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This vegan and vegetarian red beans and rice recipe is a budget-friendly meal with ingredients that are accessible in most supermarkets. It’s full of veggies, legumes, and Cajun spices for a delicious plant-based dinner option.
When I first started experimenting with vegetarian cooking, I was intimidated by traditional Louisiana dishes. Many classic Cajun recipes rely on meat for flavor—like sausage or ham hocks in traditional red beans and rice. But I’ve discovered that with the right spice blend and technique, you can create a flavorful plant-based version that honors the spirit of the original dish!
This vegetarian red beans and rice takes the original idea and makes it into a simple vegan dinner everyone will love! While traditional red beans and rice often calls for dried red beans that are soaked overnight, I’ve made this recipe accessible for busy weeknights by using canned kidney beans. This dish has become more than just a recipe in our household—it’s a reminder that delicious, nutritious food can be accessible to everyone!
Recipe highlights
This vegetarian spin on a classic Louisiana dish has become one of our family’s go-to weeknight meals. Here’s why it’s earned a permanent spot in our dinner rotation:
- Ready in under 45 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights
- Budget-friendly ingredients that are available year-round at most grocery stores
- Packed with plant-based protein and fiber from red beans
- Customizable heat level, from mild to spicy, depending on your preference
- Makes excellent leftovers that taste even better the next day
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, making it perfect for accommodating various dietary needs
- Loaded with vegetables and complex carbohydrates for a nutritionally complete meal
Red beans: an affordable plant-based protein
Red beans and rice isn’t just affordable—it’s also incredibly satisfying! The combination of beans and rice creates a complete protein, providing all nine essential amino acids your body needs. This makes it an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans looking to ensure they’re getting adequate protein. The red kidney beans in this recipe are nutritional powerhouses, offering:
- High levels of plant-based protein (about 15g per cup)
- Plenty of dietary fiber to keep you feeling full
- Iron, potassium, and folate
- Antioxidants that support heart health
The secret to flavor without meat
The key to making this vegetarian red beans and rice taste authentic lies in three elements:
- The “Holy Trinity” – The aromatic base of onions, celery, and bell peppers that forms the foundation of many Cajun dishes
- The right spice blend – A homemade Cajun seasoning with paprika, oregano, thyme, and just the right amount of cayenne
- Low and slow cooking – Allowing the beans to simmer until they begin to break down slightly, creating that creamy texture that makes this dish so comforting
I like to let the beans cook until some of them naturally break down to thicken the sauce. For an even creamier texture, you can mash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon.
Make it your own
One of the things I love most about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Here are some of my favorite variations:
- Heat level: Adjust the cayenne pepper and hot sauce to suit your spice preference
- Rice options: Serve with brown rice for added nutrition, or white rice for a more traditional approach
- Add smoke: Liquid smoke adds wonderful depth that mimics the smokiness traditionally provided by ham or sausage
When Alex and I make this for dinner parties, I like to set out small bowls of extra hot sauce, sliced green onions, and chopped fresh parsley so everyone can garnish their bowls to taste.
Sides to pair
This vegetarian red beans and rice pairs beautifully with:
- A simple green salad with vinaigrette dressing
- Homemade skillet cornbread or corn muffins
- Roasted broccoli or roasted Brussels sprouts
- Southern-style collard greens
- A cold glass of sweet tea or, for the adults, a crisp lager
I particularly love serving this when we need something warming and substantial that’s also economical! It’s become one of Alex’s most-requested dishes, especially when we’re cooking for friends with different dietary needs.
Storing leftovers and make ahead tips
This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Like many bean-based dishes, the flavors continue to improve after a day in the refrigerator. You can try making a batch on Sunday and portion it out for weekday lunches. To prep ahead:
- Chop all vegetables and store in an airtight container
- Pre-cook your rice (it keeps well for 3-4 days refrigerated)
- Make the entire dish and refrigerate—it will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days
When reheating, add a splash of vegetable broth if the mixture has thickened too much in the fridge.
Dietary notes
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based.
Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice
This vegetarian red beans and rice recipe is a budget-friendly meal with ingredients that are accessible in most supermarkets. Zesty and nutrient-dense, it’s full of veggies, legumes, and Cajun spices for a delicious plant-based dinner option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked brown rice (use How to Cook Rice or Instant Pot rice)
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 stalks celery
- 1/2 green pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans (3 cups cooked)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley, to garnish
- Hot sauce, to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Dice the onion and celery. Dice the pepper. Mince the garlic.
- In a large saucepan (or dutch oven), warm the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and pepper for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes more; watch the pan to avoid burning the garlic.
- Meanwhile, drain and rinse the red beans. When the vegetables are ready, add the beans, diced tomatoes with their liquid, and vegetable broth. Stir in the cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, 2 bay leaves, kosher salt, and a few grinds of pepper.
- Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Meanwhile, roughly chop the parsley leaves.
- When simmering is complete, remove the bay leaves and serve the beans over rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and hot sauce. Leftovers store 3 to 4 days refrigerated.
Hands down, the BEST red beans and rice recipe! So good, and I’ve made many different recipes for this meal. I serve it topped with cut up scallions and sour cream. Mmm mmm. Thank you for sharing!
This recipe is awesome!! I used Rotel and it was just the right amount of spicy. I also served it with Cilantro Lime Rice and it was great!
This is my favorite RB&R recipe. And I’ve made many. I definitely put my own spin on it, but I use every single ingredient in the recipe, just in varying quantities. I also mix the cooked rice in before serving. It is delicious!
I’ve been making red beans and rice for years and years. Your recipe is, hands down, my favourite! My family loves it too. We add chopped tomatoes atop the finished meal, along with a dollop of sour cream. I also add a few splashes of Cholula sauce. The changes I make: 6 cloves of garlic, double green pepper, double celery, double the beans, double all spices except cayenne (which I use half, as family is sensitive to spicy), double canned tomatoes, and I use red onions. I know it seems like I just double the recipe, but I make the 4 cups of rice, and, after the simmering, I add the rice to the mixture. It’s sooooo good! Thank you for sharing this recipe, and many others I definitely will make…
Thank you!
Can you make the beans in advance and freeze in individual portions? I’m a 1 person household.
Yes!
This was a great recipe, I felt the beans were a little loose after simmering so I smashed some up with a potato masher, worked like a charm. Thanks!
So I know this recipe is old now but I just found it and it’s delicious!
I made it exactly as written and served it with some Impossible sausage. Thank you for posting it!
Started “Meatless Mondays” a few months ago and have been looking for interesting vegetarian options. Happened upon your website and am delighted to tell you that the house if filled with the amazing aroma of this red beans (and rice) recipe. Been simmering for about 30 minutes now and I can already tell this is going to be great. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome! :)