Vegan Red Beans And Rice Recipe
Vegan Red Beans And Rice is a staple of both Cajun and Creole cuisine, traditionally made with kidney beans, sausage, and rice. This vegan version is just as flavorful, using red beans, spices, and vegetable broth to create a hearty dish that can be enjoyed any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 2 medium stalks of celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 32-ounce container of vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups dry brown rice
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare kidney beans by draining them and setting them aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. After the onion and bell pepper has become hot, add the celery and the bell pepper. About 8-10 minutes is enough time to cook vegetables until they are tender and slightly browned.
- Continue to cook for one minute longer, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Sprinkle the vegetable mixture evenly with salt, pepper, parsley, hot sauce, thyme, and paprika. Give it a minute to cook.
- Place kidney beans, bay leaves, and vegetable broth in a large pot. After bringing the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes uncovered after removing the lid.
- Prepare rice according to the package directions while the beans are cooking.
- After the beans are ready, scoop about 1/4 of them into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour liquid smoke into the pot (if using). Continually stir.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a scoop of rice to the beans.