Beans & Peas, Southern sides
Southern
Yield: 6-8
Author: Tammy Nichols
Red Beans & Rice - Master Cookbook Recipe # 650

Red Beans & Rice - Master Cookbook Recipe # 650

This recipe is a hearty, flavorful take on a Southern classic. By using spicy breakfast sausage and the "Holy Trinity" of Southern cooking,onion and bell pepper,you create a deep, savory base that infuses the beans with incredible flavor. Whether you slow-cook them on the stovetop, in a crockpot, or speed things up with an Instant Pot, this meal is pure comfort in a bowl.

This is recipe #650 in Tammy’s Master Cookbook.

Prep time: 15 minTotal time: 15 min Soak Time: 8 hrs Stovetop Cook: 2 hrs Instant Pot Cook: 38 min Slow Cooker: 10 hrs
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb Red beans (or pinto beans)
  • 1 lb Hot breakfast sausage (Tammy recommends Swaggerty’s)
  • 1 lb Diced ham (optional)
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 1 large Bell pepper, chopped
  • To taste: Garlic (diced), salt, and hot sauce
  • For serving: Cooked white rice

Instructions

  1. The Soak (Day 1): Wash and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot and cover with water until the level is 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Cover and let them soak overnight on the stovetop. Note: Do not add meat yet if soaking at room temperature!
  2. Prep the Base (Day 2): In a skillet, scramble and brown the breakfast sausage. Once cooked, remove the sausage but keep the drippings in the pan. Sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper in the sausage drippings until tender.
  3. Simmer: Add the cooked sausage, sautéed vegetables, and diced ham (if using) into the pot with the soaked beans.
  4. Cook:
  5. Stovetop: Cook over medium heat until the beans are tender. Watch closely and add water as needed to keep the beans covered.
  6. Instant Pot: Add all ingredients and cook on the "Multigrain" setting at highest pressure for 38 minutes.
  7. Slow Cooker: Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.
  8. Serve: Once the beans are tender, add salt to taste. Serve hot over a bed of fluffy white rice and top with hot sauce if you like a little extra kick!

Notes

Tammy’s Tips

"The secret is cooking those vegetables right in the sausage drippings,it adds a layer of flavor you just can't get any other way!" If you're looking for a shortcut, the Instant Pot method works beautifully for this dish.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

464

Fat

14 g

Sat. Fat

5 g

Carbs

85 g

Fiber

4 g

Net carbs

81 g

Sugar

62 g

Protein

6 g

Sodium

315 mg

Cholesterol

13 mg