Red Beans and Rice with Okra and Tomatoes
By America's Test KitchenPublished on December 14, 2021
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Red Beans
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided, for brining and salting1 pound small red bean (2 cups), picked over and rinsed1 pound okra, stemmed1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped fine1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine1 celery rib, minced3 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried1 teaspoon sweet paprika 2 bay leaves ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon pepper 3 cups vegetable broth 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomato, drained1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning3 scallions, sliced thinHot sauceRice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed3 cups water 1 teaspoon table saltBefore You Begin
While we prefer the flavor and texture of fresh okra in this recipe, you can substitute frozen cut okra, thawed and thoroughly patted dry, for fresh. If using frozen, skip step 2.
Instructions
- Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well; set aside.
- Toss okra with 1 teaspoon salt, and let sit for 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Rinse well, then cut into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
- Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, paprika, bay leaves, cayenne, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in beans, 5 cups water, and broth and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to vigorous simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just softened and liquid begins to thicken, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Stir in okra, tomatoes, and vinegar and cook until liquid is thickened and beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat, lay clean folded dish towel underneath lid, and let rice sit for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork.
- Discard bay leaves from beans. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Top individual portions of rice with beans and sprinkle with scallions. Serve with hot sauce.
for the red beans
for the rice
Yield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Red Beans
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided, for brining and salting
1 pound small red bean (2 cups), picked over and rinsed
1 pound okra, stemmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomato, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
3 scallions, sliced thin
Hot sauce
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups water
1 teaspoon table salt
Ingredients
Red Beans
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided, for brining and salting
1 pound small red bean (2 cups), picked over and rinsed
1 pound okra, stemmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomato, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
3 scallions, sliced thin
Hot sauce
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups water
1 teaspoon table salt
Ingredients
Red Beans
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon table salt, divided, for brining and salting
1 pound small red bean (2 cups), picked over and rinsed
1 pound okra, stemmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
1 celery rib, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomato, drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
3 scallions, sliced thin
Hot sauce
Rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups water
1 teaspoon table salt
Why This Recipe Works
Boosting the flavor profile of classic New Orleans red beans and rice by adding okra and tomatoes creates a hearty, vegetable-packed meal. This Cajun dish traditionally calls for Camellia-brand dried red beans and tasso ham. An easy switch to a more readily available ingredient was to use small dried red beans, which we brined overnight. And naturally we skipped the tasso ham, but fine-tuning the proportions of sautéed green peppers, onions, and celery gave this dish flavor balance without the need for meat. To ensure that the okra retains some of its crunchy bite in the finished dish, toss the whole okra pods in salt and let sit for an hour before rinsing, cutting, and adding them to the beans and tomatoes for the final half hour of cooking.
Before You Begin
While we prefer the flavor and texture of fresh okra in this recipe, you can substitute frozen cut okra, thawed and thoroughly patted dry, for fresh. If using frozen, skip step 2.
Instructions
- Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well; set aside.
- Toss okra with 1 teaspoon salt, and let sit for 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Rinse well, then cut into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
- Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, paprika, bay leaves, cayenne, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in beans, 5 cups water, and broth and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to vigorous simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just softened and liquid begins to thicken, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Stir in okra, tomatoes, and vinegar and cook until liquid is thickened and beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat, lay clean folded dish towel underneath lid, and let rice sit for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork.
- Discard bay leaves from beans. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Top individual portions of rice with beans and sprinkle with scallions. Serve with hot sauce.
for the red beans
for the rice
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