When cooler weather rolls around, it's time for me to break out some of our favorite simmering-all-day-in-a-big-pot recipes. And this stove top red beans and rice recipe is a winner.
It gets top points from all of us for flavor, nutrition, and cost. Most of all, it's easy to make.
While I like to cook on our wood stove, I usually start my soup, stew, or rice and bean recipes (I have several different versions) on our propane stove top.
Once the dish reaches a boil, I carry the stockpot or cast iron dutch oven to the woodstove. Why pay extra for propane when we're already using the wood stove for heat?
Once on the woodstove, it can bubble along merrily for several hours until we're ready to eat.
As with most of the recipes I use, my stovetop red beans and rice recipe is pretty forgiving. You can substitute in all kinds of ingredients.
Stove Top Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Since I'm always trying to save money and reduce our waste, I'm constantly on the lookout for recipes to make meals from leftovers. So if I have a small portion of baked beans, black beans, steak, or even a half-pound of ground beef or chicken, I'll throw it in.
And if not, the recipe is good enough to stand on its own.
Additions and Substitutions
Some of the additions and substitutions I use in this recipe include:
- Add up to 1 cup of shredded cooked chicken, ground beef or steak
- Reduce tomatoes to 1 ½ cans and peppers to three, and add 1 cup of leftover salsa
- Added 1 tsp diced jalapeno peppers
- Use one can of diced tomatoes and 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes
- Substituted 1 ½ cups dried beans (black, red, or any combination) and increased the chicken stock to 1 full carton or 2 ¼ cups
- Replaced red beans with black beans
- Used diced butternut squash instead of corn
- Increased chili powder to 4 teaspoons (but our littlest kids found it too spicy)
- Occasionally, I"ll add 1 ½ teaspoons of oregano just for a flavour change
I usually serve rice and beans with plenty of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, fresh avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and hot green chili sauce or lime sauce.
Experiment with different hot and sweet sauces and garnishes to create your own family favorite comfort meal.
Recipe
Stove Top Red Beans and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 onions red or yellow, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 4 large peppers any combination of red, yellow, orange, and green, diced
- 1.5 cups of chicken broth or beef broth
- 2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes plain or stewed
- 2.5 cups of fresh or frozen corn
- 3 cans of red beans with liquid
- 3 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup brown rice
Instructions
- Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large stockpot on medium-low heat.
- Add diced peppers and stir for three to four minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT brown rice.
- Stir uncovered until bean mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for at least two hours.
- Alternatively, simmer in a slow cooker on low or on a wood stove for four hours.
- Serve over brown rice.
- Enjoy!
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