description Red Beans and Rice Overview
Red beans and rice is a traditional Louisiana Creole dish consisting of red kidney beans slowly cooked with vegetables, such as the holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers. Historically served on Mondays in New Orleans, the meal utilized leftover pork bones from Sunday dinners and could simmer all day while women did laundry. The resulting thick, spicy stew is flavored with cayenne pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. It remains a staple of New Orleans cuisine and is commonly accompanied by sliced smoked sausage and long-grain white rice.
help Red Beans and Rice FAQ
Why do people in New Orleans eat red beans and rice on Mondays?
Monday was traditionally washday, so families wanted a meal that could simmer with little attention. The beans were often flavored with a ham bone left from Sunday dinner, and Monday red beans remain a New Orleans tradition.
What is the Louisiana holy trinity in red beans and rice?
The holy trinity is onion, celery, and bell pepper, a foundational combination in Louisiana Creole and Cajun cooking. These vegetables are cooked before the kidney beans, seasonings, and meat are added.
Should red beans and rice contain andouille sausage?
Andouille is a popular addition, but it is not the only traditional choice. New Orleans cooks also use smoked sausage, pickled pork, ham hocks, or a leftover ham bone.
How are New Orleans red beans different from chili?
Red beans are cooked until creamy and served over white rice, usually without the tomato-heavy base associated with many American chilis. The characteristic seasonings include the holy trinity, bay leaf, pork, and Louisiana hot sauce.
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