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by Gwen@SlowCookerKitchen.com · February 20, 2018 · Updated: September 21, 2020

Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice with Sausage

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If you’ve been looking for absolutely delicious red beans & rice and sausage recipe… here, you go! It’s just like the one I grew up eating BUT modified for the slow cooker.

All the traditional recipes I’ve seen…and the ones I grew up eating…were made on the stove. Which makes the creaminess of the beans absolutely delicious! But sadly, that’s after several, SEVERAL hours.

But there’s no need for all that babysitting. None. Your slow cooker can still get you the creamy consistency. But a LOT of the work is taken over by your crockpot.

Close up of slow cooker red beans and rice with sausage


Authentic Louisiana Red Beans & Rice w Sausage

In This Article (click headings to jump)

    • 0.1 Notes About Making Red Beans & Rice
      • 0.1.1 What Type of Sausage
      • 0.1.2 Why Add Ham?
      • 0.1.3 About the Veggies
  • 1 Printable for Louisiana Style Red Beans & Rice w/Sausage
  • 2 Authentic Slow Cooker Louisiana Red Beans & Rice w/ Sausage
    • 2.1 Ingredients  1x2x3x
    • 2.2 Instructions 
    • 2.3 Notes
      • 2.3.1 Freezer Meal Info
  • 3 Pin It for Later Red Beans & Rice w Sausage
  • 4 More Crock Pot Smoked Sausage & Kielbasa Recipes

Notes About Making Red Beans & Rice

What Type of Sausage

What type of sausage you use is up to you. Again, with the traditional version…andouille sausage is mostly what I’ve seen there.

Some folks don’t care for it. We do. We personally love it. But it’s not for everyone.

So, if you don’t, OR you simply can’t find it, you can easily substitute regular smoked sausage or kielbasa. Whichever your preference.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

 


Why Add Ham?

This recipe also calls for both sausage and ham. Again, that’s traditional red beans and rice. You don’t have to go that route. You can just as easily make it with a couple cups more of sausage instead of adding the ham.

BUT it’s a GREAT use for a leftover ham hock. I know, I KNOW. Ham’s a traditional meal too. But usually for the holiday season.

Crock Pot Ham makes a great homemade lunch meat. Well…not exactly a lunch meat. But you get me. It makes for quick and easy sandwich ideas, on the fly meals, etc.

AND if you do ham for the holidays…you can always freeze the ham hock for later. And I mean a LOT later. Like several months without freezer burn being an issue.

Just toss it in a freezer bag and label it with the date. Squeeze out as much of the air as possible and you can leave it in the freezer for a few months.

I don’t know about you, but we burned totally out on ham over this last holiday season. But I didn’t want to waste the ham hock. So, I froze it. And now…TADA…we got red beans and rice and sausage on the menu 😊


Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice with Sausage & Ham

About the Veggies

One last thing…this has several ingredients. A little of this, a little of that…that seems to be the thing with Creole cookin’. And it’s damn good when it's done…but you do NOT have to have the bell pepper, or the celery OR the jalapeno.

I personally like this recipe better with some sort of veggie added, but it is NOT necessary. And if you want to make sure and get your veggies on the plate…you can always add a side of green beans, creamed spinach or something of the like. Whatever you want really. This recipe’s pretty versatile.

Psstt…don’t forget you’ll probably want some cornbread too! And if you’re gonna be around the house, you can make that in your slow cooker too! Crockpot cornbread is pretty easy. And sort of fun.

Enjoy! Holler if you got any questions, suggestions or whatever…and Rock that Crock!


Printable for Louisiana Style Red Beans & Rice w/Sausage

Authentic Creole Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice with Sausage and Ham

Close up of slow cooker red beans and rice with sausage

Authentic Slow Cooker Louisiana Red Beans & Rice w/ Sausage

This traditional red beans & rice w/ sausage is an excellent comfort food. It's nutritious too! Red beans and rice together (with or without the sausage) is a complete protein and an excellent source of fiber.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 hrs
Total Time 10 hrs 15 mins
Course Crock Pot, Crockpot, Main Course
Cuisine Comfort Food, Slow Cooker
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 pound dried red beans soaked then cooked overnight
  • 4 to 6 cups of water
  • 4 cups beef or chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1- pound smoked sausage andouille sausage, or kielbasa; sliced 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick
  • 1 leftover ham hock or 2 cups diced ham
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and chopped (optional)
  • 8 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 8 cups cooked rice optional

Instructions
 

  • Pour the beans, water, and stock into the crockpot.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the sausage in the melted butter.
  • Remove the sausage and toss in the crockpot with the beans.
  • Add the onion, peppers, garlic, and celery to the drippings in the skillet. Cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan and pour this, the butter and the vegetables into the slow cooker.
  • Add the ham hock (or diced ham), bay leaves, and half the creole seasoning. Stir and squish the ham hock under the liquid.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours.
  • Remove the bay leaves and season with remaining Creole seasoning and black pepper.
  • Serve over rice if desired.

Notes

Notes: Don't forget to fish out the bay leaves. Bay leaves are a wonderful herb for adding flavor to soups and stews, BUT they can be dangerous if swallowed. They do not soft during the cooking process and can cut the inside of your throat. Find them and discard, always.

If you prefer your beans to have a creamy texture you have two ways to get them creamier.
  • Tilt the lid during the last couple hours of cooking. You can also turn the slow cooker to high. This will allow part of the liquids to evaporate.
  • You can also use a potato masher during the last 30 to 60 minutes.
Both methods work. You can also combine the two for excellent results.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Freezer Meal Info

If you want to prep this for the freezer just precook the beans. Like overnight. They don't have to be creamy or anything...that'll happen when you make the full recipe.

Alternately you can use canned beans. But just soaking them overnight then freezing has never worked out for me.

If you try it and it works for you...let me know how you accomplished it please.


Pin It for Later Red Beans & Rice w Sausage

Slow cooker red beans and rice with sausage and ham

Slow Cooker Red Beans Rice and Sausage

 


More Crock Pot Smoked Sausage & Kielbasa Recipes

If you love you some crockpot kielbasa, here's a BUNCH more options...Crock Pot Kielbasa & Smoked Sausage Recipes

Enjoy!

« Crock Pot Bacon Kielbasa Beef Vegetable Soup
Polish Sauerkraut Soup (Polish Kapusnyak) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lee Thayer says

    February 20, 2018 at 7:58 pm

    This I will be trying, sounds fantastic! I will post a comment after I have made this with my results. Thanks for another great recipe.

    Reply
    • gwen says

      February 24, 2018 at 6:20 am

      Thanks Lee 🙂 I'm very glad you like the sound of it. Have a great day!

      Reply
  2. Lee Thayer says

    March 02, 2018 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    I made this on 2 Mar 2018, and wow is this good! Only thing I changed was I used Cajun seasoning instead of Creole. For sausage I used my homemade Cumberland sausage, and even the chicken stock, I made in my pressure cooker several days ago. Excellent dish. Thank you Gwen for a great recipe, I see myself making this often now.

    Reply
    • gwen says

      March 06, 2018 at 6:59 am

      I'm very glad you liked it Lee 🙂

      Reply
  3. Sandy Taylir says

    October 10, 2018 at 6:28 am

    This was a great recipe. I needed to add a little salt but other then that it was awesome. My hubby loved it.

    Reply
    • gwen says

      October 29, 2018 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks 🙂 Very glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply

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Gwen@SlowCookerKitchen
Gwen@SlowCookerKitchen.com

Hi! I'm Gwen. And I have a confession to make. I now own 11 slow cookers & 4 pressure cookers. What started out as a necessity, turned into a mild obsession. And then into Slow Cooker Kitchen.
The goal for this site started out as quick & easy cooking. Then healthier and from-scratch options got added. And now it's evolved into freezer meal cooking too. Who knows what's next. Come join me on this slightly crazed crockpot-pressure cooker journey.

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Hi! I'm Gwen. And I have a confession to make. I now own 11 slow cookers & 4 pressure cookers. What started out as a necessity, turned into a mild obsession. And then into Slow Cooker Kitchen.
The goal for this site started out as quick & easy cooking. Then healthier and from-scratch options got added. And now it's evolved into freezer meal cooking too. Who knows what's next. Come join me on this slightly crazed crockpot-pressure cooker journey. Read More…

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