Crock Pot Red Beans and Rice With Ham

Red Beans
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 hrs
Total: 10 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings

The slow cooker makes these red beans a snap to cook, and they are delicious on rice. Serve with a salad and crusty New Orleans French bread. Cornbread is another popular bread to serve with beans.

Another meat option is andouille sausage, which is a classic addition to red beans. You can either add it to the beans before they're done or serve the sausage on the side. Or, for meatier beans, brown about 1 cup of leftover diced ham and add it about an hour before the beans are ready. If you don't have a leftover ham bone, use one or two ham hocks or shanks (depending on size), or add some thick smoked bacon. Either addition will give you a rich, smoky flavor.

To jazz the beans up a bit, add a teaspoon or two of Creole seasoning, to taste. Most Cajun or Creole seasoning contains salt, so taste the beans before you add any additional salt.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound small dried red beans
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 ham bone (with some meat)
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • Optional: 1 cup sliced or diced andouille sausage
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 to 6 cups hot cooked rice
  • 1 cup chopped green onions

Steps to Make It

  1. Sort the beans, discarding damaged beans and any small stones you might find. Rinse them, put them in a large bowl, and cover with about 2 quarts of water. Let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

  2. In the morning, drain the beans and transfer them to the crockpot.

  3. Peel the onion and chop it coarsely.

  4. Slice the bell pepper lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs. Chop the pepper.

  5. Dice the celery.

  6. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. 

  7. Add the cooked vegetables to the beans along with the ham bone, minced garlic, and 1 1/2 quarts water. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.

  8. Turn heat to low and cook, covered, for about 4 to 7 hours, or until the beans are tender.

  9. If desired, in a heavy skillet over medium heat, brown about 1 cup of sliced or diced spicy smoked sausage (such as andouille). Add it to the beans about an hour before they're ready.

  10. Remove ham bone and mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the remaining liquids. Remove the meat from bone; dice it and return it to the pot of beans.

  11. Meanwhile, cook the rice as directed on the package.

  12. Season the beans with salt and pepper, to taste.

  13. Spoon the beans and some liquid over servings of rice and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
663 Calories
13g Fat
105g Carbs
28g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 663
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 206mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 105g 38%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 28g
Calcium 75mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)