Louisiana Red Bean Soup (Print)
A comforting dish blending smoky sausage, red beans, and vegetables served over fluffy rice.
# Ingredient list:
→ Meats
01 - 9 oz smoked sausage (andouille), sliced
02 - 3.5 oz thick-cut bacon, diced (optional)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Beans
07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, or 2 cups cooked dried red beans
→ Liquids
08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp dried thyme
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Rice
18 - 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
19 - 2 1/2 cups water
20 - 1/2 tsp salt
# Directions:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon if using and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add sliced sausage to the pot and cook until browned on all sides. Remove sausage and set aside with the bacon.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Return sausage and bacon to the pot. Add red kidney beans, broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water or broth if soup becomes too thick.
06 - While soup simmers, rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat and let steam covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
07 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Stir in chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or cayenne pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and top each serving with a scoop of fluffy rice. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The kind of soup that tastes like its been cooking all day even though it only takes an hour
- That perfect moment when the rice sinks into the broth and absorbs all the flavors
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
- The soup thickens considerably as it sits, so keep extra broth on hand
- Rinse your rice thoroughly or it will turn gummy instead of fluffy
- Let the soup cool slightly before refrigerating, and it will keep for four days
03 -
- Cook your rice separately so it does not get mushy in the soup
- Make it a day ahead, the flavors develop beautifully overnight