I haven't always been a proponent of red beans and rice, but over the past few years — especially with my recent trips to New Orleans — this Louisiana staple has been becoming a meal I think (and talk) about more and more. I attempted my own version by taking a look at a few different recipes on the Internet (thanks Carlos for the recommendations!) and trying to make alterations to fit what I thought would best fit my tastes and requirements – particularly that the dish be completely vegetarian. The recipes I ultimately followed the closest were from the Gumbo Pages, Emeril Lagasse, and Fat-Free Vegan.
My first attempt turned out pretty well though the red beans were a little too spicy, and I definitely should have just gone with rice instead of the quinoa. Unfortunately the quinoa didn't complement the red beans as wonderfully as I thought it would. Also, something else seemed like it was "missing" but I am not quite sure what — perhaps the dish was not just too spicy, but also just plain over-spiced with my use of too many spices? Maybe some lime juice or something would help bring out the flavor? As you can tell, I need to give this recipe another go – with less spice – and will report back with any updates!
Completely Vegetarian New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients:
- 3 ribs celery, or 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 large green bell pepper and 1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped or 1 cup chopped bell pepper in total
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound red beans, soaked in cold water for 6 hours
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped, or approx. 2 tsp. chopped pepper and 1 tsp. adobo sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Chef Paul Prudhomme Vegetable Magic seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
- Cayenne
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red chili powder
- Water
- Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in large pot on medium-high heat, and when hot, add celery, onion and bell pepper. Add a pinch of cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper, and saute vegetables until the onion is translucent.
- Add bay leaves, thyme, and garlic, and saute for two minutes.
- Add the rinsed, soaked beans to the pot with three cups of water and the Chef Paul seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for one hour.
- After one hour, add another 1/4 cup of water (or to maintain a thick, but soup-y consistency), chipotle in adobo and Tabasco.
- Cooked for another two hours, or until beans are creamy, stirring occasionally. At end, add, salt, pepper, chili powder, and Tabasco to taste.
- Serve with cooked rice (preferably not quinoa!).
