This was the dish made most in our house growing up. My mom and grandmother always had fun with this one and it was never the same twice. Sometimes it had sausage, sometimes smoked turkey necks or ham hocks, sometimes just a little bacon grease, and sometimes nothing but spices and it was still incredible. Today we are talking about anti-inflammatory so this version lets the holy trinity, garlic, and Cajun spices do all the heavy lifting. No meat needed. The flavor will speak for itself.
Serves 4 | Active: 15 min | Crockpot: 6 to 8 hrs | Dairy free
The crockpot morning routine: Set everything out on the counter the night before so your morning is as quick as possible. Wake up 30 minutes before your normal alarm, do the quick bloom, load the crockpot, and let it run on low all day. When you get home the house smells incredible and all you have to do is make a fresh pot of rice. This is when the rice toasting tip really shines.
Ingredients
THE BEANS
| 1 lb | dried red kidney beans |
| or 2 cans | red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 15 oz each |
| 3 cups | vegetable or chicken broth |
| 2 cups | water |
| 2 tbsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 medium | white onion, diced |
| 3 stalks | celery, diced |
| 1 medium | green bell pepper, diced |
| 4 cloves | fresh garlic, minced |
| 1 tsp | smoked paprika |
| 1 tsp | fresh or dried thyme |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 1/2 tsp | cayenne pepper |
| 1/2 tsp | black pepper |
| 1 tsp | liquid smoke |
| 1 tbsp | apple cider vinegar, added at the very end |
| to taste | Goya Adobo — added only after beans are fully cooked |
Dried beans give you a creamier texture and a richer pot liquor that canned beans cannot replicate. If you have the time soak them overnight. If life is happening, canned red kidney beans work just fine. Drain and rinse them and you are ready to go.
Do not add your Goya Adobo or any salt until the beans are fully cooked and tender. Salt added too early can toughen the bean skins and prevent them from getting that creamy texture you want.
If you cannot find Goya Adobo, any garlic forward all purpose seasoning from your grocery store works here.
FOR THE RICE
| 2 cups | long grain white rice, dry |
| 4 cups | chicken or vegetable broth |
| 1 tbsp | extra virgin olive oil for toasting |
| pinch | smoked paprika and garlic powder for toasting |
Brown rice is a great swap here for added fiber and B vitamins. This is the one dish in the article where we recommend making your rice fresh same day. The beans have been doing all the work all day in the crockpot. When you get home a fresh pot of toasted rice is all you need to finish the meal.
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to garnish |
fresh green onion, sliced |
Method
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NIGHT BEFORE PREP — DRIED BEANS |
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1. Rinse your dried beans and pick through for any debris. Place in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak overnight. They will expand significantly so use a large bowl with plenty of water. |
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2. Set all your ingredients out on the counter the night before so your morning is as quick as possible. |
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MORNING — CROCKPOT METHOD (RECOMMENDED) |
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1. If you soaked your beans overnight, drain and rinse them now and set them aside. They are ready to go straight into the crockpot after the bloom. |
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2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add your holy trinity, onion, celery, and green bell pepper and cook for just a few minutes until softened and fragrant. |
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This quick bloom before the crockpot makes a real difference. Raw vegetables dumped straight in can taste flat. Five minutes here gives you depth that carries through all day.
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3. Add your fresh minced garlic and let it bloom for about a minute. Add your smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, black pepper, and liquid smoke directly into the pan and stir everything together for 30 seconds so the spices open up in the oil. |
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4. Transfer everything into your crockpot. Add your drained soaked or canned beans, pour in your broth and water, and tuck your bay leaves in. Stir to combine. |
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5. Set your crockpot to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If using canned beans reduce to 4 to 5 hours since they are already cooked and just need time to absorb the flavors. |
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Do not add your Goya Adobo or any salt at this stage. Wait until the beans are fully cooked and tender before seasoning. Salt added too early toughens the bean skins.
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6. Walk out the door. Dinner is handling itself. |
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WHEN YOU GET HOME |
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1. Taste your beans. They should be fully tender and the pot liquor should be rich and thick. If the liquid is too thin mash a small amount of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in to thicken naturally. |
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2. Season with Goya Adobo now that the beans are fully cooked. Stir in your apple cider vinegar right before serving. |
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The apple cider vinegar goes in at the very end, not during cooking. It balances the richness of the beans and adds a subtle tang that rounds the whole dish out. A little goes a long way.
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3. Remove bay leaves and taste one more time. Adjust seasoning as needed. |
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MAKE THE RICE |
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1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add your dry long grain white rice with a pinch of smoked paprika and garlic powder. Toast, stirring continuously, until the rice smells nutty and fragrant and starts to get a little color. |
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Do not skip this step. It takes about 3 minutes and the difference in flavor is noticeable especially with a dish as spice forward as this one.
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2. Pour in your broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 18 minutes. |
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3. Turn the heat off and let it sit covered for a few minutes to finish. Fluff with a fork before serving. |
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STOVETOP METHODS |
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STOVETOP WITH DRIED SOAKED BEANS: Drain and rinse your soaked beans. Do the same quick bloom as the crockpot method. Add your beans and cover with a combination of broth and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer, partially covered, for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beans are fully tender. Do not add salt or Goya Adobo until the beans are done. Add apple cider vinegar at the very end. |
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STOVETOP WITH CANNED BEANS: Do the quick bloom, add your drained and rinsed canned beans, pour in your broth and water and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the flavors have melded and the liquid has thickened slightly. Season with Goya Adobo and finish with apple cider vinegar at the very end. This is your fastest path to the table on a busy night and it still tastes great. |
A NOTE ON TRADITION
Red beans and rice was the dish made most in our house. My mom and grandmother had fun with it every single time and it was never the same twice. Sometimes my dad would smoke sausage and brisket the day before and whatever sausage was left went straight into Monday’s pot of red beans. Sometimes there was no meat at all and my mom would use just a little bacon grease or liquid smoke and it was still incredible. Smoked turkey necks, ham hocks, andouille, or nothing but spices. It was endless and it was always good.
This version is the nothing but spices version, built for people who need to eat in a way that supports their body without giving up the food that raised them. The liquid smoke is there to honor the tradition of that smoked depth that Louisiana red beans are known for. The apple cider vinegar is there because it has always been there even when nobody knew why. Now we know. Your gut does too.