Skillet Red Beans and Rice with Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe

Oakland chef and blogger Stefani Renee‘s twist on red beans and rice is a one-skillet meal made with pantry-friendly ingredients. Loaded with sausage, rice, tomatoes, kidney beans, and Creole spices, this stick-to-your-ribs Southern-inspired recipe can be served as a side dish or as a main course and is sure to become a favorite weeknight meal.

Skillet Red Beans and Rice

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Total Time: 50 Minutes

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

Red Beans & Rice

• 8 ounces of Andouille sausage (or other smoked link sausage), cut into ½ inch slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, grape seed)
• 1 tablespoon of salted butter
• 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 3 plump garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon of Louisiana style hot sauce (like Crystals)
• ½ cup of long grain rice, rinsed
• 5 oz diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 5 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup of chicken broth

Jalapeño Cornbread

• ½ cup of cornmeal
• ½ cup of flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• ¼ cup of salted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup buttermilk or milk

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet, lightly brown sausage over medium heat. Remove sausage from pan and set to the side.
3. In the same skillet, add oil and butter.   Add the trinity: onion, bell pepper, celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook for another minute
4. Add all of the seasonings and rice. Stir to coat trinity and rice grains.
5. Add in tomatoes, beans, and sausage, and stir. Pour in the chicken broth and and stir to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
6. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
7. While the red beans and rice are in the oven, grab a medium-sized bowl and combine all of the dry ingredients for the cornbread, including the sugar. Add the jalapenos and stir. In a small bowl, add the buttermilk, egg, butter and lightly beat. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined. Add a tablespoon more of buttermilk if needed. Batter should not be runny.
8. After 20 minutes, remove the red beans and rice from the oven and drop spoonfuls of the cornbread mixture on top. Place back in the oven and cook for another 15 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown and the rice is tender.