Red Beans and Rice Recipe • 5★

Recipe from Pableaux Johnson

Adapted by Kim Severson

Updated January 14, 2026

Craig Lee for The New York Times

Every Monday, you can find a pot of red beans and rice cooking in someone’s kitchen in New Orleans. The food writer and New Orleans bon vivant Pableaux Johnson, who died in 2025, was no exception. He often invited an ever-changing band of writers, musicians and other outcasts to sit at the long table in his house, where he put out his version of red beans and rice, cooked with local hand-made andouille sausage. The dish, an easy meal from when people used to reserve Monday to do the wash, was once made with the pork bone left over from Sunday supper. Louisiana andouille works best here, but smoked sausage will do. —Kim Severson

Featured in: Fluffy. Tasty. Tricky.

SaveLog in or sign up to save this recipe.

GiveSubscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyoneAs a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.SubscribeLog In

Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

Share this recipeCopy linkEmailPinterestFacebookXWhatsAppReddit

Print this recipeInclude recipe photoPrint RecipeLog in or sign up to print this recipe.

1 ½ pound dried red beans (preferably New Orleans Camellia brand)

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced ½-inch thick (smoked sausage can also be used)

4 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium onions, finely diced

1 large rib celery, finely diced

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried basil

¾ teaspoon rubbed sage

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 bunch fresh green onions, chopped

Cooked white long-grain rice, for serving

Step 1In a large bowl, cover beans in water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Water should cover beans by at least an inch.)

In a large bowl, cover beans in water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Water should cover beans by at least an inch.)

Step 2In a large, heavy pot, brown sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil until slightly crisp. Add remaining oil, then the garlic and onions. Sauté over medium heat until onions become transparent and limp. Add celery and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.

In a large, heavy pot, brown sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil until slightly crisp. Add remaining oil, then the garlic and onions. Sauté over medium heat until onions become transparent and limp. Add celery and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.

Step 3Pour soaked beans and water into the pot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, salt and all herbs except parsley.

Pour soaked beans and water into the pot and bring to a simmer. Add black pepper, cayenne, salt and all herbs except parsley.

Step 4Cook until beans are softened, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Cook until beans are softened, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Step 5Fifteen minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of beans to a bowl and, using a fork, mash them and stir back into the pot to enhance the creamy texture of the dish. Add parsley and green onions. Simmer about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning, and add up to 1 cup more water if beans seem too thick. Remove bay leaves. Serve over white long-grain rice.

Fifteen minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of beans to a bowl and, using a fork, mash them and stir back into the pot to enhance the creamy texture of the dish. Add parsley and green onions. Simmer about 15 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning, and add up to 1 cup more water if beans seem too thick. Remove bay leaves. Serve over white long-grain rice.

Folks, you need to trust me here on this. We are native New Orleanians and my wife makes the best red beans you will ever eat! She learned at the heels of her family who owned a neighborhood restaurant. Soak the beans for 10 minutes, bring to a boil for 20 min, take off the heat and let them sit til ready to cook. When it's time, bring back to a simmer and then add onions, celery, etc. Mash those beans towards the end for creaminess and if you are brave, add a little butter. YUM!

I agree with Tim. Been making variations of red beans all my adult life. (Nor from Louisiana, but close, Beaumont Texas.) It's almost impossible to go wrong in my view, if you actually enjoy traditional rb&r. Being from Texas, I add chopped fresh jalapeño and Fresno chiles and twice the garlic. Also serve with Louisiana hot sauce on the side. And Alexander is dead on as to how to cook the beans.....

INSTANT POT (ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER) ADAPTATION: Rinse beans, set aside (no soak required). Follow directions above using the SAUTE mode to process the sausage and vegetables. Add beans, seasonings and 7 cups of water. Set MANUAL pressure to HIGH, for 55 minutes, followed by a 10-15 minute natural release. Remove lid, add parsley and green onions, mashing some beans against side of pot. Simmer on SAUTE for 15 minutes, or until desired thickness.

s a New Yorker, I grew up more with Dominican pink beans and Mexican black beans, so this was my first real dive into New Orleans-style red beans and rice. The water amount felt a little like an act of faith at first — mine stayed pretty loose for quite a while — but after a long simmer and some patience, everything finally came together into this smoky, rich pot of comfort. My beans took well over 2 hours to soften, so don’t rush them. I only had about 2/3 of the kielbasa the recipe called for,

I followed Alexander's tips and the recipe and this turned out amazing! I added a smoked ham bone and the whole thing was amazing. It makes a ton!

I used Alexander's method of preparing the beans and it worked perfectly. Added a smoked pork hock which, after tasting the finished dish, I agree is a key ingredient. Used Camellia beans. Also added about 3 tbs of butter at the end as suggested in several comments. Used Eckrich andouille sausage but took the comment about not adding at the beginning, but rather added it (after sauteing) when I added the green onion near the end. Resulted in a nice contrast between bean and sausage flavors.

Adapted from Pableaux Johnson