke. I feel like I’m missing out on something tasty. Good excuse to order some online and make this recipe. Thanks
Casey, I found liquid smoke in David Jones food hall in their Sydney Pitt St store – if you live anywhere near a DJs they should be able to get it for you. The staff had no idea what it was – had to scour the shelves for it.
Thanks Michelle. I live in country NSW (Lismore) so will have to embark on a DJ trip next time I’m in Brisbane
I always look out for it in Deli’s and health food stores but didn’t think about DJ’s. Thanks!
I cant see the back of the can of the beans on Amazon. I know this is stupid question since this is FatFreeVegan….but are the Blade “cream” style beans also vegan ??
Yep, all vegan! I don’t know why Amazon doesn’t list the ingredients like they do for other foods, but here they are, from another site:
Ingredients: Light red kidney beans, water, onions, salt, cottonseed oil, spices and disodium edta to promote color retention.
And here’s a link to a site that has the calorie info, too: http://www.cajunsupermarket.com/product_info.php?products_id=30
Awesome thanks !!! Cant wait to try them !!
I am so happy to find this recipe! A college friend, a Creole woman who’s family came from Louisiana, first made them for us, and later The Golden Eagles made some for us when they stayed with us on a tour of the west coast we arranged. Later on we produced a cookbook for our client, Queen Ida, the Zydeco musician. But, as she said when she sat down to dictate the book to us, “This is NOT diet food.”
I’ve quit making Louisiana food because of the fat calories and because my daughter has become gluten intolerant. I particularly miss gumbo, so do you have any suggestions for capturing the flavor of real brown roux, without so much fat, and possible with a gluten free starch?
Thanks again for offering your red beans and rice recipe!
John Ullman
I usually cook my own beans from scratch but I never would have thought there would be sugar in the canned beans. Salt, yes, but sugar?? Thanks for the head’s up!
Hi Susan,
Here in Brazil is a tradition to eat red beans & rice all over the country! Is a diary side dish served with salad and meat as lunch! Usually the housewifes buy the bean raw and made it on pressure cooker. People like when its freshly cooked.
Question: are the thyme and oregano fresh or dried? Thanks, looks great!
Robin, I use dried for both herbs. You could use fresh, but I’d triple the amount.
I’m pleasantly surprised to learn Simple Truth Organic Red Beans don’t have sugar in them. I’d stopped buying that brand or even picking up one of their products to read the label after I tried their vegetable broth. I’d only glanced at the fat content on the label and bought it. Got it home and used it to saute veggies and there was a very strong molasses odor. Sure enough, it’s an ingredient. Very frustrating, I’m not a molasses fan and had to toss it. I can tolerate molasses in holiday desserts, but not savory soups.
I will give that label another try. Thanks for another great recipe, Susan!
Great! I saved both the original and this easy version – sometimes I have time, sometimes I want instant gratification
A wonderful recipe and great comfort food for the cold months ahead!
Hi
I usually cook and freeze beans in the freezer,so that I have ready access to them when needed.Do you think I can pull out those beans and then cook them with the spices on a stove top to get the same taste?This does feel like comfort food..
Yes, that would be even better than canned!
Yum! Something about this meal just looks so comforting and cozy and perfect for the chilly weather we are having in Toronto. I haven’t actually broken out the crockpot for the season yet but this is the perfect recipe to do so. Thanks for sharing!
This looks a very tasty recipe! I’m just a bit unsure about the ‘hot sauce’. Would chilli sauce fit the bill? I’m another commenter from Australia, but luckily have a Canadian daughter-in-law who has brought liquid smoke back from her trips home!
Chili sauce sounds like it will work. If it’s red and spicy, it’ll do.
Glad to hear from so many Australians!
Hi Susan,
These look delicious! The photo makes me want to reach into the screen and take a spoonful right out of that lovely bowl. Most of the time around here when it comes to red beans without additives, we are stuck with red kidney ones. I envy you Southerners with your rich variety beans and peas! And I really appreciate you pointing out how so many canned brands have “extras” like sugar and dextrose. Not only can such additives compromise the taste of a recipe, but for people who can be quite sensitive to such things, like those of us with fibromyalgia, they can also have adverse health effects.
Boy, was I thrilled to read your tip about blending some of the beans and the tomatoes in the food processor to get that creamy texture. (I also read the tip at the end of the Real Louisiana Red Beans and Rice recipe) and laughed out loud. I have done with in desperation, thinking I had somehow “failed” to master how to cook beans down to this texture. But in our very dry northern climate, unless I soak dry bulk beans 24 hours before cooking them, there’s not a chance they’ll disintegrate the way I might want them to. And even then it’s iffy. So I’m glad to know my “cheat,” born out of frustration over the years, is a time honored one. A heartfelt thanks from up north!!
xoxo
moonwatcher (Maria)
This is a very popular Indian dish which is called “rajma-chawal”. Red beans are called rajma in Hindi and Rice is called chawal. It is yumm!
What would you recommend instead of tomatoes? My son will not eat any nightshades.
You can leave the tomatoes out and add 1/2 cup of water when you blend the beans. But aren’t peppers nightshades, too? They add much of the flavor.
yes, bell peppers are a no-no in our house. I just ignore them when i see them in a recipe. I cannot digest them to save my life (and i don’t usually have any probs digesting anything else!). But tomatoes add more than just flavor, they add the moisture too so it takes a substitute I think.
Oh my goodness, this looks so comforting and delicious. I wish it wasn’t going to be 90F today in Southern CA! Fall is completely side-stepping us at this point.
But, I will probably make some chili/bean dishes out of spite soon, anyway. 
Hi Susan! I’m on a low sodium diet, so I’m wondering what you would suggest as a low-sodium substitute for the hot sauce in this recipe? Usually I just use red pepper flakes mixed with a little vinegar as a sub. for hot sauce, but this recipe already has red pepper in it, so I’m wondering if I should be adding any more or not? (Of course, I’ll also leave out or reduce the tsp. of salt and the smoked salt/liquid smoke and use no-salt-added beans and tomatoes.)
BTW, your comment on sugar in canned beans sent me to the cupboard to recheck my beans. Yup, my favorite Mrs. Grimes (and Kuner’s) no-salt-added kidney beans are just beans and water, no sugar and no weird stuff, though they’re not organic. Apparently the company decided to take everything out when they removed the salt because the “regular” beans of both brands do have sugar and preservatives. Who knew?
Just made this for lunch. Quick and easy to make, the food processor is the star in this recipe. Unbelievably creamy with complex flavors. This will become a “go-to” recipe. You rock Susan!
I know it by a different name- rajma chawal. So comforting on a cold night!
These look absolutely delicious, and I’ve got my Texan husband hanging over my shoulder telling me to save this recipe, he wants it “three times a day!” LOL I doubt I’ll go that far, but we’re definitely going to make this recipe! And may I just say, I love the pretty bowl you’ve photographed them in!
My poor “I want this three times a day” husband has been down with the flu for a week, but last night he hoisted his pestilent self off the sofa and made this dish! He was a man possessed. (He even had Zydeco music blasting while he prepared it, which I’m sure helped add some zestiness to the dish!)
Boy is it delicious, and is definitely part of our regular repertoire now!
We used Kuner’s “No Salt Added” dark red kidney beans (no sugar in those). I just had some warmed up for brunch and as good as it was last night, it was even better today! Thank you for yet another fantastic recipe, Susan!
I made this last night and it was delicious! Thank-you so much!!
This looks delicious! Nice and simple, healthy and belly warming comfort food! Definitely one to give try!
Hi,
Can you tell me what type of Tahini you use? The only one I can find here in the uk has a fair amount of fat in.
Iam really enjoying your blog, it is so nice to have such a variety of recipes that are both fat free and veggie.
Thank you
Debbie
Amazing recipe, though I have yet to try one of your recipes that hasn’t been spectacular (even to my carnivorous junk food loving boyfriend!).
I made these yesterday and they turned out really good, I don’t like celery so I didn’t use it, I think it still tasted great. Also, I’m from Canada and I have never seen canned beans with sugar in them, that’s the bizarrest thing I heard when you wrote that. What will they think of next to put sugar in, crazy. Loved your recipe and made a big batch to keep in the freezer. Thanks!
Hello Aussies, can’t find liquid smoke? I bought mine from the Vegetarian & Vegan Society of Queensland. It was at market stall but I imagine they will post Aust wide.
I went out and bought all the ingredients for this recipe. I cannot wait to gobble this up. Tell you later how it comes out.
Another amazing recipe! Thanks, Susan!!!
Made this a couple of nights ago, and it will be a regular for me from now on. I ate it for dinner one night, then lunch and dinner the next night. It’s funny how I used to be so anti-beans (just hated the taste) before going fat-free vegan in August and now I absolutely love them — I just had to train myself to like them and it really worked!! This dish was great with all the different flavors combined. Thank you so much!!!
Just made this… and it was sooo delicious. Can’t believe it was from a couple of cans. After simmering for an hour, the beans were nice and creamy. I don’t normally eat vegan
but felt that nothing was ‘missing’.
Again, another recipe that will be made during my cleanse! I never knew that canned beans sometimes contained sugar…I will have to start looking at labels a lot more often now. It’s kind of scary what they put in processed food and get away with! Thanks for the tip
Instead of rice, I will be substituting with quinoa…I hope it goes well together!
The picture of the plate in your post looked so delicious I was inspired to try this recipe! It was very easy to prepare. Using precooked red beans saves a lot of time when you are in a hurry. I’m sharing these ingredients with my friends who are also vegans
Get a pressure cooker. Beans are done in no time and taste so much better (not just mush).
See DadCooksDinner.com for PC use/recipes.
I made this last night and loved it! It made for a great lunch today. I’m adding this to my favorites.
I have made dozens of your recipes over the past year since becoming vegan (all wonderful by the way!) and never realized you were a Louisiana native. I too am originally from Louisiana and moved to Tennessee a few years back. I am so excited to now find all your vegan-ized Louisiana dishes. And just in time for carnival season! Thank you!
Canned beans? I use a pressure cooker (or dutch oven+time) and dried beans. World of difference.
Of course dried beans are always better. As I mention in the first paragraph, I have an excellent recipe for red beans that uses dried beans. Thousands of people have tried it and love it, but sometimes people want something quicker, so I developed this “ridiculously easy” recipe for them. I state quite candidly that this version isn’t as good as the version from dried beans, so I don’t quite understand all your hostility (3 comments in 3 minutes on one recipe).
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Added about 1/2 lb chopped kale and 1Tbs apple cider vinegar to round out the veggie component. Served it over rice and everyone had a big helping. Thanks for the great recipe!
Wow, wow, wow! This made a yummy meal last night! It will become one of my Lenten staples since it is vegan! Soooo delicious! Thank you!
I was looking for a red beans and rice recipe with brown rice and came upon your recipe. First of all, thank you for the info. about canned beans possibly containing sugar/corn syrup; it never occurred to me that a simple can of beans could potentially have sugar in it, but I searched the grocery shelves and found that you are indeed correct! There is no doubt that sugary beans do not belong in a recipe for red beans and rice.
Your red beans and rice “shortcut” recipe was amazing. I made it today, and it has texture, tons of flavor, plus it looks temptingly delicious. Good-bye, ready-to-cook red beans and rice, this recipe is a fabulous replacement. I used chicken broth instead of water because I had a can of broth hanging around, and topped with a few bits of freshly chopped green onion when serving – divine. Thanks again.
i wanted you to know that this recipe has become an absolute STAPLE in my family over the last few months. i’ve moved into a vegan diet, and some of my family has as well.
my father suffered a major heart attack about 18 months ago, resulting in open-heart surgery for 5 bypasses. he has since done an amazing job “cleaning up” the way he eats… and for a total mid-western, meat and potatoes guy, it hasn’t been easy.
on days where i make food for my house and my parents, he’ll often request your red beans and rice. i’m always more than happy to supply!!
thanks so much for being a resource,
i’ve loved everything i’ve tried!
karin in OH
I’m so glad to hear that your father likes the recipe and that he is doing so well with his diet. Thanks for sharing!
This was pretty good. I added some chorizo seitan and put it in tortilla shells. My kids ate the rice but not the beans, but that is them being picky. I just chopped up the veggies really small and didn’t food process them cause I like stuff chunky. I let it cook on low for a full hour and it needed that long too, I had no idea red beans were so stubborn, I don’t use red beans usually.
delicious, just delicious! and so easy to prepare, thanks!