Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice
Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice brings together creamy kidney beans simmered low and slow with smoky andouille and a ham hock for deep, peppery heat and rich, meaty flavor. The broth reduces to a silky, spoon-coating sauce that soaks into fluffy white rice, finished with a pop of green onion. It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or a laid-back weekend meal.
- Prep8 hrs 30 mins
- Cook3 hrs 15 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 91 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 19
- Heart Health
- 57
- Metabolic
- 18
- Digestive
- 24
- Inflammatory
- 36
- Performance
- 43
- General Wellness
- 1
Place the beans in a large container and cover them with several inches of cool water; let sit for 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the sausage in the hot oil until it releases some of its oils and the edges brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the onion, celery, and poblano pepper into the sausage; cook and stir until the vegetables soften and begin to turn translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir the garlic into the sausage mixture; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 3
Stir the red beans, chicken broth, ham hock, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce into the sausage mixture; bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and continue simmering until the beans are soft, the meat is tender, and the desired consistency is reached, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Season with salt.
- 4
Spoon the rice into bowls, ladle the red beans mixture over the rice, and top with green onion.
- Calories 587.83 kcal High 29%
- Protein 24.91 g Good Source 50%
- Carbohydrate 89.06 g 32%
- Total Fat 14.5 g Moderate 19%
- Saturated Fat 4.71 g High 24%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 46.43 mg Moderate 15%
- Sodium 1224.45 mg High 53%
- Dietary Fiber 1.54 g Low Source 6%
- Total Sugars 3.23 g --
- Added Sugars 0.1 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 78.92 mg Low Source 6%
- Iron 4.25 mg Good Source 24%
- Potassium 461.0 mg Low Source 10%
- Vitamin A 71.59 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 22.55 mg Good Source 25%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Celery
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice is made with 17 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 11 hrs 45 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Andouille Pork Sausage, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and Celery. Each serving provides about 587.83 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice made of?
- The main ingredients are Andouille Pork Sausage, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Celery, Chicken Broth. The full list of 17 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice?
- About 11 hrs 45 mins in total: 8 hrs 30 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 587.83 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 17 ingredients and 4 steps.
- Is Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice healthy?
- Chef John's Classic Red Beans with Rice has an easyChef Pro health score of 46/100. Per serving, it provides 587.83 calories and 24.91 g of protein, or 50% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1224.45 mg (53% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 4.71 g (24% of the Daily Value). It contains Celery, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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