Have you ever taken a trip to a place you knew little or nothing about? Just gotten the urge to go, so you booked a ticket and went with only your bag and a vague idea as to what you were going to do when you got there? A couple years ago my husband and I did just that when we hopped aboard a plane and headed south to spend a week in the Big Easy, aka New Orleans. At the time neither of us knew a great deal about the city, and our experience in the south was limited to sunny SoCal, Epcot Center, and watching Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood on repeat in college. With a why not attitude though, and no expectations, we packed up, headed out, and ended up having the time of our lives!
One of the things we enjoyed most about our trip was of course, the food. There’s no shortage of restaurants in NOLA — more packed into a smaller area than a lot of cities I’ve been to — and if there was a line at the door, you knew it was worth waiting for. Especially if it was a Mother’s Po’ Boy smothered in “debris”.
Or a mouthwatering side of red beans & rice. One week wasn’t nearly enough time to get our fill of this famous Southern side dish. Fluffy white rice engulfed in a savory thick sauce packed with creamy beans, and salty andouille sausage. I mean…
Today New Orleans is celebrating Fat Tuesday during Mardi Gras and, although we can’t be there to join in on the fun, at least we can eat like we’re in the Big Easy with homemade Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice.
Fat Tuesday is traditionally celebrated by eating indulgent, over-the-top foods (hence FAT Tuesday) before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday. I took the name a little less literally though, and made a lightened up version for dinner.
No bacon grease nor extra fat here! Just beans, veggies, seasoning and, ok, some decadent andouille sausage. Totally worth it. Each huge serving of the recipe is packed with protein and fiber, and clocks in at just 250 calories (without the rice.) As if it couldn’t get any better, the crock pot did 90% of the work for me!
Start by chopping up what’s called the “Holy Trinity” in Southern Cajun & Creole cooking: bell peppers, celery and onions in roughly equal quantities.
Tip: my trick for not making a mess when cutting bell peppers is to cut each “cheek” off, leaving the stem and seeds neatly intact.
Chop the bell pepper and follow suit with the onions and celery, then toss everybody into the pool, aka a 6 quart crock pot.
Next add 1lb dried red kidney beans.
Then add savory, spicy andouille sausage.
Andouille sausage is a smoked pork sausage used heavily in Cajun cooking. It is delicious, and I add a ton to this recipe!
Finally, add minced garlic,
Creole seasoning,
and lots of water.
Give the whole thing a stir then cook for 7-8 hours on high, cracking the lid open for the last half hour so the sauce can thicken up. YOUR HOUSE WILL SMELL AMAZING!!!
Cook some fluffy white rice to sit underneath, and soak up all that succulent sauce. Top with green onions for color and crunch, and have at it.
I am not kidding you — this tastes just as good as anything we had in New Orleans. You will not believe it!
Now if only there was a way make healthier beignets at home…
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