Looking for something budget friendly yet amazing to cook this weekend? You have landed at the right place. This recipe of red beans and rice is actually so great with rich flavors. It is super healthy as it has lots of fiber and protein plus you will get lots of leftovers. Back in time people of New Orleans used pork bone leftover from their grand Sunday meals for cooking beans and rice the next day. It has a huge history behind and there are hundreds of recipes attempting to create authentic red beans and rice. So here is a detailed step by step recipe of this savory dish.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Soaking time: 8 hours Cook time: 2 hours Total time: 10 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry red beans
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion large
• 1 green bell pepper medium
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 stalks celery
• 14 ounces Andouille sausage
• 1 tsp dried oregano and dried thyme each
• ½ tsp garlic powder and onion powder each
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups water
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Salt-to taste
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 3 green onions

Instructions:

• Take 1 pound dry red beans and soak them in a large bowl. Put these soaked beans in the refrigerator overnight. Water should be double in volume to beans.
• Next day, when you are ready to cook slice the Andouille sausage into rounds. Take a large pot and add olive oil in it. Cook the sliced sausage in this oil over medium heat until browned. Take out cooked sausage into a bowl and place it in refrigerator.
• Dice onion, bell pepper and celery and mince the garlic cloves.
• Add these vegetables in the same pot in which you cooked the sausage. Sauté the vegetables over medium heat until onions are translucent and soft. Stir the vegetables so any bits of sausage remained would scrape off and dissolve with the vegetables.
• Now it’s time to add the spices. Add thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper and bay leaf. Stir so that spices mix well with the vegetable mixture. Cook for about one minute.
• Take the beans out of refrigerator and drain and rinse them. Add the beans to the pot. Add in 6 cups of water as well. Stir briefly so everything combines.
• Cover the pot with lid and turn the heat to medium high to bring the water to boil. As it starts boiling, turn heat down to medium-low and cook for about one hour while stirring occasionally. Keep the pot covered.
• After one hour check the beans for tenderness. When tender, take a big spoon or ladle and start smashing beans with the back of spoon against side of pot. Let simmer without lid for about 30 minutes.
• During this time of simmering, cook the rice. Add rice along with three cups of water to a pot and cover the pot. Cook over high heat. When the water starts boiling turn the heat to medium low and let simmer for about 15 minute. After that turn off the heat and keep the pot covered.
• After 30 minutes of simmering, the red beans have thickened so now add cooked sausage and chopped parsley in beans and stir to combine. Add salt according to your taste. At this point your red beans are ready.
• Dish out red beans in a bowl and put rice on top. Garnish with green onions and serve.