Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (2024)

FAQs

What thickens red beans and rice? ›

Mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a bowl then pour it into the red bean mixture and stir well. You will start to see the texture become thicker and creamier. Once done, remove the bay leaves and serve over rice.

Turns out cooking dried red kidney beans and cannellini beans in your slow cooker can make you sick. Find out how to eliminate the toxin that can make you ill and how to safely prepare and cook these commonly used legumes.

Not only are slow cookers convenient and easy to use, they're also a major time-saving device. Plus they eliminate the need for soaking, especially when you're cooking them low and slow, as does the recipe presented here.

One of the significant benefits of rice and beans is their high protein content. They provide you with healthy plant-based protein, coming in at around 12 grams of protein per cup. These winning sides contain amino acids that blend together to make complete proteins.

If there's too much liquid in the pot, raise the heat back up to a rolling boil to burn off some of the liquid. After letting the pot boil for 10-15 minutes, reduce heat, and let simmer for 20 minutes. To make it a memorable experience, add a bottle of beer to the pot when you add the red beans.

The consistency of the beans should thicken up and become creamy the longer it simmers. If they become too dry, add 1-2 cups of more water. Optional step: add ½-stick of non-salted butter, or 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, about 5 minutes before serving. This will make the beans extra creamy and rich in flavor.

If your water is acidic, the beans will remain hard. You can add some baking soda to the water to eliminate the acidity.

Rinsing Canned Beans, From a Nutrition Perspective

If you're a relatively healthy person though, enjoying canned beans without draining or rinsing them first is fine. That's because our bodies require sodium to function. It's only when we go above and beyond what we need that it becomes a problem.

Before cooking, all dried beans need to be rehydrated by soaking. The 10- to 12-hour overnight soak is the easy and always effective method, but you can quick-soak beans by bringing them to the boil for one minute, then covering the pan and letting them sit for one hour.

What do you serve with red beans and rice? ›

Red beans and rice is a versatile recipe that can act as a main or side dish. The big, hearty flavors pair well with foods like cornbread, collard greens, barbecued meats, and fried chicken.

Rice and beans are low in calories and high in fiber, which makes them a perfect weight-loss food. They are also filling and satisfying, so you won't feel hungry after eating them.

Yes, you can eat rice and beans every day. Many people in third world countries do. Rice and beans are complementary vegetables that together provide all the necessary amino acids and minerals to live on, although either alone will be deficient in some. A 50/50 mix is ideal.

Together, rice and beans are nutritional magic

Rice and beans, when served together, contain all nine essential amino acids to form a complete source of protein. Both brown and white rice are low in the essential amino acid lysine, but high in the essential amino acid methionine.

To thicken the pot, begin smashing the red beans against the side of the pot with your spoon. Smash the red beans and let it continue to simmer without a lid for an extra 30 minutes. I stood and smashed my beans for about 10 minutes, and let it keep simmering for an extra 20 (30 min total).

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up. Add more cornstarch or flour as needed until the soup reaches your desired consistency.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook until beans are completely tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Older beans can take longer.) Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened and turned creamy, about 20 minutes.

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.