Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice is a hearty, savory, and mildly spicy meal your family will fall in love with. It’s easy to make, comforting and remarkably affordable.
Why This Recipe Is Going to Be a Favorite
You’ll love how simple and satisfying this easy recipe is!
With just a few pantry staples, some smoky sausage, and dry red beans, your slow cooker transforms everything into a rich, flavorful meal that feels like it simmered all day — because it did!
It’s easy on the budget, generously feeds the whole family, and tastes even better the next day. Leftovers easily reheat in the microwave to make great lunches or quick fix suppers on busy nights.
Ingredient Info and Tips
One of the best things about Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice is that it uses affordable, everyday ingredients to create something truly delicious. You probably have most of these items on hand already — here’s what goes into this easy, comforting dish:
The vegetables in this easy recipe can certainly be minced by hand. I happen to mince them VERY finely in my food processor for a couple reasons.
- It’s fast! I’m all about making quick work of chopping when I can. If you don’t have a food processor, you can definitely accomplish this by hand.
- The main reason for me is that being so small, the vegetable pieces cook down and release their flavor quickly, melting away into a flavorful broth that started as only water. This is a great trick to get veggies into picky eaters. If they can’t see them, they’re not there, right? lol
- Cajun (spicy) Andouille Sausage [affiliate link]: I buy the Aidell’s brand at Walmart, which comes 4 to a pack. Like most meat nowadays, it’s the priciest item in this dish. I use a package and a half — six sausages (approximately 1 pound). I freeze the other two sausages until my next batch. If the grocery budget is tight, you could omit the meat altogether and still have a delicious and nutritious meal. But the additional flavor takes your red beans and rice over the top if you can afford it.
- Onions: The first ingredient of the “trinity” so common to Southern and Louisiana recipes — onions, bell peppers and celery. I used red onions, but use what you have or what your family likes best/
- Bell Peppers: I used 1 red and 1 green, but any color peppers will work.
- Celery: Like the onions and peppers, celery builds flavor in this easy red beans and rice recipe.
- Minced Garlic
- Bay Leaves
- Cajun Seasoning [affiliate link]: The one I like is a combination of salt, dried peppers, celery seed, cayenne, garlic, mustard seed and more. You can also check out my yummy Homemade Cajun Seasoning if you have the individual spices on hand already.
- Dry Red Beans [affiliate link]: A 1-pound bag of dry red beans costs only $1.87 in my area. No matter where you live, dry beans will provide an affordable and nutritious option for building a delicious and healthy meal. They must be soaked overnight before cooking them, so plan accordingly.
- Water
For the Rice
- Instant Brown Rice [affiliate link]: Just like in my Easy Taco Soup Recipe, Lentils and Rice Casserole and Healthy Egg Salad with Crispy Rice, I’ve chosen brown rice for this recipe. When combined with beans, brown rice is a protein-rich superfood that you can read more about in any of those other recipe posts. “Instant” or “quick” rice is simply parboiled so it cooks faster. The nutrient value is the same as in long cook rice. Choose the rice variety that you and your family love most.
- Butter: You can definitely leave this out and still have scrumptious rice. I just love the added richness and flavor the butter gives.
- Water
- Salt
FAQs
Got questions about making Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice? I’ve got you covered with some of the most common ones below!
Absolutely! You can make this red beans and rice recipe right on the stovetop. Just follow the exact instructions in the recipe card, but use a large stock pot [affiliate link] or Dutch oven [affiliate link] instead. Bring everything to a boil, give it a good stir, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let it simmer gently for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beans are tender and creamy inside.
Sure! You can use canned beans if you’re short on time. They do cost about double what you’d spend for dried, and you’ll need six cans for this recipe. Drain and rinse them, then add them to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking. If you add them at the beginning, they’ll cook too long and turn mushy.
Reduce the water in the recipe to 4 cups instead of 6 when using canned beans. Keep in mind that canned beans won’t absorb as much of the seasoning or develop quite the same depth of flavor as dried beans do.
More FAQs About Making Red Beans and Rice
Yes, you absolutely can. In my opinion, though, it’s an unnecessary expense unless you already have homemade vegetable broth or chicken stock on hand. Store-bought broths are mostly salty water and don’t add much flavor without a little extra zhuzhing from bouillon.
If you want to boost flavor, it’s more budget-friendly to add a couple of bouillon cubes instead. Just look at the broth in the picture above — that rich color and savory flavor come from slow-cooking the beans, sausage, aromatics, and seasonings in plain water.
You bet! Make this Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice recipe your own. Using a slow cooker isn’t traditional either — I simply adapted the classic to fit my cooking style, and I hope you’ll do the same. If bell peppers aren’t your favorite, try using carrots instead. Onion, carrot, and celery make a wonderful flavor base for soups and stews and would be equally delicious here.
Absolutely. Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Traditional red beans and rice is served over long-grain white rice, but you can use whatever your family loves. You already know I prefer brown rice for its health benefits. However, jasmine rice or even cauliflower rice will work beautifully.
If you use my Instant Rice method, start the rice about 10 minutes before serving time. If you have a rice cooker or Instant Pot, start standard long-grain rice about 30 minutes before serving so everything’s ready at once. Every stove and appliance is different. Follow the cooking directions on whichever rice you choose.
Red Beans and Rice FAQs
You can easily adjust the spice level to your family’s taste. For more heat, add a bit more Cajun seasoning. Do remember it contains salt though, so taste as you go, adding a small amount at a time until you hit your desired spice level.
You can add a small pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce, too.
For a milder version, cut back on the amount of Cajun seasoning and stick with a mild smoked sausage rather than Cajun andouille. If you reduce the Cajun seasoning, taste and check for salt levels. You may want a little extra.
What to Serve With Red Beans and Rice
How to Make Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
- Soak the beans overnight (or at least 8-12 hours prior). Add the dry red beans to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Use enough cold water to cover the beans by at least 3 inches. Cover with a lid, foil or plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter overnight.
- Rinse and drain your soaked beans.
- Chop the sausage and mince the bell peppers, onions and celery.
- Add the sausage, bell peppers, onion, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, bay leaves, soaked beans and water into your slow cooker. Give it a good stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours until the beans are tender and soft.
- Prepare Instant Rice in the last 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve the beans, with their broth, over your prepared rice.
When you need a hearty dinner that’s easy, affordable, and full of flavor, this Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice recipe delivers every time. It’s proof that delicious home-cooked meals don’t have to be complicated or expensive. Give it a try — your family (and your wallet) will thank you!
The Recipe
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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
- Total Time: 10 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice for an easy weeknight meal or weekend meal prep. It’s comforting, flavorful, and super budget-friendly. Red Beans can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Your family is gonna love them and ask for this easy dish over and over again!
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 1 lb. Cajun Andouille Sausage, cut into disc’s or half moons
- 2 lg. Red Onions, minced (2 to 3 cups)
- 2 Bell Peppers, minced (1 to 2 cups)
- 2 stalks Celery, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
- 1 lb. Dried Red Beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 6 cups of liquid, water, broth, etc
For the Rice
- 1 (14 oz.) box Instant Brown Rice
- 4 cups Water
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight (or at least 8-12 hours prior). Add the dry red beans to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Use enough cold water to cover the beans by at least 3 inches. Cover with a lid, foil or plastic wrap and let it sit on the counter overnight.
- Rinse and drain your soaked beans.
- Chop the sausage and mince the bell peppers, onions and celery.
- Add the sausage, bell peppers, onion, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, bay leaves, soaked beans and water into your slow cooker. Give it a good stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours until the beans are tender and soft.
- Prepare Instant Rice according to package directions in the last 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve the red beans over your prepared rice.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Category: Main Dish, Pork, Beans, Soups and Stews
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Southern American
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
