Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Red Beans and Rice with spicy andouille sausage, creamy red beans, and aromatic garlic, onion, and bell pepper, served over fluffy long-grain rice.

June Arthurs
June 24, 2025
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound andouille or Kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pound dried red kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
  • 2 cups water

Brown the Sausage and Start the Beans

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the sausage until the fat renders and the sausage is browned, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon. Cover and refrigerate. In the rendered fat, cook the onion, bell pepper, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, oregano, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until fragrant, around 30 seconds.

Add the broth, beans, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, until the beans start to soften, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Prepare the Rice

Place the rice and water in a loaf pan and cover tightly with foil. Nestle the pan into the bean mixture in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours (or on high for 3 to 4 hours), until the beans are entirely tender.

Finish the Beans and Rice

Carefully remove the loaf pan from the slow cooker and set aside. Take 1 cup of the bean mixture and blend in a food processor until very smooth, about 1 minute.

Stir the puréed beans and reserved sausage back into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until heated through, around 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Uncover the loaf pan and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Rice with spicy andouille sausage, creamy red beans, and aromatic garlic, onion, and bell pepper, served over fluffy long-grain rice.
prep time15 minutes
cook time5 hours
resting or cooling time10 minutes
total time5 hours 25 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound andouille or Kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 pound dried red kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
  • 2 cups water

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage until browned, about 8 minutes.
  • Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Cook onion, bell pepper, and celery in rendered fat until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add broth, beans, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until beans soften, about 20 minutes.
  • Transfer mixture to a slow cooker.
  • Place rice and water in a foil-covered loaf pan; nestle into the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until beans are tender.
  • Remove loaf pan and set aside. Puree 1 cup of beans; stir puree and sausage into the slow cooker.
  • Cook on high until heated through, about 10 minutes.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.