Cajun Red Beans and Rice: the maiden voyage in my brand new instant pot! I have always wanted to make this recipe, but had neither a slow cooker, pressure cooker, nor the confidence to make this on the stove top. I was SO impressed with the results. The beans are perfectly tender and the broth is super flavorful. This is comfort food to the max!
INGREDIENTS
-1 package cajun style, andouille, or kielbasa sausage
-1 green bell pepper
-1 white onion
-4 stalks celery
-1 quart low sodium chicken broth
-1.5 tablespoons cajun seasoning
-1 teaspoon dried thyme
-5 cloves chopped garlic
-3 bay leaves
-1 lb small red beans
-Cooked brown rice for serving
-Scallions for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Begin by sorting the beans to remove debris and shriveled beans. Then rinse the beans in a colander.
2. Next, prepare the vegetables and sausage. Small dice the green bell pepper, celery, and white onion. Slice the sausage link into medallions.
2. Turn the instant pot on and select the "Saute" mode. Once hot, add olive oil and sliced sausage. Cook until sausage is browned on both sides. You may need to cook the sausage in batches.
3. Remove the sausage and add more olive oil if needed. Add the chopped vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and saute until softened.
4. Add the sausage back to the instant pot along with the chicken broth, 1 cup of water, cajun seasoning, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and red beans. Press "Cancel" on the instant pot to cancel the saute function.
5. Next, place the lid on the pot and lock in place (make sure steam release knob is turned to "Sealing"). Press the "Beans/Chili" button on high pressure and use the "+" button to increase the cook time to 50 minutes. Allow the beans to cook and, once finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, manually release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to "Venting."
6. Remove the bay leaves, serve the red beans over rice, and garnish with sliced scallions.