There comes days in every family’s life when money is tight, or someone is ill, or in the case of 2020 – you are stuck home on quarantine waiting for test results. And that means you have to look into your pantry and fridge to come up with something to cook for dinner. And that is exactly how I came up with Creamy Red Beans & Rice – a new take on the old standby.
The rice is super simple – and really you can make your rice how ever you normally make it. Once I started making my rice with chicken broth, I haven’t turned back – it gives it just enough flavor without overwhelming. Sometimes I will add a tablespoon or two of butter if I’m not serving the rice with a gravy or sauce. I also add some lime and cilantro when I’m making it with tacos!
There seems to be a lot of different ways to make Red Beans & Rice – from the veggies to the type of beans. Everyone has their own way – and this one is mine. Its sort of like how everyone has their own version of biscuits and gravy or spaghetti sauce. I am a little obsessed with heavy cream – I love the way it makes everything silky and rich – so I add it to anything I’m unsure about. And it usually ends up being the best version of something for me. You could certainly make this dish without the heavy cream (especially if you have any lactose issues in your home), but it will be a little spicier – so maybe cut the cayenne in half or don’t use andouille sausage – just get kielbasa instead.
Now Let’ Get Cookin’!
Creamy Red Beans & Rice
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 2 cups Long Grain Rice white or brown
- 1 qt Chicken Broth
For the Beans
- 1 lb Andouille Sausage cut in ¼ inch rounds
- 3 15 oz can Kidney Beans drained
- 1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 9 oz can Tomato Paste
- 3 tbsp Avocado Oil
- ½ Red Onion diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Parsley
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Prepare all of the ingredients.
- In a pot over medium heat, add rice and broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Once done, just turn off burner and leave rice (with lid on) until ready to serve.
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add oil, garlic and onions. Cook for 3 minutes then add sausage and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add beans, tomatoes, seasonings and chicken broth. Stir to combine and then add tomato paste. Continue to stir until completely combined. Let simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Pour in heavy cream and stir until combined. Let cook another 3-5 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, place a portion of rice on one half of bowl. Ladle beans onto other side of bowl, overlapping slightly in the center. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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What a great recipe! We make red beans all the time but I’ve never added cream, I might try that! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday.
Looks amazing! I’ll be featuring you this week when the next To Grandma’s house we go party starts. Thanks for sharing with us!
This sounds amazing! I always grew up eating red beans and rice, but never with the cream! Heavy cream makes everything more delicious, so I can only image the deliciousness it adds to this recipe.
Thanks for linking up and sharing with us this past week on the Embracing Home and Family link-up!
-Cherelle
Congratulations, your awesome post is on the Top Ten at Full Plate Thursday,508 this week! Thanks so much for sharing with us and you have a great week!
Miz Helen
Wow – thank you so much! This is turning out to be quite the popular recipe.
Bookmarking this! I found you on Full Plate Thursday.