Beans and Rice is one of those meals that can be time-consuming and dirty up a lot of dishes, or it can be quick and easy. This Beans and Rice recipe made with pinto beans and sausage is quick and easy to make, delicious and a quick cleanup. You can change it up every time you make it, switching out the type of beans or sausage, or even making it meatless. Or you can hit on that one combination that you love and make it over and over again. Either way – it makes a very easy and delicious meal when it’s one of those nights that you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen but you want something hearty to eat. Start to service, this dish is less than 45 minutes!
In this particular beans and rice dish, I combined pinto beans and andouille sausage. I had made a pot of pinto beans a couple days before and had some leftover in the refrigerator. However, you could also used canned beans. I was planning on using chorizo, but didn’t have any (or just couldn’t find it in the freezer) so I added 2 links of andouille instead. It was quite good, and appropriate for this time of year (being Mardi Gras time and all), but honestly, my preference is Mexican chorizo with pintos.
The main thing about the recipe, is its versatility. The vegetable base is the Louisiana trinity – onion, celery and bell pepper; however, you can substitute your favorite chile for the bell pepper (imagine that). For the rest of the dish use your favorite beans with a complementary meat or meat substitute and some rice. Voila – supper’s ready! Be sure to check out the Kitchen Notes for few variations that you can play with.
Beans and Rice with Sausage
Beans and Rice is one of the most versatile and hearty dishes one could make. Use this recipe as a guide and create your own dish.
"*" See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil or bacon drippings
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 Andouille sausage, sliced or 1/2 pound Mexican chorizo, crumbled*
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 ¼ cup stock, broth or water
- 1 ½ – 2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained*
- ½ cup roasted, chopped red or green chile pepper*
- 1 Tbsp. red chile paste or red chile sauce* (optional)
- 1 tsp. oregano*
- ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
- Black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery. Cook stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. (If you are using a non-roasted pepper, add with the onion and celery).
- Add sausage and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes for andouille, 4 minutes for chorizo (or until cooked).
- Add the chile peppers, beans, liquid, oregano, and chile paste. Bring to a boil.
- Add the rice and stir just enough to mix the rice up with the other ingredients.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Taste. If the rice isn’t quite done, add 1/4 cup hot water, cover and cook another 2 minutes. Let set for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cilantro/parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with garlic bread or a side salad.
Beans – You can used just about any type of beans for this bean, rice and sausage dish. I’ve used pintos, black beans, red beans, navy beans, cranberry beans, and a few others. Just precook the beans in some stock with some simple seasoning before adding to the dish or use leftover beans.
Variations of Beans and Sausage:
- Pinto Beans and Mexican chorizo
- Black Beans and Mexican chorizo
- Red Beans and Andouille
- White Beans or Red Beans with Smoked Ham or Italian Sausage
- (vegan) Black Beans and Mushrooms
- The sausage can also be chicken or turkey, vegetarian or vegan
For smoked sausage, saute for only 2 minutes after sauteing the vegetables. It’s already cooked and if you saute it too long, it can dry it out and make it tough. For raw sausage or mushrooms, saute for about 4 to 5 minutes after sauteing the vegetables.
Roasted Chile Pepper – You can use just about any pepper you want in this recipe – bell pepper, roasted New Mexico chile pepper, poblano or whatever you have in your region of the world. Just remember that the pepper you use might require a little spice adjustment to add more heat or reduce it.
Red Chile Paste – This red chile paste, and red chile sauce are condiments I keep in the freezer, so it’s readily available. If you don’t have a red chile sauce or paste, then you can substitute 1 – 3 tsp. red chile powder or a chile powder blend or leave it out altogether. The amount, of course, depends on how hot it is and how hot you want to make the dish. For example, if you’re using cayenne, chile de arbol, murupi amerela, or chile pequin, then ½ tsp. might be plenty or for some, even too much.
Herbs – Beans and oregano is always a good match, but play around with other herbs as well. For a vegetarian version with mushrooms, thyme, tarragon or sage would be nice additions. If you’re using Italian Sausage, then sage would be great.
There are so many variations that you can create with this beans and rice dish. I hope you play around with this recipe and if you find a variation that you love that isn’t listed here, please come back and add it to the comments. Hope you have fun and enjoy!
Here are some more beans dishes you might enjoy:
Thank you for all the helpful notes to make this easy one pan recipe with alterations. Lately, we are all about recipe alteration just using what we have on hand… LOL Hey MJ, do you have a homemade chorizo recipe? Can you please send us the link. Thanks so much and take care
Found it! https://mjskitchen.com/2013/03/mexican-chorizo-sausage/
Thanks
You are most welcome! Thanks for your comments as always. Yes, I do have a chorizo recipe and I see you found the link. Enjoy! It’s a keeper for sure. I have 3 pounds in the freezer now just to hold us over through the stay at home orders.
Hearty is always our choice, definitely ! Glad to see so many options to make this one ! Thank you so much !
Thanks Darlin!
MJ, such a delicious and hearty meal! The flavors are fantastic!
Thanks Kelly! There are so many flavors one put into bean and rice. It’s never ending.
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
That is definitely one pot complete-hearty meal. I love the versatility where you can use different sausages but I am leaning towards Mexican sausage on this. That looks delicious, MJ. We just had supper but it’s making me hungry again. I wish you have a great weekend ahead. 🙂
We just happened to have this Thursday night with Mexican chorizo! 🙂 It was so good. Thanks so much Ray! Have a wonderful weekend!
Just having fun going thru all the dissertations and comments…….Thanks
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Oh my gosh… looking at your photos and reading about it, I almost can’t handle not having this in front of me.
I did grow up eating rice and beans — which is a staple in my home country, Brazil. I could not be around this dish because I could eat the whole thing by myself. What a complete, delicious meal, MJ!
I love 1 pot meals. I’ve never tried rice and beans though. and with sausage sounds so yummy! must try it one day.
I love beans and rice dishes — in fact planning on making some tomorrow. So true that it can either be a quick or long process, I prefer the faster and less cleanup way.:) Your recipe looks delicious, MJ! It reminds me of frijoles rancheros but with a twist.
Thanks Nancy! As you well know, once you have the beans made, there are so many easy dishes you can make, beans and rice being one of my favorites. I love frijoles rancheros!
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I use this same braiser a lot to make one pot meal. Love the beans and rice together with sausages! You write very detailed additional info in Note section that I learned all kinds of variety that we can use for this dish! New thing I learned is “Louisiana trinity”. I didn’t know onion, celery and bell pepper are used often in the Southern cooking! 🙂
Isn’t it a great braiser?! I use mine all of the time and it’s so pretty. 🙂 Glad I was able to teach you something new Nami. I feel the same way when I visit your blog. 🙂
I think beans are fantastic – people don’t eat nearly enough of them! I don’t think I can even think of a bean dish which I dislike (with the exception of natto, but I’m not sure if that counts as a “bean dish”). This will be lovely by default on account of the beans, but it looks beautiful too. Hearty and filling and great for this weather right now. It’s “plus” temperatures, but the wind is absolutely biting!
So funny that I’ve had red beans and rice on my mind for months now and especially since it’s Mardi Gras season and then I see this post. Great minds….! I had some delicious red beans and rice the last time I was in New Orleans and I love them. Your version looks so delicious and I love the spice you always put into your dishes! Awesome post, MJ!
This recipe is inspiring! Easy and delicious one pot meal.
What an appealing photograph!! And this is perfect timing for me. I made some pinto beans in the slow cooker and was planning on using them for dinner. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
Thanks so much Susan! It was perfect timing. 🙂
A very nice all in one meal, one plate wonder!
Peach Lady you have to stop this. I would LOVE to make this dish – except my hubby is not a bean person. I think I exceeded my yearly quota of beany meals… Darn.
Thanks Zsuzsa! Your husband doesn’t like beans? Oh, that would be a hard one for me to deal with. Maybe next time. 🙂
MJ this sounds like a fantastic dish and so filling and satisfying. I can’t recall the last time I made beans and rice. I guess it’s time to make it again. I’ll try your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Vicki! Hope you enjoy it!
What a funny coincidence! I had yesterday rice with beans too, but it was in a cold bibimbap (Korean dish). Before discovering this dish I would have never tried combining beans and rice but they proved excellent.
Your dish looks as always exotic to me and at the same time homely and comforting. I’m sure I will make either of the variations one day. They all sound delicious.
Thanks so much Sissi! How can we be literally a world apart and still eat the same? That’s just too much!:) Did you know that the combination of beans and rice produces the same type of protein of beef? That’s what I’ve read any way. Therefore, beans and rice is a great vegetarian dish, but then, I still like to thrown in a little sausage. 🙂
I had no idea… I share your preference of course and always add some meat/fish almost everywhere 🙂
This may sound like an odd compliment, but this recipe was the first meal I put together after having a baby last week. I did it with chorizo and brown rice, simmered in the slow cooker for a few hours. It was gorgeous and hearty and really soul satisfying, even though for most of the dinner I was being spoon fed by my husband as I was alternately nursing and soothing a squawky baby.
I’ll take it MaryAnne!! Congratulations on the new addition to your family!!! Boy or Girl? You sound like my niece who just had a baby. She had acid reflux so bad that she did away with spicy foods during her pregnancy. As soon as she got home after having her darling little girl, she was eating chile. 🙂 I love it that your husband was feeding you. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!!!
I love adding sausage to rice dishes! This sounds wonderful.
You must have read my mind! I was just telling my son yesterday afternoon that I was craving sausage… we haven’t had it in ages and it’s on the list for this week. I’m loving the simplicity of this one pot delight too so I’m hitting the print key right now! Thanks MJ (by the way, heading to World Market this afternoon — I’ll be sure to look out for the discount table 😉 hope I find some goodies!).
Thanks Kelly! I hope you got a chance to try one of those variations and if you created another variation, please let me know. How was your trip to World Market?
One pot dishes are the best and i love the versatility of this one. But your combo here is awesome, love the Louisiana influence…going there tomorrow woohoo!
Thanks Evelyne! Hope you’re having fun in Louisiana!!!
I love oregano and it is an essential herb to Greek kitchen! This dish is indeed very versatile and very nutritious as well!
Thanks Katerina! I think oregano is one of those universal herbs that works well in almost any cuisine. I love it!
I love meals that don’t mess up the entire kitchen. This looks lovely – warming and comforting xx
Delicious one pot meal MJ love it. I can try this one san chorizo any day.
Very satisfying and delicious especially for these cold winter days! Yum!
Thanks Sandra! Oh yea – perfect for a cold, wet, winter’s day.
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Easy and hearty… it looks great, MJ!
I can’t differentiate much between the sausages honestly, but what I do know is that this is totally my kind of dish. Freezing chili paste is such a great idea. I do that with tomato paste a lot. Never tried it with chili though. I like to work out with herbs and combo as well. This is such a great dish and so much potential to have a variety without changing the basics. Lovely!
Thanks Minnie! I guess one needs to love sausage like I do and have lived in a couple of state that use a lot of some really spicy and delicious sausage. Hope you try the chile paste.
You’ve given me a great dinner idea 🙂 Love everything about this dish and the flavors are perfect for this cold winter that we’re experiencing!
Thanks Soni! Hope you enjoy it if you get a chance to make it.
Looks really delicious.. Yummy and filling one pot meal.
You can make it meatless? No, no, no meatless here my friend. I want mine just like how you made it — complete. None of your ingredients will be missing when I make it. Looks like a delicious-hearty-comfort food. Have a good week ahead MJ! 🙂
And I wouldn’t expect you to cook it any other way Ray!! Hope you enjoy and have a great week!
Such a wonderful dish for the cold weather we are experiencing here in NYC. I adore the flavor of andouille sausage and I have used quite a bit this winter for my gumbo. Love the fact that this takes less than 45 minutes to take…definitely going to cook it soon. Thanks for sharing MJ!
Thanks Yi! Hope you enjoy it! Stay warm my friend!
Now this is the second time I’ve seen a recipe with andouille sausage in it.. it must be calling out to me:) My son loves this sort of recipe, mostly because of the sausage in it, I would love it for the beans!
With Mardi Gras just around the corner, it’s the time of year to bring out the andouille. 🙂 Thanks Barb!
I would love a hearty bowl of this right now as I listen to the sleet outside. (Actually, we are getting “thunder sleet.” )
Thunder sleet is so very weird. I remember it from when I lived in Louisiana. Be careful and stay off the road!
Great dish! This is my kind of food. I like andouille sausage a lot, but you’re right that chorizo is better (at least to my taste buds). We just got a new meat grinder attachment for our standing mixer, so homemade sausage is in the cards. 😉 And I was just looking at your chorizo recipe again — definitely will be making that. Anyway, this is a good dish — thanks.
We obviously have a lot of the same tastebuds. I just saw your chicken and andouille gumbo. YUM! This dish is better with chorizo and quite a bit spicier, but still good with andouille. Once I saw I was out of chorizo I picked up 3 pounds of ground pork and made a big batch today. I hope you get to try it now that you have a meat grinder. I still have a manual one, so small batches is all I can handle. 🙂 Happy Mardi Gras!
This is a delicious and filling meal. I even like it for leftovers. 🙂