I’ve been wanting to whip up Red Beans and Rice for a month or two. Ever since I picked up Creole seasoning at the store to make Jamie’s Cajun Meatball Stew, really. I turned to the one man who could help me make the best Red Beans and Rice with what I had on hand.
Emeril.
We’re on a first name basis…because well, he’s on a first name basis with everyone! So, Emeril has this great recipe with all sorts of ingredients to make extravagantly delicious red beans and rice that probably cost $20-$30. I looked over the ingredient list…pulled out what on the ingredient list I had from the pantry and freezer. But I had to get creative for the sausage/ham part. I had neither sausage nor ham…but I did have turkey bacon. (Remember that $.99/pkg turkey bacon!) That would have to do for the “smokiness” flavor that the ham or sausage would give.
Toss it all together in a pot…and let it simmer…and fill your home with the smells of Louisiana (pronounced “lose-i-ana”!)
Here’s my $5 version…served with a side of corn.
(It’s really not anything close to Emeril’s recipe…but it did the trick!)
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green pepper chopped
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 strips cooked turkey bacon chopped
- 3 cups cooked red kidney beans
- 1 cup broth vegetable or chicken
- 2 tsp Creole seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper optional
- Few dashes of salt and pepper
- 1 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 bag frozen corn
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large saucepan.
- Saute the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, crushed garlic for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped bacon, cooked red beans, and broth.
- Stir in the seasonings, then turn heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- If too much liquid simmers off, cover for the remainder of the simmer time…or add some water or more broth.
- Cook the brown rice as directed on a package…takes about 50-55 minutes, so plan accordingly.
- Cook the frozen corn as directed on the bag.
- Serve Red Beans and Rice with side of corn.
Martha says
I would skip the corn and serve with cornbread instead. Here in.New Orleans, that’s how I serve my red beans and rice!!
Peggy says
Martha’s right. Cornbread is all you need to go with this. I grew up on this stuff and that is a full meal in and of itself. Now I am craving them!
Betsy says
We also like ours with cornbread. My mom eats it with potato salad, which is pretty good, too.
Sydney @ BillCutterz.com says
That looks great! This is a good recipe and it’s great that it’s only $5. I also agree with others about the cornbread, but I do love a side of corn with anything.
Mrs. Lindblom says
I’ve been looking for an easy recipe for this! Thanks!
Jan says
This looks great!
I’m following the Dave Ramsey budget program and he mentions “beans and rice”
“rice and beans” all the time.
Gretchen says
Just finished Ramsey’s book – so I was actually looking for some beans and rice recipes – haha
Gahome2mom says
I am watching you on FOX 5 News right now. I would love it more if you could list the calories, carbs and so forth for the recipes. My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes and we are carb counting. Thanks.
Cindy says
If you have a pressure cooker, you can make perfect brown rice much faster. To prevent foaming and clogging the vents, you put a metal bowl on the rack in the cooker. In the bowl put 1 cup brown rice and 1-1/2 cups water, then put another 1/1-2 cups water under the rack. Bring to pressure and cook with the valve rocking gently for 10 minutes, remove from heat and let pressure drop on its own, then open the lid and let the rice sit for about 5 minutes, fluff with fork, and serve. I have a 6 quart cooker, and it comes out just fine. I don’t know if a 4 quart would be the same, so check your instruction booklet.
susanne says
made this tonight (with sweet cornbread) .. outstanding and so easy!!! I left out the green pepper and had to look up a recipe for creole seasoning but it was sooooooooo good!
thanks!
Michele says
I took the frozen leftovers from this (made it last month) and added leftovers from a rotisserie chicken and some chicken broth (actually, I think it was vegetable broth) and it made a really terrific soup that, due to the liquid, makes this meal stretch even further!
Thanks!
Jeanette D says
I would make this in the Hurst Bean pot if I won.