Easy Red Beans and Rice for Slow Cooker

Dr. Harris's Note:

This red beans and rice recipe is about as easy as it gets, tastes great, and works well in a slow cooker! You can easily substitute ingredients to your liking. Use water instead of chicken broth, a can of Rotel tomatoes, bell pepper and celery, or even some other types of beans and spices.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

Yield: 12.0

• 1 -2 lb smoked sausage
• 3 (15 ounce) cans light kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (16 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning (or use other spices)
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Put beans and chicken broth in slow cooker on high.
2. Cut sausage into medallions, and cook in a large frying pan until lightly crispy on outside.
3. Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute in the sausage grease.
4. Put the contents of the frying pan and the remaining spices in the slow cooker. Add water until the level rises above the beans.
5. Once the slow cooker starts a light simmer, you can continue to cook it on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.
6. Serve with white or brown rice.

Reviews

[GirlyJu]

Everyone has their own version of red beans and rice, and I used this more as a guide than as rules to follow. Basically, I customizing it according to what I had on hand: I sauteed chopped red onion, yellow bell pepper, and celery in a mixture of butter and bacon drippings, and minced garlic. Pan fried jalepeno sausage, as called for in the recipe. Used canned beans, drained, and put it all together in the crock pot on low for 6 hours. When I came home later the house smelled amazing and dinner was ready to go! Served with cold beer and from-scratch corn bread. Thanks! :-)