Ingredients:
- 1 lb. dry red beans
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 to 14 oz. andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- ½ tbsp. butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ⅛ tsp. ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- To taste black pepper
- 6 to 7 cups broth, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh green onions, plus more for garnish
- 2 cups rice, cooked
Directions:
- Put the dry beans in a large soup pot or bowl; cover in water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. The water should cover about 2 inches over the beans.
- When ready to cook, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sausage slices to the heated oil and cook until browned on both sides. Stir frequently. Remove the browned sausages from the pot and set them aside.
- Add butter to the pot and let it melt. Stir in the onions and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Add celery and bell peppers; continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add a little more butter if needed. Stir in garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the seasonings and broth. Add salt, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne and black pepper; continue to cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in 6 cups of the broth and stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beans and sausage. Drain the soaked beans and rinse; add the beans to the pot and stir in the browned andouille sausage.
- Add the bay leaves, increase the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours or until beans are soft and tender.
- Remove and mash a cup of the beans a bit to break them up. Put back into pot. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 cup of extra broth. Taste the mixture for salt, pepper and seasonings, and adjust accordingly.
- Stir in the parsley and green onions, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat and serve them over cooked rice.
