Red Beans & Rice #4

This is red beans and rice for a weeknight, not a lazy Sunday. Pre-cooked brown rice, canned red beans, and diced ham all go into a single skillet with garlic, onion, and a Cajun-style spice hit of cayenne, cumin, chili powder, and hot sauce. Twenty-five minutes, one pan, done.

The bean liquid is the unsung ingredient here. That ¼ cup of starchy, seasoned liquid from the beans loosens everything in the pan and creates a light sauce that binds the rice, beans, and ham together. Without it, you’ve got dry components sitting next to each other instead of a cohesive dish.

Brown rice adds nuttiness and more texture than white rice, and it holds up better to reheating if you’re planning leftovers. The hot sauce goes in during cooking so its heat mellows and spreads evenly through the dish rather than sitting sharp on top.

Kitchen Tips

• Saute the garlic and onion until the onion is soft and translucent before adding anything else. Raw onion in the finished dish is a different flavor entirely.
• Don’t drain the beans completely. Save that liquid and use it to moisten the skillet. It’s packed with flavor and starch.
• Taste before serving. The cayenne and hot sauce give a base level of heat, but you may want to adjust depending on your preference.
• Diced leftover holiday ham works great here, but deli ham cut thick and cubed is a fine shortcut.

Variations

• Andouille sausage: Replace the ham with sliced andouille for a smokier, more traditional Louisiana flavor.
• Vegetarian version: Skip the ham and add an extra cup of beans. The spices carry plenty of flavor on their own.
• Creole style: Stir in ½ cup of diced green bell pepper and celery with the onion for a proper holy trinity base.