Dec 26, 2021 | Modified: Dec 26, 2021 by | | This website earns income from ads, affiliates, and sponsorships.
The slow cooker is the easiest way to make red beans and rice because the crock pot does all the work!
Tender and creamy red beans are slow cooked to perfection with seasonings, smoked sausage and leftover holiday ham for rich and savory dinner!
When we say this is the easiest way to make red beans and rice, we are not kidding around. Slow cooker recipes are the best because you can, "set it and forget it", until it's time to eat!
It truly makes dinners stress-free when you are busy but still want to make something homemade and healthy for your family.
Just like our slow cooker white chicken chili verde or slow cooker white beans and ham, these cajun style red beans turn out perfect every single time!
What you need
- dried red kidney beans
- smoked sausage
- smoked ham shank
- bell pepper
- onion
- celery
- salt and pepper
- garlic powder
- dried thyme
- chicken broth or water
- steam white rice
Here's a few ways to modify the recipe if needed.
- If you don't have leftover holiday ham you can find smoked ham shanks in the meat department of the grocery store.
- We used dried kidney beans in this recipe because the slow cooker is perfect for cooking beans from scratch without having to stand over a stovetop for hours. Dried beans can be substituted with 4 cans of kidney beans that have been drained and rinsed. Adjust the cooking time to 4-6 hours on LOW.
- White rice can be substituted with brown rice, cauliflower rice or omitted entirely.
How to make it
Sort and rinse the beans to make sure there are no small stones. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the kidney beans for 10 minutes. (DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP)
Drain and rinse the beans and then place them into the slow cooker liner.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.
When it's time to serve, cook the white rice according to package directions.
Give the beans a stir and serve over the steamed white rice with a side of homemade cornbread or sourdough ciabatta rolls.
How to store it
Leftover red beans and rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. After that, freeze them for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container.
Do kidney beans need to be boiled before slow cooking them?
Kidney beans MUST be boiled for 10 minutes before they are added to the slow cooker to ensure that the kidney bean lectin is destroyed. This lectin can cause vomiting and sickness. Even on HIGH heat, the slow cooker does not get hot enough to destroy this lectin.
More easy comfort food recipes
- slow cooker chili
- classic pot roast
- slow cooker calico beans
- instant pot beef stew
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- 1 lb. dried red kidney beans (boiled for 10 minutes before adding to slow cooker)
- 1 lb. smoked sausage (sliced)
- 1 smoked ham shank
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 large bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons thyme
- 5 cups chicken broth (or water)
- 4 cups steamed white rice
Sort and rinse the beans to make sure there are no small stones. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the red beans for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans and then place them into the slow cooker liner.
Add the remaining ingredients and give them a stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours. Give the beans a stir and serve over steamed white rice.
Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen up to 6 months.
Kidney beans need to be boiled for 10 minutes before slow cooking to ensure that the PHA, which is a kidney bean lectin, is destroyed. This lectin is not destroyed in a slow cooker and has the potential to cause sickness.
Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1084mg | Potassium: 1026mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 5mg