Smoky, spicy, and deeply satisfying, this hearty one-pot meal is a camp-friendly adaptation of red beans and rice.

This recipe is definitely not an authentic representation of Red Beans & Rice, but we find it to be a great version to cook up on a biking or camping trip!

Begin by heating a little bit of oil in the bottom of your Dutch oven, over medium heat. If you’re using Andouille sausage, slice them up into bite-sized rounds and sautee them until lightly browned on each side.

Once the sausage starts to pick up a little color, add in the Holy Trinity (chopped green peppers, onions, and celery). Occasionally stir this around until the onions and peppers start to soften and pick up a little color.

Next comes the spices. Add in your sliced garlic, cajun seasoning mix, smoked paprika, bay leaf, and salt. [Note: Red Beans & Rice is technically a Creole dish, not Cajun, but we’ve only seen Cajun spice blends in grocery stores] Knock these around in the pot until all sausage and veggies are covered and the spices begin to smell fragrant.

It’s now time to add the beans (rinsed if possible) and rice (rinsed if possible). Finally, add in the water. As soon as the water hits the hot pot it will start to hiss and steam. Now is the time to take your metal spatula and firmly scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the tasty brown bits that might have adhered to the bottom. This fond layer is pure flavor and really adds a lot of depth to the meal.

Then cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to low. If you don’t have a tight-fitting lid, or if your lid has a bunch of holes in it for straining, consider folding a cloth napkin around your lid to make a tighter seal. Being able to trap the steam inside the pot is critical to making good rice.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid. The rice should be light and fluffy

Add 2-3 tablespoons butter (or use a butter alternative) to the hot and steamy rice mixture. Gently mix everything together with the spatula, until the butter is melted in and the all ingredients have been evenly distributed.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
2-3 andouille sausage
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning, *see notes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 (14 oz) can kidney beans
½ cup white rice, recommend basmati
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
If using raw andouille sausage, remove it from the casing and crumble into the pot. If using pre-cooked sausage, cut it into ½-inch slices and add to the pot. Cook over medium heat until the sausage browns slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the finely chopped green bell pepper, diced onion, and celery. Stirring frequently, cook until slightly browned, 10-12 minutes.
Add the garlic, seasoning blend, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Cook for two more minutes. Drain and rinse the red beans and add to pot. Add the rice and 1 ½ cups water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Add butter, and salt to taste. Top with flat-leafed parsley, serve and enjoy.