The slow cooker is the simplest way to make red beans and rice since it does all the work for you!

Tender and creamy red beans are slow-cooked with seasonings, smoked sausage, and leftover holiday ham for a delicious and hearty dinner.

When we say this is the easiest way to make red beans and rice, we are not kidding. Slow cooker recipes are the best because you can "set it and forget it" until it's time to eat!

It really makes dinner stress-free when you're busy but still want to prepare something homemade and healthy for your family.

Just like our slow-cooker white chicken chili verde or slow-cooker white beans and ham, these Cajun-style red beans turn out perfect every time!

Ingredients

dried red kidney beans: In this recipe, we use dried kidney beans because the slow cooker is great for cooking beans from scratch without needing to stand over the stovetop for hours. You can substitute dried beans with 4 cans of drained and rinsed kidney beans, adjusting the cooking time to 4-6 hours on LOW.
smoked sausage
smoked ham shank (or ham hock): If you don't have leftover holiday ham, you can use a smoked ham shank from the meat department at the grocery store.
aromatics: Bell pepper, onion, celery - the Louisiana trinity!
seasonings: salt and pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme. Consider using onion powder, garlic cloves, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and bay leaves in your red beans and rice recipe to add more spice.
chicken broth: Using chicken stock or chicken broth will add flavor but can be replaced with water.
steamed white rice: You can swap white rice for brown rice, cauliflower rice, or skip it altogether.

How to make slow cooker red beans and rice

Step 1: Boil the beans for 10 minutes

Sort and rinse the beans to remove any small stones. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the kidney beans for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the beans and then place them into the slow cooker liner.

Red beans and rice ingredients in the slow cooker.

Step 2: Slow Cook

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Step 3: Stir and prepare the rice

When it's time to serve, cook the white rice according to package directions.

Red beans and rice in a bowl with a spoon and a napkin.

Step 4: Serve

Give the beans a stir and serve over the steamed white rice with a side of homemade cornbread or sourdough ciabatta rolls.

Do kidney beans need to be boiled before slow cooking them?

Kidney beans must be boiled for 10 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker to ensure that the lectin in kidney beans is destroyed. This lectin can cause vomiting and illness, and even on HIGH heat, the slow cooker does not get hot enough to eliminate it.

Slow cooker red beans and rice in a bowl on a table.

How to Store

Leftover crockpot red beans and rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want them to last longer, freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.

more slow cooker recipes

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken

Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze

Slow Cooker White Beans and Ham

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