Monday Red Beans & Rice
Monday was washday in New Orleans. You set a pot of red beans on the stove in the morning, let it simmer all day while the laundry ran, and supper was ready when you were done. Wash Day was made for this pot, the blend carries the same deep, layered seasoning that red beans need on a slow Monday simmer. It rounds out the andouille and gives the gravy that particular city-Creole backbone. This is the most reliable dish in New Orleans. Make it on Monday.
Serves 6–8 · Prep 20 min · Cook 2 hr 30 min · Total ~3 hr (or overnight soak + simmer)
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into coins
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp Wash Day, divided
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cups chicken or ham stock
- 2 cups water
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cooked long-grain white rice, to serve
- Sliced green onions and hot sauce, to finish
Directions
- 1
Brown the andouille. In a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high, sear andouille until caramelized, 3 min per side. Remove and set aside, leave the rendered fat in the pot.
- 2
Build the base. Sauté onion, celery, and bell pepper in the rendered fat over medium heat until softened, 6–8 min. Add garlic and 1 Tbsp Wash Day. Stir 1 minute.
- 3
Add beans and liquid. Add drained beans, stock, water, thyme, bay leaves, and the andouille. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a low simmer.
- 4
Simmer low and slow. Cook uncovered or partially covered for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until beans are fully tender and the broth has thickened into a gravy. Add water if the pot runs dry before beans are soft.
- 5
Smash some beans. Once beans are tender, press about ¼ of them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon and stir them back in. This makes the gravy thick and creamy without any cream.
- 6
Finish. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp Wash Day. Taste and adjust salt generously, red beans need salt.
- 7
Serve. Spoon a mound of white rice into wide shallow bowls and ladle beans over the top. Finish with green onions and hot sauce.
Greer's Kitchen Notes
- The smash step is the secret to silky bean gravy. Don't skip it, it's what separates restaurant red beans from watery ones.
- Soak your beans overnight. Quick-soaking works but overnight beans cook more evenly and hold their shape better.
- Leftovers thicken overnight. Reheat with a splash of water or stock. The second-day pot is arguably better.
- For a richer pot, add a smoked ham hock with the beans and pull it before serving.
Made with Wash Day, the pot that works while you do.