Name: Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice With Okra and Tomatoes
Total time: 9 h
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 4 cups vegetable broth; 8 ounces (1¼ cups) dried small red beans , picked over and rinsed; 1 green bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces; 1½ cups instant white rice; 2 cups frozen cut okra , thawed; 2 tomatoes , cored and cut into ½-inch pieces; 4 scallions , sliced thin; Salt and pepper

Why This Recipe Works

Rather than monitor the stovetop for an hour or two so we could enjoy this Cajun classic, we moved it to the slow cooker, where the moist environment and gentle heat could turn our red beans tender and creamy without a lot of effort. Though the beans cooked through perfectly with no advanced prep (we were able to skip the soaking step called for in many recipes), the rice presented a bit of a challenge. Raw rice didn't cook through evenly and was blown out and mushy by the time the beans were done. Instant rice, stirred in toward the end of cooking, held its shape and absorbed the rich flavors of the beans and broth. Using Cajun seasoning meant we didn't need to include a laundry list of spices, and frozen okra, added at the end with some fresh tomatoes, reinforced the Cajun identity of our dish.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use instant rice (sometimes labeled minute rice); traditional rice takes much longer to cook and won't work here. Serve with hot sauce.

Instructions

1. Microwave Cajun seasoning, oil, and garlic in bowl until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, beans, and bell pepper. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 9 hours on high.

Stir in rice, cover, and cook on high until rice is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in okra and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and scallions, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.