Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice and Creole Seasoning | Make Ahead Mondays
Whip up a batch of this handy Creole seasoning to add a little oomph to your every day dishes or reserve it for the most wonderfully tantalizing and simple red beans and rice you've ever had. The slow-cooker does the work so you can stay out of the kitchen on hot days. Be forewarned: this smells so good while it's cooking that you may feel ravenous by the time dinner rolls around. Creole Seasoning adapted from Emeril Lagasse's recipe.
Ingredients
For the Creole Seasoning:
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
For the Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice:
- 10 cups water
- 3 cups small red chili beans about 1 1/2 pounds, rinsed and picked over
- 1 pound smoked sausage or andouille sliced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium cooking onion yellow or white, peeled, trimmed of root and blossom ends, and diced
- 1 rib celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper according to heat preference
- For Serving: Hot cooked rice and green onions
Instructions
To Make the Creole Seasoning:
- Add all of the ingredients to a small mixing bowl bowl and toss together with a fork or a whisk. Store, tightly covered, in a jar or other airtight container in a cool, dry place. This is good for about a year after mixing.
To Make the Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice:
- Add the water, beans, sausage, red bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf to the bowl of a slow-cooker. Add the lid and turn the heat to "HIGH'. Let it cook for 6 hours, stirring once or twice. After 6 hours, use a spoon to fish out a bean to test. If it is tender, turn off the heat. If it is still underdone, replace the lid and cook for another hour or until the beans are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Gently stir the contents of the slow-cooker before ladling over bowls of hot, cooked rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and -if desired- sour cream.
- Store leftover beans tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze in individual portions for longer storage: up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 2278mgPotassium: 636mgFiber: 7gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2375IUVitamin C: 22.9mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 4.9mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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