I love slow cooker meals that you through together in the morning and then let cook the rest of the day. One of my recent favorites is this Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice, which also happens to be vegetarian!
It only takes 10 minutes to put everything in the crockpot in the morning, and then it cooks for the rest of the day, without my intervention. Almost all the ingredients come from the pantry or freezer; the only "fresh" ingredient is celery.
It's flavorful and filling, and gives us leftovers! And I love having dinner ready for me at the end of a busy day.
[This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission for purchases made through links on this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.]
Jump to:
Ingredients
I adapted this from the Crock-Pot Red Beans and Rice recipe from Gimme Some Oven. I cut out the andouille sausage she used to make this into a vegetarian dish. To compensate, I bumped up the spices. Ingredients are:
- Light red beans or kidney beans
- Onions and peppers
- Celery
- Garlic
- Broth or bouillon
- Smoked paprika
- Oregano, thyme, bay leaves, celery seed
You'll want dried dark or light red kidney beans. No need to soak overnight if your beans aren't old and if your slow cooker cooks well.
I've never had an issue, but there's some evidence that kidney beans can be toxic if undercooked; see the FAQ for more info. Although it's red beans and rice, I've also used white beans or pintos, which don't have the same issues. The dish is still very delicious with that substitution.
You'll want lots of frozen onions and peppers. I end up using about 24 ounces in this. While this may seem like a lot, you need these veggies to provide flavor since you're not adding meat. Plus, the frozen vegetables are also a huge time saver.
The only fresh ingredient is celery; I've never found it frozen at the grocery store. Do include it because it adds flavor. You can slice and freeze whatever celery you have left, to make it easy to make another batch of Red Beans later!
To make this vegetarian, I use vegetable bouillon. The Better Than brand is the only one I've tested. If you don't care about keeping this recipe vegetarian, you can use chicken bouillon or broth instead.
Cajun or Creole Spices
I've tried this recipe with a premade Cajun seasoning blend. You can use it in a pinch if necessary; however, the beans weren't as flavorful.
Smoked paprika is your secret weapon. The smokiness of the paprika makes up for the lack of meat. However, not all smoked paprika is good, and it loses its flavor over time. Be sure your smoked paprika is fresh.
Oregano and thyme are essential dried herbs in this. Celery seed is a less common ingredient that's often used in Cajun or Creole cuisine; skip it and add extra celery if you need to, but it's not quite the same flavor.
Bay leaves cook for a while as the beans simmer, but you shouldn't eat them as they're still rough on your stomach.
Cajun vs. Creole Seasoning
Cajun and creole seasonings are pretty similar. Broadly speaking, Cajun seasoning is spicier, while creole seasonings are more herbal. I apparently added creole spices to this when I cut the sausage from this recipe. You can read more about Cajun and creole seasonings in this article from Masterclass.
Instructions
Slow cooker meals are so easy to make! The red beans take just 10 minutes to assemble and then cook all day long without attention from you!
- Dump all of the ingredients except rice into a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, and give it a stir.
- Cook on high for 6-8 hours.
Stir in the hot sauce if using. Discard the bay leaves as you come across them before serving.
Serving and Storage
Serve alongside cooked rice. Leftovers are great for lunches throughout the week.
The leftovers also freeze well! I freeze them just like I do my leftover Black Bean Soup. Place them in a freezer-safe container (yogurt containers work!) with ½ to 1 inch of space at the top. I do not include rice. Freeze without the lid, and cover after everything is frozen.
Thaw frozen red beans in the refrigerator for several hours, or you can run the container under water until the outside thaws enough that you can transfer it to a pot or microwave-safe container.
Recipe FAQ
Yes and no. There's evidence that raw kidney beans have a high level of a lectin that can make you sick, but when kidney beans are properly cooked, the lectin is lessened to a point that it's safe. However, many slow cookers don't cook hot enough (i.e., to the boiling point).
If your slow cooker doesn't cook hot enough, I recommend substituting white beans or pinto beans, which I've also used before. The recipe will still be delicious with them.
You can read more about it at the FDA's guide for toxins in food or this article on bean safety from Kansas State University.
While this Red Beans recipe is okay using creole or Cajun seasoning, it's not as flavorful as using the separate spices. I added additional spices when I cut out andouille sausage. Premade seasoning mixes usually have a lot of sodium, so swapping in a premade seasoning also adds more salt.
You can use 4 cans of cooked, drained beans instead of the dried beans. I would use 2 cups of water instead of 7, cut the bouillon to 2 teaspoons, reduce the salt, and only cook for a few hours. You will likely need to adjust the amount of spices to taste.
If you wanted to add meat instead of making this recipe vegetarian, you could add chicken and use chicken broth. If you wanted to make this Red Beans recipe with andouille sausage, I recommend following the Red Beans and Rice recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
This Red Beans and Rice can be gluten-free as long as your bouillon doesn't contain any gluten! Be sure to check the ingredient lists for hidden sources of gluten.
Related
Here's some of my other favorite vegetarian and vegan meals!
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Equipment
- 6-quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried kidney beans (454 grams)
- 4-5 cups frozen onion and pepper blend (600-700 grams)
- 3 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (6 cloves)
- 7 cups water
- 6 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
- 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
- cooked rice (for serving)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except hot sauce and rice in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6-8 hours.
- Stir in hot sauce, if using. Remove bay leaves before serving.
- Serve alongside cooked rice. Leftovers stay good in the fridge for several days.
Freezing
- Red beans freeze well. Store in a freezer-safe container (a yogurt container works), leaving ½ to 1 inch of space at the top. Leave uncovered and freeze until solid. Cover before freezing long-term.
- Thaw in the refrigerator for several hours, or run the entire container under water until you can transfer it to a pot or microwave-safe container.
Leona Konkel says
I make this about once a month because it's such a low-effort recipe to make! I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think once you try it!