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Spicy Cajun flavors magically turn beans and rice into a BOMB bowl of *where have you been all my life* deliciousness!  This Red Beans and Rice dish is packed with yummy, wholesome veggies.  This nod to the traditional Louisiana recipe is a deliciously healthy version and simmered to perfection. You’ll be singing WINNER WINNER PLANT BASED DINNER when making this new family favorite dish. Whole Food Plant Based recipe, vegan, no oil, no sugar, no highly processed ingredients, and gluten free.

Hi!  Robin here.

Red beans and rice are a Louisiana tradition.  This dish is known far and wide throughout Louisiana with each household touting their own special ingredients and flair of cooking styles.  It is inexpensive to make and is packed with nutrients.  We absolutely love it!

Origins

Red beans and rice hail way back to the early 1700s.  The Creole flavors are a culmination of African, Caribbean, French and Spanish cuisines.  At that time this Creole dish was made mostly on Mondays from left over ham and pork bones.  Our nod to this dish is a much healthier version and it is SO good for you.  I cup of kidney beans is packed with 36 grams of protein and meets 83% of your daily iron requirement. Yay, for the mighty kidney bean!

This post contains affiliate links, and I may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here

TP109 Approved

The first time TP109 tried this dish, he went crazy and nearly ate the whole pot of beans and rice by himself.  He absolutely loved it and gave it his very rare “TP109 10+ rating.”   This is unusual for him because he is a really tough grader. No bell curve grading system with TP, I guess the “old teacher” (he used to be a history teacher) in him comes out. He really relishes telling stories to all his friends that his retirement “job” is now a “food critic.”

Monkey and I anxiously waited to hear his rating.  We knew it was a great recipe/dish, but we really need that third party, unbiased opinion on our food.  TP109 loves “holding court,” while Monkey and I wait for his verdict (rating). We didn’t really need to hear his rating based upon how fast he gobbled it down and was back in the kitchen for more.  We knew it was good. LOL

Ameera here!

This is a great recipe. It comes together quickly.  The longest part is just letting the rice cook. The key is leaving the rice to cook undisturbed.  A mistake that is often made is stirring the rice as it boils.  Unless you are making risotto, don’t stir the rice. Stirring rice while it boils activates the starches and makes for a mushy rice.  Just stir once to really combine all the ingredients, bring it to a boil, then immediately lower the temperature, put the lid on and let it do its thing.  You will have gorgeous rice every time.

If you find you need to check the “doneness” of the rice, lift the lid and gently pull up a few rice kernels off the top with a fork to test the tenderness.  If not done, put the lid back on and continue to check every 10 minutes or so toward the end of the cooking.

We hope you give this tasty dish a try!  It is a really winner in our home.  I hope it will be in yours too!

Products Used:

• 8-quart ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven or similar stock pot
• Strainer (to rinse the kidney beans)

Red Beans and Rice

• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: Cajun

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Description

Spicy Cajun flavors magically turn beans and rice into a BOMB bowl of *where have you been all my life* deliciousness!  This Red Beans and Rice dish is packed with yummy, wholesome veggies.  This nod to the traditional Louisiana recipe is a deliciously healthy version and simmered to perfection. You’ll be singing WINNER WINNER PLANT BASED DINNER when making this new family favorite dish. Whole Food Plant Based recipe, vegan, no oil, no sugar, no highly processed ingredients, and gluten free.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, fine dice
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth *
• 1 – [ 8 oz. can ] tomato sauce
• ¼ cup water (to rinse out tomato sauce can)
• 1 cup dry rice (rice of choice) *
• 2 – [ 15 oz. cans ] red beans, drained and rinsed (we used kidney beans)

Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake (+/- to taste for level of heat)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (+/- to taste for level of heat)

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Instructions

1. Place all the Seasonings into a small bowl, mix well.  Set aside.
2. Over medium heat, add the onions, celery, and bell peppers into an enamel/ceramic lined Dutch oven/skillet.  Sauté for 5-7 minutes to soften the veggies.  Then add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
3. Add Seasonings and dry sauté for a few seconds to warm the spices and allow them to become fragrant.  Then add the dry rice and dry sauté for about one minute.
4. Add the vegetable broth, tomato sauce (and ¼ cup water used to rinse out the tomato sauce can), and red beans. Stir once really well to combine.  Do not stir again. Bring up to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer.  Cover and cook undisturbed for 25-45 minutes.  The cooking time is largely dependent on the rice selected. Brown rice takes longer than most other rice.
5. Serve and enjoy!  (Optional Toppings could include sliced grape tomatoes and chopped parsley.)

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Notes

*Vegetable Stock:   We use Pacific Organic Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.

*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Rice: The cooking time is largely dependent on the rice and brand selected.  Some rice, as well as some brands, take longer to cook than others.  Read rice package directions for estimated cooking times. Resist the urge to stir the rice.  Stirring rice creates starch which creates more of a risotto, which we don’t want.  If you need to test the tenderness of the rice, pull up a few rice kernels off the top of the dish and test for tenderness. Continue to cook the rice until tender.  If you find that the pot is dry, add a tablespoon or two of water at a time, and cook until the rice is tender.

*Storage: Refrigerate for up to 7 days.

Storage:  Refrigerate, use within one week.   

This post contains affiliate links, and I may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here

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