Red beans and rice soup is a twist on classic Louisiana creole food. This version packs in all the flavor of red beans & rice but in less than an hour. It's a super satisfying bowl of soup and simple to make, too!
1largegreen bell pepperdiced small, ~1/4-inch dice
1jalapeno pepperdiced small, ~1/4-inch dice; remove seeds and membrane for a milder heat
1stalkcelerydiced small, ~1/4-inch dice
3clovesgarlicminced
2tbsptomato paste
1tbspCajun seasoningplus extra if necessary; see note below
114 oz canpetite diced tomatoes
4cupschicken stock or broth
3cupslong grain white ricecooked
salt & pepperto taste
sliced scallionsfor garnish
hot sauceto taste
Instructions
Drain and rinse kidney beans in a colander. Puree half of the beans in a food processor. You’re looking for a smooth paste, but there can still be a few chunks of beans in the mixture. Set bean puree and whole beans aside.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage and brown for about 3-5 minutes until it turns brown and renders some fat.
Add the onion, peppers, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are softening and the onion starts turning translucent. Add tomato paste and Cajun seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute longer.
Add tomatoes (with juice), broth/stock, and the beans (whole and pureed.)Stir together until the pureed beans are combined (i.e. there are no big globs of bean paste.)Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and simmer 15 minutes longer until the vegetables are soft and the soup has thickened slightly. This will not be as thick as a traditional red beans and rice. Taste and add salt, pepper, and more Cajun seasoning as needed.
Serve with a scoop of rice and green onions as garnish. Plus, hot sauce as desired.
Notes
If you can't find andouille sausage, any smoked sausage would do especially if it's spicy. Smoked chorizo would be a nice substitute.
Use your favorite Cajun seasoning, but remember seasoning blends will differ in sodium levels which is why it's important to taste along the way and adjust. I used Tony Charchere's which has a decent amount of salt. If you use something with less salt added, you might need to add much more salt.