Easy Cajun Rice and Beans

Easy Cajun Rice and Beans is a simple one pot recipe ready in 30 minutes!  Packed full of smoked sausage, black beans, rice and tons of flavor!

Back with another one pot dinner!  Tis’ the season of back to school and busy times.  I don’t know about you all, but the first week back to school and getting up at 5 am every day has been brutal, I need easy dinners! You guys love my one pot meals, so I’ll keep as many coming as I can!  This one was a definite crowd pleaser.  Juicy smoked sausage is cooked with peppers, onions, simmered with tomatoes and rice and then in goes some black beans.  It’s pretty hearty too, so expect to have leftovers for lunch!  If you are here and looking for some other easy dinners try out this Easy Red Beans and Rice  our newest One Pot Ground Beef and Potatoes and our One Pot Chicken and Rice too!

How to Make Cajun Rice and Beans:

1. Prep everything that you need to chop up first.  Slice the sausage into 1/2 inch rounds, then slice each round in half.  Slice up the bell peppers and onions into strips.
2. Heat your oil in a large, deep pan and add your sausage and veggies.  At this point you just want to cook, stirring every once in a while for about 3 minutes. You don’t want the veggies super soft yet.  Cooking them in oil along with the sausage a bit first adds to the flavor of the dish!  After 3 minutes, add your minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.
3. Pour in your can of tomatoes, the broth, rice, seasonings, and hot sauce (if you like it spicy).  Give it a stir and allow the mixture to boil.  Once boiling, reduce your heat and simmer covered for about 18-20 minutes.  Keep in mind that this mixture should be simmering the whole time in order for the rice to cook fully.  Do not boil it rapidly the whole time or you’ll run out of liquid.
4. The beans will heat through at the end.  You don’t want to add them during the rest of the cooking process, there won’t be enough liquid and they might turn the rice black.  So, add your beans in at the end and give everything a good stir.  I garnished with parsley, but that’s optional.

Are Rice and Beans Good for You?

I consider this a complete meal, and a relatively healthy dinner too!  You can use smoked turkey or chicken sausage to keep it lighter on the fat, I always use smoked turkey sausage.  Beans are a good source of protein, and of course we have plenty of veggies in here too.  Using low sodium broth is also a good option, especially considering sausage can be salty in the first place.  If you’re looking to use this as a side dish, serve it with these Baked Chicken Thighs, and round out the meal with a simple green salad.

Enjoy!

~Nichole

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5 from 6 votes

Easy Cajun Rice and Beans

By Nichole

Easy Cajun Rice and Beans is a simple one pot recipe ready in 30 minutes!  Packed full of smoked sausage, black beans, rice and tons of flavor!

 

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ▢ 1 Pound Smoked Sausage
• ▢ 2 Medium Bell Peppers Sliced
• ▢ 1 Small Yellow Onion Sliced
• ▢ 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
• ▢ 1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
• ▢ 1 14.5 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
• ▢ 2 1/4 Cups Chicken Broth
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• ▢ Salt & Pepper to taste
• ▢ 2-3 Drops Hot Sauce Optional
• ▢ 1 15Ounce Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed well

Instructions 

• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep, skillet over medium-high heat.
• Slice the smoked sausage into rounds, then, slice each round in half.
• Once the oil is hot, add the sausage, sliced peppers, and onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic, cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
• Pour about 1/4 cup of the broth into the pot, use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
• Add the rest of the broth to the pot along with the rice, seasonings and hot sauce (if using).
• Allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 17-20 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
• Turn the heat off and stir in the beans.
• Serve immediately garnished with parsley or green onions if desired.

Notes

Note:  This recipe can be made ahead as directed and frozen.  Once prepared, allow to cool completely.  Store in a large freezer save zip top bag for up to 3 months.  When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Once thawed, warm in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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