Published: · Modified: by Nisha Melvani, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments
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A deliciously satisfying and budget-friendly main dish or side. This easy Vegan Red Beans and Rice recipe is a healthy version of the traditional Louisiana dish. It's quick to prep, and most cooking time is hands-off. I make this weekly as part of my meal prep. Refrigerate for 5 days, or freeze. The stove top and Instant Pot directions are below.
This is a solid bean recipe worthy of being in your weekly rotation. Serve it with Quinoa Rice for more protein, and embellish it with my 5-Minute Lemon Herb Tahini, or this Healthy Green Goddess Dressing for even more delciousness. Finally, top with pickled red onion for an incredibly healthy and tasty meal.
This healthy vegan version of the classic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice was inspired by this Best Tofu Chili recipe with 35 grams of plant-based protein on my site, as well as this easy 6-ingredient recipe for Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter.
Jump to:
- 👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- 🌶️ Substitutions
- 📖 How to Make Vegan Red Beans and Rice
- ⏱️ How to Make Vegan Red Beans and Rice in an Instant Pot
- 💡 Expert Tips
- 🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
- 🍽 Related Recipes
- 👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Red kidney beans
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Celery
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne
- Bay leaf
- Vegetable broth or bouillon cube
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional)
- Rice and/or quinoa
See the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
🌶️ Substitutions
- Rice - instead of white rice, serve with quinoa rice, farro, brown or red rice, barley, or a different grain of your choice
- Nonspicy - Omit the cayenne pepper and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste instead at the same time as the seasoning.
- Red beans - use adzuki beans or red kidney beans
- Pickled red onion or shallots - add pickled red onion or shallots for a tang
- Sweet potato - add roasted sweet potato at the end for veggies and creaminess
- Vegan sausage - add storebought vegan sausage as desired
For more healthy bean recipes, visit my Vegan Beans Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Vegan Red Beans and Rice
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
Soak dried beans for at least 8 hours or overnight, or use canned beans. Drain and rinse the beans.
Step 2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened.
Step 3. Add the chopped chipotle peppers (if using), thyme, oregano, bay leaves, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Step 4. Add the beans and 5 cups of vegetable broth and stir well. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beans are softened. Stir occasionally and add more broth or water as needed.
Step 5. Mash the beans with the side of a spatula to make them creamier. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper.
For serving: Serve them with a grain of your choice. Top with a green tahini sauce, or green goddess dressing, and pickled red onion or shallots as desired.
⏱️ How to Make Vegan Red Beans and Rice in an Instant Pot
No soaking is required. Rinse the dry beans.
Add ingredients to the Instant Pot.Place the rinsed red beans in the inner bowl of the Instant Pot. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, chipotle peppers (if using), thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and 4 cups of vegetable broth.
Pressure cook the beans.Manually set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 70 minutes (if using adzuki beans cook for 60 minutes). Close the vent to SEAL. Once done, let the pressure cooker steam vent naturally for about 20 – 25 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. The beans will soak up the remaining liquids as they cool. For a thicker sauce, mash some of the beans against the wall of the instant pot bowl with the side of a spatula or fork.
Cook the rice.While the beans are pressure cooking, make the rice according to package directions using at least 1 to 2 cups of dry rice.
💡 Expert Tips
- Equipment: Invest in a basic vegetable chopper to save time. The prep time for this dish is 5 minutes with a chopper.
- For serving, layer the beans over a bed of Quinoa Rice for more protein and vitamins.
- Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce are widely available, inexpensive, and take this dish to the next level. I recommend adding some if you enjoy spice.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
What can you use to thicken red beans and rice?
Mash the cooked beans with a spatula or fork to thicken the sauce or add roasted sweet potatoes and mash, or puree a portion of the beans with an immersion blender.
What are the red beans in red beans and rice?
In the context of the classic Creole dish 'Red Beans and Rice,' the red beans typically refer to small red kidney beans. These beans are kidney-shaped and have a deep red color.
Is Red Beans and Rice healthy?
Red beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. They contribute to satiety, helping you feel full for longer periods and supporting digestive health. They are also rich in nutrients such as iron, potassium, magnesium, and folate.
Including various vegetables in the dish, such as onions, bell peppers, and celery, adds vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, enhancing the overall nutritional content.
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👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
Share yourVegan Red Beans and Ricecreation with me onInstagram. It makes my day to see you recreate my recipes.
I would love it if you would rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Red Beans and Rice
Nisha Melvani
Creamy Vegan Red Beans and Rice. Budget-friendly, perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week. Freezer-friendly, easy, and very tasty.
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Main, Side Dish
Cuisine Vegan
Servings 6 people
Calories 288 kcal
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Ingredients
- 1 lb dry red kidney beans soaked overnight, or 4 (15-ounce) cans
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion small dice
- 1 medium green bell pepper small dice
- 4 stalks celery small dice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce canned, minced, or 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth or 2 bouillon cubes plus 5 to 6 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional for serving:
- Fresh lime juice to taste
- 6 cups cooked rice or quinoa rice
- Pickled red onion
Instructions
For the soaked dry or canned beans: Drain and rinse the beans. Set aside.
Cook aromatics: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened.
Add chopped chipotle peppers (if using), thyme, oregano, bay leaves, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the beans and 5 cups vegetable broth and stir well. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beans are softened. Stir occasionally and add more broth or water as needed. Remove the bay leaves once the beans are done cooking.
Mash the beans with the side of a spatula or fork to make them creamier.
Season the beans with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve them with rice, or quinoa rice. Garnish with chopped pickled red onion as desired.
Notes
- Nutrition info does not include rice.
- To soak dried beans: Add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Equipment: Invest in a basic vegetable chopper to save time. The prep time for this dish is 5 minutes with a chopper.
- For serving, layer the beans over a bed of Quinoa Rice for more protein and vitamins.
- Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce are widely available, inexpensive, and take this dish to the next level. I recommend adding some if you enjoy spice.
- Storage: Refrigerate Vegan Red Beans and Rice in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 1211mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 6mg
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
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Vegan Bean Recipes
- Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
- Cowboy Rice Salad Recipe
- Creamy Butter Beans
- Asparagus Salad Recipe
Reader Interactions
Comments
M
Love this recipe! Was a big hit with non-vegan husband. He requested a batch this week!Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Awww super happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Reply
Maribel Maldonado
Hi, is the same amount of water if I use canned beans?
Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Yes it is, but remember to drain the beans.
Reply
Abby
Do I cook the dish on medium high for 2 hours after covering or lower the temp?
Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Hi! I just update the recipe to include this information. Thank you.
Reply
Josée
Made in insta pot and turned out great!!! Super easy and delicious 🙂Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
So glad it worked out! Thanks for letting everyone know. Feel free to share your method:)
Reply
Sandra
Hi there, do you know what the instructions would be if I made this delicious recipe in my instant pot?
Reply
Angel
Delicious. I omitted the chipotle peppers since I didn’t have any on hand, but added hot sauce to taste at the end. I also made the quinoa rice. What a brilliant way to squeeze in some protein!Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Thank you for leaving a comment. So happy to hear you already made it and enjoyed it! Yes- lots of protein here:)
Reply
Zach
This looks amazing and a perfect recipe to keep in the freezer for the winter. Plus I love any excuse to use my Instant Pot!
I think something might be off in your nutritional facts though as one pound of dry kidney beans alone should be close to 200 calories per serving at 6 servings. Did you maybe mean this makes 8 servings?
Reply
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Thank for pointing this out. The program I used entered it as 1 pound cooked beans instead of 1 pound dried beans! I have now corrected it!
Reply