This Cajun inspired Red Beans and Rice recipe is a very filling, stick-to-your-ribs dish, as any respectable southern food should be, and it gets better the next day.
Ingredients
4 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 small yellow onions
3 stalks celery
1 large bell pepper
1 tube vegetarian sausage (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
3 tsp vegetable bouillon
3 T. cajun seasoning
1 jalapeno
4 cups water
Sliced green onions for topping
2 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions
Drain and rinse the kidney beans and set aside.
Chop your onions, celery, bell pepper, jalapeno. Mince your garlic. Measure out spices and set aside.
Heat a large pot on medium heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. If using meatless sausage, add it at this time. Cut meatless sausage into bits with the edge of a spatula. Saute the meatless sausage until you get some browning, it starts to smell good, and it’s cooked through. Don’t worry if it sticks a bit to the pan. When fully cooked, transfer into a bowl and set aside.
Add the other tablespoon of olive oil to your empty pot, then add your onion, garlic celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Saute on medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add kidney beans, then use a potato masher to smush about half the beans – this will create a thick, hearty consistency.
Add 4 cups of water to the pot, along with spices & vegetable bouillon and stir. Simmer until thickened. Taste and adjust salt and other seasonings to your preference.
Once desired thickness is reached, spoon over cooked rice, garnish liberally with green onions, and consume.