These rice and red beans for vegetarians are tasty and spicy. It’s vegetarian and can be readily converted to vegan. This dish will liven up your week, so make it tonight.
We’re going to get down with comfort. Comfort is crucial here because, as of the last time I checked, it was still March, it was still chilly, and snow was still predicted.
As a child, we would prepare a packaged version of Red Beans and Rice—yes, another one of those. Dinner would be ready quickly and easily after we added the sausage and let it simmer.
What’s Red Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice, as I mentioned earlier, is a classic Louisiana dish that is distinctly Creole. It is served over rice after red beans and vegetables have been boiled down to a stew-like consistency.
Red Beans and Rice typically include some kind of meat, but why include it when a recipe works just as well—if not better—without it? For that reason, this version is completely vegetarian!
P.S. You’ve just made it VEGAN by replacing the butter with olive oil!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and minced
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and small diced
- 2 (1-pound) cans red kidney beans
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Saute garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil and stir in rice and butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.
Get the Recipe: Red Beans and Rice
Tips of Red Beans and Rice
Direct consumption
Take out the cooked vegetarian red bean rice and pair it with refreshing cold mixed vegetables such as cucumber and tomato lettuce salad, which can not only supplement dietary fiber but also enrich the taste. At the same time, accompanied by light tofu soup, it nourishes the taste buds in all aspects while enjoying the main course.
Making Rice and vegetable roll
After the vegetarian red bean rice cools down, take an appropriate amount of rice, add chopped seaweed, black sesame seeds, a small amount of soy sauce, and sesame oil, and stir evenly. Put on disposable gloves with both hands and pinch the rice into a triangle or round Rice and vegetable roll. The Rice and vegetable roll made in this way can be used as a convenient food for picnics and outings. It can also be packed with preserved plums, fried eggs and other ingredients according to personal preferences.
Q&A about Rice and Red Beans
Must I soak my beans for the entire night?
No! This is not the place for a quick or overnight soak. When you don’t have the time to soak dried beans, this recipe for canned red beans is incredibly quick.
Which red beans in a can are the best?
We suggest using kidney beans or little red beans.
Is it possible to replace the andouille sausage with something else?
Traditionally, spicy andouille sausage is used to cook red beans and rice, but you may use whatever sausage you choose, including kielbasa.
How hot is rice with red beans?
By using mild andouille sausage and leaving out the hot sauce, you can reduce the amount of spiciness to a moderate level.
Can I put this in the freezer?
Indeed! If you don’t want the leftovers to get mushy, you may freeze them in separate freezer bags without the rice. Thaw them overnight and then reheat them on the stovetop, adding newly prepared rice when serving.
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and minced
- 1 large red onion diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 green bell pepper stem and seeds removed and small diced
- 2 1-pound cans red kidney beans
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Saute garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil and stir in rice and butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.
