Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Slow cooker red beans and rice are full of Cajun flavor and easy to prepare!  We make this recipe at least once a month.  The whole family loves this stuff.  

Slow cooker red beans and rice in a dark bowl on a dark surface.

Why You’ll Love This

  • It’s a time saver! No worrying about having to prepare dinner once you arrive home.
  • Simple pantry and kitchen ingredients make it easy to throw together.
  • It makes a large batch to serve 8 people. This means leftovers for a family of four.

Eight ingredients, chopped, dumped, and cooked for hours.  This is perfect to start in the morning before work or on a busy day and forget it until dinner.

How easy is that? Who doesn’t need an easy slow cooker recipe now and then?

Some of our other favorite slow cooker dishes to make are Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken, Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup, Pulled Corned Beef Slow Cooker, Creamy Beef Stew Slow Cooker, and Mexican Chicken Adobo Slow Cooker.

Slow cooker red beans and rice recipe ingredients on a dark surface.
Cooked rice is not pictured.

note

Some studies have shown red kidney beans contain a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin. You can read about it here in the FDA Bug Book. This is why we cook on high in the slow cooker. If you are concerned rinse the beans, drain them, then add to a pot with boiling water, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain them then proceed with the recipe instructions.

How to Make Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

  • Rinse beans thoroughly and put them into a crockpot.
Red beans in a strainer on a dark surface.
Red beans in the crock of a slow cooker.
  • Chop the sausage, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Place the red beans, all the vegetables, sausage, bay leaves, creole seasoning, and 7 cups of water or chicken broth in the slow cooker, and stir to combine.  
Sliced andouille, onions, green bell pepper, celery, minced garlic and bay leave on a wooden cutting board.
Chicken stock added to the red beans and rice ingredients in the crock of a slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook for 6-7 hours on high or until the beans are tender. If it’s not thick enough remove the lid for an hour.
Cooked red beans in the crock of a slow cooker.
Slow cooker red beans and rice in a dark bowl on a dark surface.

What to Serve with this Dish

Serve over cooked white rice garnished with chopped parsley or green onions.  Or for a healthier version try serving over brown rice or cauliflower rice.

Red beans and rice are very satisfying served alone, but we like to serve them with cornbread.

Tips

  • We used Andouille sausage in this recipe but smoked sausage works too. Andouille tends to be spicier so if you don’t like spicy foods use the smoked sausage. You might also want to use a little less creole seasoning.
  • Add some leftover ham, ham hocks, or ham bone.
  • You can use small or large red kidney beans. The cooking time might vary between the two sizes so check the tenderness of the beans at about 5-6 hours of cooking time.
  • Make sure you cook on HIGH heat in the crock pot to ensure the beans are cooked through.
  • There is no need to soak the beans overnight.
  • Be sure to use reduced sodium chicken stock. The creole seasoning tends to be salty. If you only have regular chicken stock replace about 3 cups of chicken stock with water.
  • For a thicker consistency use a potato masher to mash some of the beans, not all of them.
  • Want it even spicier? Add some hot sauce or cayenne pepper.

FAQs

Can you cook kidney beans in a slow cooker?

Yes, but red kidney beans need to be boiled for 10 minutes before slow cooking to ensure that the PHA, a kidney bean lectin, is destroyed. The slow cooker does not get hot enough to destroy the lectin has the potential to cause sickness.
With that stated I’ve cooked this slow cooker red beans and rice recipe for years without boiling first and have never had an issue.

Storing

Cool them to room temperature, place them in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to four days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

More Cajun Recipes

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Slow cooker red beans and rice in a dark bowl on a dark surface.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Dinner almost prepares its self with this recipe. Full of Cajun flavor!
4.75 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 495kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb Dried red beans
  • 7 cups Reduced sodium chicken stock or water
  • 1 Green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped about 1 1/2 cups
  • 3 ribs Celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds Andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning

Instructions

  • Rinse beans thoroughly and put into crock pot.
    1 lb Dried red beans
  • Add vegetables, sausage, creole seasoning, bay leaves, and chicken stock to the beans.
    7 cups Reduced sodium chicken stock, 1 Green bell pepper, chopped, 1 medium Onion, chopped, 3 ribs Celery, chopped, 2 cloves Garlic, minced, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds Andouille sausage, cut into bite-size pieces, 2 Bay leaves, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp Black pepper, 3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning
  • Cook on high for 6-7 hours. If you would like it thicker remove the lid and cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • When ready to serve, cook rice according to the package.
  • Place the desired amount of red beans in the bowl, top with rice and serve.

Notes

Originally published January 2016.
To reduce this risk of “kidney bean poisoning” rinse the beans thoroughly, drain them, add them to a pot of boiling water, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain them again and then proceed with the recipe as instructed.
Store completely cooled beans and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 781mg | Potassium: 1104mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 870IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 5mg

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36 Comments

  1. We love Red Beans and Rice your recipe looks awesome! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen5 stars

  2. OH this looks amazing I will have to bookmark it for later. I love a good recipe. Huge foodie here. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me and your continual support as it’s getting quieter and quieter on SWM these days I hope it long continues for us all to share. #sharewithme5 stars

  3. Oh my, this looks so yummy…and easy! My kids LOVE beans and rice. They are going to really enjoy this dish. Pinning! #ShareWithMe

  4. Looks delicious I love ultimate comfort meal thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. Pinning and tweeting.

  5. I love a slow cooker recipe, especially something like this which is tasty, hearty and looks warming. Perfect for the winter. I would definitely like to try this.

    Sally @ Life Loving
    #LifeLovingLinkie

  6. This looks really yummy! Love slow cooker meals. Nice to have it all ready at the end of the day. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

  7. I’m a big fan of red beans and rice, this looks so good, great idea to use the slow cooker! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend?!

  8. My family is going to love you for this! This is a favorite and the crock pot will make it easier! Thanks for sharing with the Thursday Blog Hop!5 stars

  9. My husband loves red beans & rice. And I love my slow cooker. A great combination! Visiting today from While I’m waiting. Have great day!

  10. I always am looking for great crock pot recipes and this looks like a winner. I like the fact that it is amde with sauage – sounds good. Saving for later. Thanks for sharing.

  11. My husband makes red beans and rice, but I have to say your recipe looks way better! I’ll have to share your recipe with him 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at Snickerdoodle Sunday! Pinned and tweeted.

  12. Think this will be in my crockpot tomorrow! Or today if I can get those beans in a quick soak. This sounds perfect for a cold winter dinner. Putting it in my tailwind queue right now!
    Thanks for sharing it.
    Lynn

  13. Looks like a yummy recipe! Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned shared. Have a great weekend!

      1. Looks healthy and somewhat lite. I’m planning buy 2 qt crock pot but needs to know right amount to use a ingredients.
        Can u tell me that?

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