Red beans and rice have long been lauded as a New Orleans food staple. Maybe it’s for its simplicity—first and foremost, you have to soak some beans (or don’t, if that’s your thing), then you add your own special magic, and pair it with rice.

While red beans and rice is one of those dishes that’s quintessential New Orleans, it seems like no two recipes are quite exactly the same. Sure, the basics are there, but it’s what you put into it—whether it’s the holy trinity, sausage, or another tasty addition all together, that makes that pot of red beans and rice yours.

I spoke with three locals about what makes their red beans and rice recipe so special.

Joey K’s Restaurant

First up was Joey K’s Restaurant on Magazine Street. Marigny Farnet, daughter of owners Sam and Cindy Farnet, gave me some insight into their red beans and rice, which is a menu favorite.

“We keep our beans very simple and classic,” Farnet explained. “They are creamy and have a great smoky flavor—we use Creole Country smoked sausage in our beans, and a grilled link is served on top as well. They go great with a piece of our cornbread; served on Monday and Wednesday. They also go great with our fried chicken!”

I knew I had to get over to Joey K’s pronto and try this dish for myself. It was here that I met Cindy, the owner, and she told me a little bit more about the restaurant. She and Sam have owned the place for 31 years, and she tells me that the red beans and rice has been made the same way since day one.

When I saw the plate for myself, I couldn’t wait to dig in. Farnet was right—the beans are nice and smoky with slices of sausage throughout, and you really can’t beat that grilled sausage link on top. The dish was paired perfectly with that sweet, homemade corn bread. The sweetness of the cornbread and the flavor of the sausage and beans made for a delicious combination. If you’re looking for some red beans that will hit the spot, Joey K’s might be the place for you!

Joey K’s Restaurant & Bar, 3001 Magazine St., (504) 891-0997. Joeyksrestaurant.com. Open 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Mon-Sat and 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sundays

Queen Trini Lisa (Portside Lounge)

Lisa Nelson, better known as Queen Trini Lisa, is the owner and chef at Queen Trini Lisa, a pop-up that serves Trinbagonian island soul food at Portside Lounge on Dryades Street. She is known for her participation at festivals all around town and she has her own secrets that make her red beans and rice special.

“My version is vegan, and I learned this from my mother,” Nelson said. “I make my red beans in a pressure cooker. I put the beans in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes with baking soda or powder and crushed garlic.”

She continued, “Then I add garlic, cilantro, salt and oil. Sautéed onions, bell peppers, green onions, black pepper, water and tomatoes go in, and I add creole seasoning to connect it to New Orleans.”

Nelson said that in the Caribbean red beans aren’t usually made creamy, but she makes hers creamy because that’s how people in New Orleans like them. She usually pairs her dish with a side salad and, although she prefers to make her version vegan, she says her red beans and rice goes well with meat.

“Sometimes I add some turkey sausage,” she said.

If you’re looking for a quick, vegan version of a New Orleans classic, Nelson’s version might be right for you.

Portside Lounge, 3000 Dryades St., (504) 503-0990. PortsideNOLA.com. Monday: Closed. Tue-Fri: Open 5 p.m. Sat-Sun: Open 3 p.m.

 

Emily Shaya’s Famous Red Beans and Rice

In 2019, Emily Shaya beat out 31 other competitors to win the Krewe of Red Beans’ Bean Madness Championship and take home the Legume D’Or trophy. The win earned Shaya the title of “The Red Bean Queen of New Orleans”, from The Bitter Southerner.

Shaya explained what sets her red beans and rice apart from the rest.

“My recipe is all about the process and quality of ingredients,” she explained. “I soak my beans overnight and use only Camellia dried beans. I make a homemade chicken and ham bone stock that I use to cook the beans in (not store bought.) Also, I sometimes use pickled pork in the beans, which helps give the beans flavor as they cook all day. Speaking of “all day” the beans cook for at least five hours, so they are creamy and delicious.”

If you want to try this recipe for yourself, Shaya included it below. It’s also featured in her husband, Alon Shaya’s, cookbook, Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel.

 

Tools required

8–10-quart dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot.

Wooden spoon; Colander; Tongs

3-4-quart sauce pot with lid.

9-inch cast iron skillet or frying pan.

 

Ingredients

2 pounds dried red beans, soaked overnight

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces bacon, chopped

1 yellow onion

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 fresh bay leaves or 1 dried

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large smoked ham hock or shank or pickled pork

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

1 pound smoked pork sausage

2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt 

4 teaspoons Tabasco hot sauce, plus more for serving

2 teaspoons sugar

 

For the rice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, diced small 

1 tablespoon of minced ginger 

2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt 

Zest of 1 lemon 

2 fresh or 1 dried bay leaf (I love fresh bay leaf in this)

1 pound jasmine rice

3 cups water, or more as needed

1 bunch scallions, sliced

 

Drain the beans and set them aside.

 

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bacon, stirring occasionally to break it up, for six to eight minutes, until it’s golden.

 

Meanwhile, chop one onion. When most of the bacon’s fat has rendered, add it to the pot with the celery, bell pepper, and one bay leaf, stirring well to coat everything with the fat.

 

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, and the celery and bell pepper just start to soften. Stir in the paprika and cayenne, allowing the spices to toast for a minute or so.

 

Add the beans, ham hock, and stock. Increase the heat to high until everything comes up to a boil, then skim any foam from the top of the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cover with the lid. Let it cook, low and slow, for at least three to four hours, until the beans are tender and starting to fall apart. It’s not a soup, but there should be enough water that you see some movement in the pot, so top it off with more stock if you need to.

 

Fish the ham hock out of the pot and pull all the meat off the bone, give it a rough chop, and add it back to the pot; slice the sausage about quarter inch thick and add that, too. Season with two teaspoons salt, Tabasco, and sugar. (Yes, sugar—it might seem odd, but it gets everything to play together nicely.) Continue to cook covered over low heat for at least another half hour, until it all starts to pull together. At this point, if you prefer, you can leave it alone for a couple of hours, returning just to stir occasionally.

 

While that happens, make the rice: First, chop the other onion. Combine the half cup of extra virgin olive oil and four tablespoons of butter with the bay leaves in a separate pot over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the onion, ginger, garlic, lemon zest and remaining two teaspoons salt.

 

As soon as the onion is translucent, stir in the rice. Defer to the package instructions for a water ratio; for one pound (about two cups) of jasmine rice, I add three cups of water. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer, then decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until it’s tender.

 

Remove the rice from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes with the lid on, then fluff it with a fork. Serve red beans over a scoop of rice and sprinkle with scallions.

 

Yield: 10 to 12 servings