Red Beans & Rice

This is a family favorite dinner that we make regularly.

I rarely use the Instant Pot for full meals, but the Instant Pot makes this recipe easy and absolutely perfect.

The ingredients of this dish are simple but they meld together to create flavor you just can’t get enough of and go back for a second bowl. When I am making this dish for littles kids, I swap out the andouille sausage for a plain smoked sausage so it’s not spicy for little palates.

The chewy, smoked sausage along with the rice and beans makes it a bowl of true comfort, one that has been made for generations in the South and deserves a place on your table.

REMEMBER - Soak your beans! The most important step I don’t want you to overlook. Place the beans in a large bowl, cover with water and let them soak overnight or all day before making the recipe.

RED BEANS AND RICE

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

5 fat garlic cloves, minced

3 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme, minced

1 pound dried kidney beans, soaked in water for at least 6 hours or overnight and drained

3 1/2 cups of chicken stock

cooked white rice, for serving

thinly sliced scallions, for serving

lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Turn on the sauté function on the instant pot. Add the olive oil and sausage. Cook until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate.

Stir in the onion, poblano pepper, celery, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Cook until the vegetables are soft and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Add in the pepper, bay leaves, thyme, soaked beans, 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir well and taste liquid for salt, add a pinch more if needed, the liquid should be very flavorful.

Lock the lid into place and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, takes about 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Use a slotted spoon to remove two thirds of the beans, and set them aside. With an immersion blender, puree the remaining beans in the pot to thicken the mixture.

Turn on the sauté function. Stir in the sausage and the reserved beans, bring the entire mixture to a simmer, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened to your liking.

Taste and add more salt if needed to taste. Serve the beans and sausage over rice, topped with scallions and freshly squeezed lemon over top.