These creamy New Orleans’ white beans are cooked in the traditional spicy style, only fat-free, vegan, and healthy.
Come on, tell me you’re tired of rich holiday food and are ready to settle down to some healthy–even homely–fare. I know I am.
I never thought there could be such a thing as too much dessert, but after stuffing myself on pumpkin cheesecake, cherry-chocolate mousse pie, and the downright obscene rum- and margarine-soaked bread pudding that’s my husband’s specialty, I’m ready to swear off of sugar for a year while. I don’t know about you, but I hate the sluggish way I feel whenever I’m overeating on foods that have too much fat and sugar.
So today I bring you a change from all the eye-candy (and actual candy) that you’ve probably been seeing on other blogs: New Orleans’ white beans and rice.
There are several tricks I could have employed to make this traditional Louisiana dish more photogenic, but then you wouldn’t have a real idea of how it’s supposed to look. In particular, I could have cooked the beans for less time to leave them intact, but intact beans are exactly what you don’t want when making New Orleans’ white beans (sometimes referred to as cream-style beans). You want some of the beans to hold together just enough so that they’re recognizable as beans but others to fall apart enough to create a thick, creamy sauce around the recognizable beans.
It’s a delicate balance that in bygone days took hours of simmering on the stove, but thanks to a couple of my favorite kitchen tools, the pressure cooker and the immersion blender, I can make creamy, flavorful beans in about an hour. And so can you!
Now, get out that new pressure cooker you got for Christmas and cook some beans! (Regular stove-top pot instruction are at the end of the recipe.)
New Orleans' Style White Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound great northern beans dried
- 1 medium onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari or soy-free coconut aminos)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco or to taste
- hickory smoked salt optional, but good, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight. (Or do a quick-soak by putting them into the pressure cooker with enough water to cover them by three inches. Bring to high pressure and cook for 1 minute. Allow pressure to come down naturally before opening the cooker.)
- Drain the soaking liquid. Put the beans into the pressure cooker with 5 cups water and start heating, uncovered (use the Saute or Brown setting on electric cookers).
- Meanwhile, chop all vegetables fine, by hand or in a food processor. As you chop each one, add it to the pressure cooker. Add remaining ingredients except Tabasco and hickory smoked salt. Check water level in cooker and add another cup if there isn’t sufficient water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch.
- Seal the pressure cooker and set the timer for 12 minutes (electric) or bring to high pressure and cook for 12 minutes once pressure is reached. Remove from heat (or turn off electric cooker) and allow pressure to come down naturally.
- If pressure is not down in 20 minutes, quick-release the pressure. Check beans for doneness. They should be tender, and most should be starting to fall apart. If your beans are still tough, return them to high pressure for a few minutes. If beans are tender, add Tabasco and smoked salt and cook uncovered until liquid reduces and the cooking water starts to become more like a sauce.(Use the Saute or Brown function in electric cookers, on low, if possible.) Stir often to make sure they are not burning on the bottom and to incorporate any dried beans on the sides of the pot. After about 20 minutes, if the liquid still seems watery rather than creamy, you can take an immersion blender and blend part of the beans (be sure to remove bay leaves first).
- Add additional salt to taste. Serve over hot rice with hot sauce on the table.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share:
Jen
December 28, 2010 at 5:26 pmI have to admit I am scared of my pressure cooker! I really need to get over me fear if it will help me make things like this quickly. Your directions for using the pressure cooker are good. Perhaps I will have to go seize my fear and try this!
Elaine
January 4, 2017 at 3:03 pmI felt the same way until I purchased an Instant Pot. I am having so much fun cooking with the Instant Pot and never worry about an explosion! haha
Carrie Cullen
December 28, 2010 at 5:47 pmI do not have a pressure cooker. How would I make this in either a slow cooker or conventional on-the-stove method? Thanks!
SusanV
December 28, 2010 at 5:58 pmThe stovetop instructions are at the end of the recipe. To make it in the crockpot, just set the pot on low and cook for about 10 hours.
Tom
December 28, 2010 at 5:52 pmSusan. Are the bay leaves taken out before immersion blending? Or are there times that you would keep the bay leaves in and blend them into a stew/soup?
Since I dont have a pressure cooker I will try to use regular soup pot. Sounds really good and hearty too. Thanks again.
SusanV
December 28, 2010 at 5:57 pmI always remove the bay leaves before blending, just a personal preference. I haven’t done any research into eating blended bay leaves, but it strikes me that they would be too “pointy.”
Dmitri
September 19, 2011 at 12:37 pmI accidentally did just that. And you’re right: they are way too “pointy”!
grumphis
December 29, 2010 at 11:46 pmhi tom,
i have made the mistake of blending bay leaves before. it resulted in chunks of inedible, dry leaves randomly dispersed throughout the dish, creating a choking hazard. i called it my soup of regret.
Michelle
September 3, 2014 at 11:46 pmSoup of regret, teehee!! I’ve made a few dishes like that. I’ve got the Gnocchi of Regret and the Birthday Vegan Key Lime “Pie” of Regret. I know you posted this four years ago, but it’s still funny. 🙂
chana
December 28, 2010 at 7:10 pmThis looks great! Did you serve it as a stew, or part of a dish?
SusanV
December 28, 2010 at 7:14 pmYou serve it over rice as a main dish. I served it with broccoli, a green salad, and French bread.
Ana
December 28, 2010 at 7:34 pmHi Susan,
The soup looks lovely and hearty. I can’t wait to try it. I hope this doesn’t sound like sacrilege to you, but these days I don’t have all the time to cook I would like to have. Do you think the recipe would work with cannelini beans? I always keep a can of those in my pantry, they’re so good and convenient. Thanks!
SusanV
December 28, 2010 at 9:25 pmAna, it’s my fault for showing this in a serving bowl, but it isn’t a soup, just a bean dish that you serve on top of rice. If you wanted, I’m sure you could season canned beans with the same seasonings and it would be good, though it wouldn’t be the same recipe.
Jeanette
December 28, 2010 at 8:43 pmThis soup looks so rich and creamy that it should satisfy any hearty appetite. I dont’ think anyone would even know there’s no fat at all in this dish.
Kelly
December 29, 2010 at 1:13 amThank you so much!! My husband and I were trying to find something that wasn’t soaked in earth balance and full of sugar, etc. It was helpful to know that we weren’t the only ones 🙂
laloofah
December 29, 2010 at 6:00 amThis recipe looks delicious, so I have added it to my Recipe Box along with about a skazillion of your other recipes! That’s a great feature, thank for adding it and for pointing it out!
Veggie
December 29, 2010 at 6:16 amI like beans but I cann’t take it too often for obious reasons even though I soak them overnight. Any suggestion?
Anna
December 29, 2010 at 9:44 amHey Veggie! If you introduce beans into your diet slowly, they shouldn’t cause too extravagant a problem. I eat them every day, probably for two meals at least, but started slowly when I became (mostly) vegan, and I don’t have that problem any more. Also, pouring out the soaking water, rinsing them once during soaking and then again before cooking tends to help remove a lot of the sugars that cause that issue as well – and not using the soaking water to cook.
grumphis
December 29, 2010 at 11:53 pmveggie, i know what you mean. for me, beans weren’t too much of a problem when i went vegan, but after a while they started to cause extremely painful gas. especially bad is chick peas, which are my FAVOURITE BEAN! i think i have eaten so much hummus in the past 4 years my stomach is allergic.
what i do is presoak overnight, and in the morning i am sure to completely replace the water and rinse the beans extremely well, like Anna said. then the only thing i can do is pray and try not to be so gluttonous. if i have less than a cup of the bean dish, i generally have the same amount of gas as my boyfriend. more, and i am sent to sleep in the living room.
allison
January 1, 2011 at 1:40 pmVeggie- try soaking your beans with a chunk of peeled ginger and then ALWAYS cook your a strip of Kombu- japanese seeweed strips. An enzyme in kombu helps breaks down the outer shell of the beans and makes them easier to digest.
Ali
December 29, 2010 at 9:18 amThere is a new restaurant near me that recently opened and is veg friendly. Just yesterday I had their braised white beans and was wishing for a good bean recipe to try – and here it is! I haven’t been on your site long but already love it and look forward to what you will post next.
moxiedoesit
December 29, 2010 at 9:49 amSusan V! HOW did you know I got a pressure cooker for Christmas?!! 😉 This looks delicious, I will be making it soon!
depoebaydee
December 29, 2010 at 12:05 pmDo you have any suggestions if I do this using pre-cooked beans (I cook my beans in a crockpot overnight & freeze). Cooking time?
janell
December 29, 2010 at 12:07 pmThis looks so warm and delicious! I’ll try it in a regular cooking pot and share the results.
Gluten Free Diva
December 29, 2010 at 1:22 pmI LOVE my pressure cooker. My cooking was taken to a whole new level when I began using one. In fact, I love it so much that I own two of them:). I have one question Susan. Is there a difference in terms of the effect beans have on one’s constitution (politely stated) when you soak them overnight versus quick-soaking them? Can’t wait to try your recipe! So easy and naturally gluten free if I use wheat-free tamari (San-J makes the best).
SusanV
December 29, 2010 at 8:15 pmI don’t think the method of soaking makes a difference as long as you discard the soaking water before cooking. Hope you enjoy it!
Lisa A.
December 29, 2010 at 7:06 pmGreat recipe. I will definitely give it a try. I am just having a difficult time coming up with ideas of what to serve it with. Is there anything that I can use besides rice?
BTW, I forgot to tell you that I ended up making that apple pie with phyllo dough. It was great, but I still prefer making individual servings with phyllo dough. So next time I will be trying some kind of pockets or triangles with the same filling.
SusanV
December 29, 2010 at 8:17 pmThanks for the feedback about the apple pie. You can serve these beans over any grain, though rice is traditional. I use Cajun Grain brown rice, which has a great nutty flavor similar to basmati.
kasha
December 29, 2010 at 8:21 pmI like to serve bean dishes like this over polenta, either soft or chilled then fried.
Allison
December 29, 2010 at 8:02 pmYum! This recipe looks great! I don’t have a pressure cooker, but I do have a slow cooker and I love beans in the slow cooker! Of course, I’ll need to adjust the cook time – how long do you think this recipe should cook in the slow cooker? Are there any other adjustments you would make? I look forward to your thoughts! Thanks for a great year of recipes! I love your blog. 🙂
SusanV
December 29, 2010 at 8:19 pmI’d probably cook it on low for about 10 hours. I can’t think of any other adjustments I’d make. Please let me know how it comes out.
kasha
December 29, 2010 at 8:19 pmThis is EXACTLY the kind of foods I’ve been craving after the weeks of holiday indulgences. Thanks for sharing it; I never considered a New Orleans twist.
oceanfrontcabin
December 29, 2010 at 10:31 pmHi Susan: I’ve got my beans soaking for the night and will make recipe tomorrow (although I don’t have a pressure cooker). I’m excited about the recipe box and wanted to try it. But when I went to log in in order to use it, the log in page just flashed by, not allowing enough time to log in.
SusanV
December 30, 2010 at 8:56 amSorry about that! Different computers “see” websites in different ways. Try using this link to log in: https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/wp-login.php If that doesn’t work, see if you can use the form on the bottom of the right column to log in.
Jennifer
December 30, 2010 at 10:12 amThank you for this recipe. It is cooking on the stove as I type. Looking forward to starting the New Year off going back to E2L in a better way after some indulgences over the holidays. The recipe is the one I chose too start off with, since it looked s yummy.
Happy New Year. I’ve never posted before, but I have been your blog lurker for a long time.
SusanV
December 30, 2010 at 10:15 amI hope you enjoy it, Jennifer! Thanks for coming out of lurkdom and posting, and Happy New Year to you too!
Meriah
December 30, 2010 at 10:16 amHi Susan!
All of your fabulous comfort-foodie recipes lately have convinced me that I need a pressure cooker. Do you have one that you would particularly recommend? (Or a style to avoid?) Thanks so much!
SusanV
December 30, 2010 at 10:22 amMeriah, I’m currently recommending the Fagor 3-in-1 electric cooker because it is just so easy to use. It has a timer that you set, so you don’t have to stand around and watch while your food cooks, like you do with a stovetop pressure cooker. It’s really good for people who are new to pressure cooking. There’s a link to it in the post, the first time I mention “pressure cooker.”
Of that one is not an option (some people don’t like to cook in non-stick pressure cookers), then any of the new stainless steel cookers should be good. I favor Kuhn Rikon over the others, because I’ve found it to be more durable, but it has a high price. Fagor makes less expensive pressure cookers that get good reviews. No matter where you buy, I recommend looking at the user reviews on Amazon first.
Meriah
December 30, 2010 at 10:27 amThanks so much for the quick, response, Susan! I really appreciate it. Looking forward to doing some of the great recipes in a pressure cooker soon.
Rochelle
December 30, 2010 at 5:04 pmHi! I have this exact PC. I love it. I have found that it actually takes less time than the stove top PCs. I used stove tops on my electric stove and had scortching issues.
This one also makes perfect rice. I love it because you can also pre brown ingredients before cooking. Great unit at a great price IMHO
Melomeals: Vegan for $3.33 a Day
December 30, 2010 at 12:53 pmI am soooo ready for healthier food. I have consumed more sugar in the past month than I can stand to think about!
I just love pressure cookers and beans!
Marlis
December 30, 2010 at 8:07 pmI love beans! Love love love beans and this recipe sounds fabulous!
Elizabeth
December 30, 2010 at 10:09 pmI made this tonight for dinner. So nice to have something Vegan after the holidays. I made it in a pot on the stove. It was delicious, but lots of extra water.
SusanV
December 31, 2010 at 9:00 amI’m glad you liked it, and I’m not surprised about the extra water. Pressure cooking retains much more water than stovetop cooking, and it’s hard to know how much will be needed on the stove because of temperature differences. I always feel the best advice is to watch it closely and add water as needed.
stools
December 31, 2010 at 9:40 amNow I really must think it over to buy a pressure cooker. This fantastic dish deserves it! Thank you.
Tiffany
December 31, 2010 at 12:22 pmI’m dying to try this recipe – sounds perfect to eat new years day after the overindulgence that will likely take place!
That said, I’ve only got navy beans and white kidney beans on hand. Which do you think would be closer to the original consistency?
SusanV
December 31, 2010 at 12:45 pmEither should be fine, but the white kidney beans will probably cook more like the great northerns that I used, so you can use the same time that I did.
Tiffany
January 1, 2011 at 8:52 pmThanks Susan! Made this with the white kidney beans and they are fantastic. I also used a red pepper since that was what was I had on hand and substituted a carrot for the celery. Probably not quite like the original but worked beautifully. Even my non-vegan husband liked it!
Terri
December 31, 2010 at 1:29 pmThis is my first post although I’ve been a fan of your site for a while now. After overindulging during the holidays I’m getting back on track following the Eat to Live 6 week program. I have a couple more days before I go back to work/school and I’m making and freezing some of your soups and stews and wonder if you think this recipe would freeze well. It looks delicious! If you have any freezer favorites please let me know =) Happy New Year!!
SusanV
December 31, 2010 at 1:53 pmThanks for leaving your first comment! I think these beans will freeze fine, and though I don’t have any freezer favorites, almost all of my ETL friendly recipes should freeze well. Beans and grains freeze well, and only recipes where the vegetables need to be fresh, like stir fries, would have problems. Good luck with ETL in the new year!
Leah
December 31, 2010 at 3:15 pmThis white bean dish looks amazing. Thanks for posting, I’ll try it out on my 6 week cleanse next week! (sans salt)
While we are on the subject of beans. I was wondering if anyone knows a tip to getting the beany smell out of pinto beans?
I soak them overnight, change the water a few times and then add new water and slow cook them. They are usually delicious the day of, but the day after when I pull them out of the fridge they have a very gassy smell. Any hints?
Thanks,
Leah
Colleen
January 2, 2011 at 11:13 amYou may say this could have been altered to be more photogenic if authenticity were to be sacrificed, but I’ve returned to this post multiple times since the 28th and all but drooled over the creaminess pictured. I’m happy to report I finally walked away from my computer and DID something, and I’ve got the beans soaking now for dinner tonight 🙂 I’m ready for something nourishing and healthy, too, and while I knew all beans were a decent source of potassium, I had no idea there was so much in great northerns! I’ll have to add them more heavily into rotation to avoid the nasty potassium supplements my doc put me on.
Pam
January 2, 2011 at 4:13 pmHi Susan,
Thanks for such a GREAT website/blog! My recipe box is having issues and instead of a list of titles and recipes, I’m getting a “warning!” and a long statement that ends in “line 79”. Any ideas what’s going on?
SusanV
January 2, 2011 at 6:19 pmPam, I’m so sorry the recipe box isn’t working right for you. I’ll see what I can find out, and if I find a solution, I’ll post it here.
SusanV
January 3, 2011 at 9:42 amPam, you might try logging out of the site and then logging back in. That seems to resolve some problems. I’ll keep looking for other solutions, just in case.
Kristi @ Veggie Converter
January 2, 2011 at 5:24 pmYum. I’m always using black beans, I rarely remember how I love white beans, too. This looks delicious. Thanks for the reminder!
Kristi @
Veggie Converter
jodye @ 'scend food
January 3, 2011 at 2:23 amWhite beans never fail to please my palate. I love the inherent creaminess they add to any dish, without being overly heavy. This is a dish I’ll certainly have to try.
Ingrid
January 3, 2011 at 7:20 pmTHis would be fabulous on a day like today~!
lea
January 4, 2011 at 8:33 amI made this dish using the stove top method and it was excellent! A life long vegetarian, I went vegan about eight months ago. I thought that my diet would be more limited without dairy and eggs, but instead I have tried more new foods than I ever imagined. Thank you soooo much Susan for your awesome blog! I have made probably 35 of your recipes and they have all turned out perfectly delicious – keep up the good work!
heidi
January 4, 2011 at 5:38 pmThanks for a great, simple recipe! For crockpot folks: I’ve had good luck with beans in the slow cooker. Don’t soak them overnight or they’re too mushy. Start them in the morning, get them up on high to get going, then put them on low for the day. I loved this recipe, although I had to use a lot of salt substitute and seasonings. The smoky flavor is yummy. Super on a cold night!
Culinarian
January 5, 2011 at 5:44 pmI am more than ready for some healthy and homely fare! I love white beans, especially when they are warm, soup-like, and mushy. Thanks for sharing!!
Charanjit
January 7, 2011 at 7:41 pmHelllo
I’m so glad I have come upon this website! Im on my way to lose my baby weight and your website looks like it’s going to help me alot! I’m so excited.
Mary
January 8, 2011 at 6:11 pmSusan, this was a great round-up. Your readers had a very good year. I am new to your blog but will be back and visit often. I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Peggy
January 11, 2011 at 2:22 pmI made this as written, except I don’t have a pressure cooker so I soaked the beans overnight and then put them in a slow cooker for about 8 hours on low. Worked beautifully and the resulting soup/stew was delicious. We ate it over rice that night and since then I have eaten them plain (like soup) with whole wheat pita, and over a baked potato. When I make it again I will put in a lot less water. I ended up with almost an inch of liquid on top of the cooked beans. I dipped a lot of it out before I used the immersion blender to make the broth creamy. This is definitely a “make again” recipe. Thank you!
Erin
January 11, 2011 at 7:47 pmI’ve made these twice in the past week, each time I’ve changed it just a little and each time I love them more. Thanks for posting this, it’s an inspiration, literally.