How to Make Red Beans + Rice in Your Crockpot

Red beans and rice sure as heck didn't miss me, if you know what I'm saying. But seriously, my family loves Red Beans and Rice and it is one of the most comforting, hearty meals that I make at home. I recently adapted my tried and true recipe to my trusty Crockpot, and let's just say my life is better for it. Keep reading to get my tips and tricks.

Oh, this recipe for Red Beans and Rice is one of my favorites!

Red beans and rice is one of those meals that my entire family loves. We can all agree on it, and it is such a true "comfort food" for us. Plus, it is spicy enough to give us that taste of "something different".

Made with dried red beans, savory smoked sausage, and the classic Cajun combination of celery, onions, and bell peppers, this is an easy dinner idea. Serve over hot, cooked rice for a filling, nutritious meal. This recipe makes about 12 servings, too, and tastes even better the next day.

I've made this recipe on the stove top so many times. This time, I adapted it for my slow cooker. I had a few errands to run, so I tossed everything in the Crockpot in the morning. By the time I got home, it smelled like Louisiana home cookin' in my Tennessee kitchen.

Ingredients Needed to Make Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

• Dry red beans - You can use the small ones or kidney beans.
• Smoked sausage - Andouille, kielbasa, whatever you like.
• Garlic - Lots of it!
• Celery
• Onion
• Bell pepper
• Hot sauce - I used Frank's Red Hot.
• Cajun seasoning - My favorite is SoLa Seasoning.
• Bay leaves
• Chicken broth
• V8 Juice - OooH, nice little secret flavor boost.
• Black pepper
• Long grain rice

This is gonna be so good, I can't wait for you to try it yourself. Just toss it all in the Crockpot and let it rip.

TIP: You can prepare the rice separately so everyone can add their own amount. Or, we give alternate cooking directions in the recipe at the bottom of the post. Stir in a cup of uncooked rice during the last hour of cooking.

For just the right balance of seasoning and salt, we used low-sodium chicken broth. If you use regular, be sure to reduce the amount of Cajun spice you add to the pot. If you aren't sure, then wait until the last hour of cooking to taste and re-season to your family's preference.

More Recipes for You to Try:

How to Make Black Beans in a Slow Cooker

Hot Bacon Hoppin' John

Italian Crockpot Pasta Fagioli

Cinnamon Cherry Crockpot Cobbler

How to Make Red Beans and Rice in your Crockpot or Slow Cooker:

1. Rinse the red beans in a colander. Discard any stones, weird looking beans, etc.
2. In a 6 Quart slow cooker, combine the beans with all other ingredients except the rice.
3. Cover and cook for 6 - 7 hours on high, until the beans are tender.
4. Serve over cooked, hot rice.

Alternate Directions (Rice IN the Recipe)

1. If you prefer to have the rice IN the beans, add 1 cup of uncooked to the crockpot during the last hour of cooking. The servings will be the same quantity, but will not be as large. Note, the recipe nutrition facts of this recipe are listed for the 6 cups of cooked rice.

If you don't care for smoked sausage you can use diced ham instead. If you want to cook this in your InstaPot, refer to your manufacturer's cooking directions for dried beans and go for it.

The beans will thicken as they cool. What I like to do to make the beans thicker is smash some of the beans against the side of the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking. This releases starches from the beans into the mixture and adds a lot of body to the meal and blends with the smoky flavor from the sausage. YUMMY!

Our family likes this recipe on the spicy side, so I use about 2 tablespoons of hot sauce. Adjust the amount to your own liking.

TIP: This recipe can be frozen after cooking. Portion into freezer safe containers. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat. So good!

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