A 30-minute Louisiana inspired skillet dinner featuring canned beans, sausage, and the Cajun trinity of vegetables served over rice. Family and budget friendly dinner!
This is a quick and easy dinner recipe that can be on the table in around 30 minutes. It features the holy trinity (celery, bell pepper, onion), smoked sausage and canned red beans. Serve it over rice with a side of cornbread for a delicious Louisianna inspired dinner.
This is a meal I can usually throw together when I haven’t been to the grocery store in a while. The beans have a mild heat, making them kid friendly. Serve with Tabasco Sauce for extra spice.
Cajun inspired 30 minute dinner
This recipe was inspired by an old Southern Living recipe that is no longer available online. While the flavors are similar to slow cooked red beans, it has a few differences from traditional Cajun recipes.
The rice is cooked separately to allow everyone to dish up their preferred amount of beans to rice ratio. I personally like the leftovers better this way. Of course, you can increase the chicken broth and add some rice in with the beans if you prefer. To make it a little healthier, I have also increased the amount of vegetables in the beans.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Olive Oil: Or other neutral flavored oil.
- Celery: I like to use a little more than in traditional red beans and rice. I typically use 2-3 celery ribs.
- Bell Pepper: Green or red bell pepper.
- Yellow Onion
- Smoked Sausage: Sliced into ½” pieces. I like the HEB Texas Heritage smoked pork and beef sausage.
- Kidney or Red Beans: Using canned beans helps to make this a quick and easy dinner. You can use light or dark kidney beans. Drain the beans but do not rinse.
- Chicken Broth: If you are wanting a lower sodium recipe, feel free to just use water and adjust spices to taste.
- Spices: Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, bay leaf
How to make
Saute
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Brown sausage, remove from heat and add in celery, bell pepper and onion. Sauté until vegetables are tender.
Simmer
Add drained kidney beans, broth and seasoning to skillet. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Serve
Serve red beans over rice. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Top with Tabasco Sauce for extra heat.
Variations
- Sausage: You can make this with Andouille sausage, turkey sausage, venison sausage or a basic kielbasa.
- You can use canned red beans or canned kidney beans, whichever is available to you.
- Kid Friendly: When I had younger kids, I would cut the sausage rounds in half before cooking, so it was easier and safer for them to eat.
- Make it a little healthier by serving over a whole grain such as brown rice. Loaded with beans, veggies, protein and grains this is a budget-friendly meal.
Serving
Serve red beans with sausage over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and Tabasco sauce. A side of cornbread or freshly baked French bread pairs well with this.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if eaten within 3-4 days.
📖 Recipe
Skillet Red Beans
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 12 oz. smoked sausage cut into ½” pieces
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic finely diced
- 2 – 16 oz. cans kidney or red beans drained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet on medium-heat, brown sausage. Stir in onion, bell pepper and celery and sauté until veggies are tender.
- Mix in beans, broth, Cajun seasoning, bay leaf and smoked paprika. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Notes
I love the aroma when you add the Cajun holy trinity to the hot skillet, it just smells so good! Add some cornbread baking in the oven and your family will be sure to come running when you call them for supper. I hope y’all enjoy this easy and affordable dinner option.
Alaine
More dinner recipes you may enjoy:
Leave a Reply