Southern-Style Red Beans and Rice

1. The night before, place Ralston Family Farms Red Beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches. Soak overnight (8–12 hours), then drain and rinse. Short on time? Quick soak: cover beans with water in a pot, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices in a single layer and sear 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside, leaving drippings in the pot.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, celery, and green bell pepper to the pot. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, thyme, oregano, and cayenne. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to toast the spices.
5. Add the drained red beans, bay leaves, chicken broth, and seared sausage back to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are completely tender.
6. Once beans are soft, use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash roughly ½ to 1 cup of the beans directly in the pot. Stir to incorporate—this is what creates the thick, creamy sauce. Stir in hot sauce and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning as needed. Remove bay leaves.
7. While beans finish cooking, make the rice. Combine Ralston Family Farms White Rice, water, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to low, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
8. Serve rice in bowls topped generously with the red bean mixture. Garnish with green onions and fresh parsley. Pass the hot sauce at the table and enjoy!

White Rice Prep:

• 1½ cups Ralston Family Farms White Rice
• 3 cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp butter

For Serving:

• 4 green onions, sliced
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Hot sauce
• Crusty bread or cornbread (optional)

Notes:

Built on a foundation of Ralston Family Farms Red Beans and fluffy Ralston Family Farms White Rice, this one-pot dish delivers rich, slow-cooked flavor in under an hour

The secret to truly great red beans and rice is in the layers: andouille sausage seared until golden, the Cajun “holy trinity” of onion, celery, and green bell pepper cooked down until sweet and soft, a blend of Cajun spices, thyme, and oregano, and a finishing trick of mashing a portion of the beans right in the pot for that thick, velvety, restaurant-worthy sauce. It’s a dish that tastes like it simmered all day, even on a weeknight.