Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

This recipe is a go-to in our house. It’s probably made at least once a month and the leftovers end up school lunches or shoved in the back of the fridge so no one knows it’s there and I can save it for myself. These slow cooker red beans and rice are made with simple ingredients and use a slow cooker, which is everyone’s favorite kind of meal.

Perfect for sportsing afternoons and evenings

We just ended Christmas break and I found myself sad my kids were going back to school because it means regular life resumes and I spend my afternoons and evenings in the car. I taxi them to their various activities, from basketball games to baseball workouts to drama club. It can get “taxing”. Ya get it? I just pull in and out of my driveway over and over again. I will share one of my best mom tips with you: every Monday morning, top off your gas tank and clean out your car. This prevents you from running out of gas as you run out the door to pick up kids. Fill up before you have to. It helps a lot.

I made this slow cooker red beans and rice on an evening where dinnertime was going to be dodgy. It was ready around 4:00 and I was able to pack some up for the hungry teenager who was being picked up from baseball to eat on the way to the other brother’s basketball game. Once everyone was back home around 7:00, the other round of dinner happened and there was plenty for those who were up for round two. It was so nice to come home to a meal all ready to go. I also steamed up some broccoli so it was a well-rounded meal.

Yes, just do the dried beans

This recipe is asking you to soak dried beans overnight. I know, you are probably thinking “screw that”. But hear me out. You could do just canned beans, but we forgo that yummy bean broth that only comes with dried beans. And for me, that’s what makes this dish. All you have to do is pour the bag of beans in a big bowl, fill the bowl with water and leave it on the counter. Once you are ready to put the meal together in the slow cooker the next morning, you just drain the beans and you’re good to go. It isn’t hard, just more of an issue of remembering. I usually put a reminder in my phone to soak the beans while I am cleaning up dinner the night before.

You are now asking about the Instant Pot version of this slow cooker red beans and rice. Yes, of course, you can do the Instant Pot. Just do it for the same amount of time as you would for cooking dried beans. If you are now asking about the Air Fryer version of this because those seem to be all the rage on Pinterest these days, I am going to tell you to stop smoking crack.

Notes on preparation

• If you don’t have a kielbasa sausage but you have some ham, use that instead. It will work great. I have also done this with shredded rotisserie chicken. Or no meat at all and you’ve got a great vegetarian meal.
• If you have a different kind of dried beans, you can totally use those. It will work out the same.

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Cooking equipment I use for this recipe

• Crock-Pot 6qt slow cooker
• Miyabi Kaizen Santoku Knife

Listened to in the kitchen

• Armchair Expert – Rainn Wilson