Name: The Best Quick and Easy Red Beans and Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 14 oz pkg smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices; 1 onion, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 Tbsp avocado or vegetable oil; 2 15 oz cans red beans, drained and rinsed; 1 15 oz can tomato sauce; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning; 1 tsp chili powder; long grain white rice

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I blame it all on my roots. But unlike one of my favorite Garth Brooks songs, I showed up in Mardi Gras beads with these Quick and Easy Red Beans and Rice!

The Best Quick and Easy Red Beans and Rice

My mom was born in New Orleans and her Cajun roots run deep. She comes from a family of amazing cooks where recipes and food traditions were passed down through the family and taught to the next generation. As a matter of fact, my brothers and I each still make my Pop’s Gumbo from the turkey carcass the day after Thanksgiving and call my mom for tips or recipes we’ve forgotten. I definitely owe my love for cooking to my mom.

Thanks mom!

(She totally reads this)

Ingredients for the best quick and easy red beans and rice — *Here’s what you’ll need.*

While this recipe doesn’t come from my mom, she definitely inspires my draw to Cajun and Creole cuisine. I can’t stay away! Guess it’s just in my blood.

This recipe comes from my need to have dinner on the table quickly and not spend too much time slaving over the stove. Ain’t no mom got time for that… Amiright?? But I still don’t ever want to sacrifice flavor just because I have screaming kids at my feet since I guess they are starving even though they just got snacks 30 minutes ago and basically haven’t stopped eating since breakfast…

But they’re really starving.

step in sautéing kielbasa and chopped vegetables for the best quick and easy red beans and rice. — *Sauté the kielbasa, green pepper, onion and garlic.*

Ingredients in dutch oven for the best quick and easy red beans and rice — *Then dump everything else in, bring to a boil and let simmer until it thickens.*

So, in a traditional Red Beans and Rice, you would be soaking dry beans overnight and they’d be simmering on the stove for hours. This is not that recipe. I use canned red beans and I’m telling you, you won’t notice a difference. “Blasphemy!” you say? If you try this recipe, I’ll happily make room in my schedule to say, “I told you so.”

tony chachere's original creole seasoning on a cutting board for the best quick and easy red beans and rice — *The Holy Grail of Cajun Seasonings*

Wanna know my secret?

And this one I REALLY owe to my mom… it’s all about Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning! I’m telling you… this is NOT your average Cajun Seasoning. This stuff is THE BEST! A lot of Cajun seasonings can be too heavy on the heat. There will be a lot of cayenne, black pepper and white pepper and lacking in other seasonings for flavor… But not Tony’s! There’s still heat but not overwhelmingly so and it’s packed with other spices for flavor. I honestly put this stuff in everything I feel is lacking a little somethin’ somethin’. Pasta, quiches, burgers, meats, eggs, seafood, sandwiches…. the list is practically endless!

Oh, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning… How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

I’m just kidding. I’ll spare you. I think you get the picture.

red beans and rice on a cutting board in a white bowl in the kitchen

Another thing I love about this recipe is that it really checks all of the boxes for a busy weeknight dinner. It’s:

Quick
Easy
Budget Friendly
A Crowd Pleaser
Delicious!

And I usually have most of the ingredients on hand since I almost always have kielbasa in the freezer for last minute meals and rice is just one of those staple foods.

Dave goes nuts for this meal too! He loves pretty much everything I make but he has about 5 all-time favorites and this is one of them. Do yourself a favor and make it tonight!