Louisiana Red Bean Soup (Printable)
Savory Louisiana dish with smoked sausage, red beans, vegetables, and fluffy white rice.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 9 oz smoked sausage (andouille), sliced
02 - 3.5 oz thick-cut bacon, diced (optional)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Beans
07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Liquids
08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp dried thyme
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Rice
18 - 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
19 - 2 1/2 cups water
20 - 1/2 tsp salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon if using and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, keeping rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add sliced sausage to the pot and cook until well browned. Remove sausage and set aside with the cooked bacon.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Return sausage and bacon to the pot. Add red beans, broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water or broth if soup becomes too thick.
06 - While soup simmers, rinse rice under cold water. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
07 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Stir in chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with a scoop of steamed rice. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The smoky depth from andouille and bacon creates layers of flavor that develop beautifully as it simmers
- Its one of those forgiving soups that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd
02 -
- I learned the hard way that the soup continues thickening as it sits, so keep it slightly thinner than you think you want
- Letting the rice steam undisturbed for those extra 5 minutes is the difference between fluffy grains and a gummy mess
03 -
- Cook your bacon a bit longer than you think you need to, because those crispy bits scattered on top add incredible texture
- Taste your soup before adding the final salt because different brands of sausage and bacon vary wildly in sodium content