When you stumble across a recipe that’s a crowd-pleaser, you tend to go back to it again and again.
Which is why this beans and rice dish has a way of making it on the table at virtually every church dinner and family get-together we’re a part of! It’s simple and straightforward. And GOOD! Seriously, I could probably eat my weight in this stuff. Though I really try not to do that. Usually.And I’d say I get asked for the recipe for this dish more than for anything else I cook. So it’s about time I put it on my blog! Now I can direct people HERE for the recipe instead of telling them I’ll get a copy to them, which I’m notorious for forgetting to do! (To those of you who have been stiffed for the recipe, I apologize. Consider this post my way of making amends.)
Southern-Style Two Beans and Rice
1/2 lb. bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 bay leaf
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups butterbeans
2 cups red kidney beans
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into coins (optional)
Cooked white or brown rice
Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Drain half the grease and then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and bay leaf. Saute until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes and cook an additional 3 or 4 minutes. Add broth and beans and bring to a boil. Add smoked sausage, if you’re using it. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 20 more minutes, stirring often. Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients and cook 10 minutes more. Cook rice according to package directions. Discard bay leaf and ladle beans over hot rice.
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My mouth is watering just typing out the recipe! Let me say here I usually double the recipe to feed our family of 6 and I always have leftovers to freeze for later when I have a hankerin’ for some beans and rice. (Like TONIGHT, I’m thinking now…)You can use fresh tomatoes rather than canned ones, and keep in mind you can use whatever bean combination suits your fancy! Butter beans are my favorite in this dish, but I often substitute Great Northern beans instead. And regular red beans are great if you prefer those to the kidney beans. But black beans would be great, too! I usually buy dry beans and cook them in bulk, then divide them into freezer bags in 2-cup portions, which works great for this recipe and for a lot of others that call for canned beans, since 2 cups is pretty close in size to one can.
The smoked sausage isn’t essential to this dish, but it gives it a more Louisiana-style look and taste. Turkey smoked sausage is actually my favorite. I love to grill the sausage before adding it. That’s a totally unnecessary step, but it adds some incredible flavor.
I also love to add to my heartburn by pouring on this stuff…
If you’ve never tried it, believe me, it is delicious! I’ve never been a fan of Tabasco sauce, but the Green Pepper Sauce has a different flavor and a very mild heat. Something about it is PERFECT for this dish, so I usually pour it on at the table, along with a healthy sprinkling of cracked black pepper.As simple as this recipe is, it’s also pretty versatile, working great as a side dish or a main course. It’s also CHEAP! And while I love the taste of the bacon and the smoked sausage, they can both be left out to make it a low-fat, low-calorie dish. Even cutting the amount of bacon in half can cut some calories without cutting flavor.
So make it a beans and rice kind of night and enjoy a simple, but fabulous dinner, southern-style!
Hi Tanya – I came across this recipe linked from another blog. It sounds sooo good, can't wait to try it! Then I looked around and saw that you homeschool as well. We're a homeschooling family of 7 from Cape Cod, MA. Thanks for your Trick of 13 idea, too! 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan
So glad you found me, Susan. It's always a delight to "meet" other homeschooling moms. With 7, I'm sure you could teach me a thing or two. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Tanya,
My husband can't stand green peppers, but the rest of us LOVE them…this may be a really neat solution for us. We can get the taste and not make him suffer!! You are a GENIUS! Thanks 🙂 Blessings today!
I LOVE green peppers, but have to 'slip them in' on my family most of the time! It's easy to do with this dish. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!