This red beans and rice casserole is Andouille sausage, onions, green bell peppers, celery, and garlic mixed with Vigo brand Authentic Red Beans & Rice and baked to perfection in the oven. Top with your favorite hot sauce and you have a quick and inexpensive version of the famous New Orleans Monday tradition that your family will love.
During the colder months when we are stuck indoors, it’s easy to put a pot of red beans on the stove and let it simmer all day until I need to pick the boys up at school. Now that it’s warmer, it’s usually Blue Runner beans, a slow cooker recipe, or something out of the box (or bag in this case).
Once upon a time, I tried cooking red beans on the stove and we went to the store while it simmered. Now keep in mind, this was back when I was still learning to cook and work my way around the kitchen. I thought jello raised for-god’s-sake! But that story is for another time.
Picture it. My city. 2010-ish. It was a Monday. Probably during the summer since my wife’s a teacher. We were walking around Kohl’s with a prized 30% coupon we received in the mail and more than likely some expiring Kohl’s cash that we had to use before we’d lose it. There’s nothing worse, right?
Usually, we split up. She strolls through her sections while I cruise through the kitchen gadgets and clearance sections; this time we walked together through the clothes. She stopped. She looked at me. I knew immediately that I was in trouble.
“You did shut the stove off, right?”
“No. I’m cooking red beans,” I reminded her with a weak chuckle.
She may have yelped out or something but a panic washed over her face.
“What do you mean!?!”
“I mean they are slow cooking. Simmering really. It’s on so low it’s nothing.”
“It’s nothing?!?”
More awkward laughter from me.
I don’t remember buying anything or being in the store much longer after that. All I know is that when we got back home, the house smelled amazing; but when I stirred the beans, most were scorched to the bottom of the pot. So, not only did we lose out on that Kohl’s cash and a coupon, the pot of beans was ruined.
Lesson learned: no more stovetop red beans and rice if we have plans.
The amount of times that I cook red beans during the summer drops greatly. The kids are out of school and my wife is off so they want to be outside doing stuff. We have the family cottage up north to use along with the boys playing little league baseball; then, I work more evenings in the summer so there’s no use in making something big.
However, one easy and quick way to have red beans is using one of the simple boxed versions.
The bag is simply rice, dehydrated red beans, dehydrated vegetables (red and green peppers, and onions) and some seasonings and preservatives. They suggest the ‘Big Easy‘ recipe by adding some smoked sausage or smoked ham to the pot, but I went further than that.
I hope you enjoy this Vigo Authentic Red Beans and Rice Casserole. Be sure to let us know what you think of it in the comment section below!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lbs Andouille sausage cut into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 package 8 ounces Vigo Authentic Red Beans and Rice mix
- 2 ½ cups water
- hot sauce served at the table
- green onions chopped for garnishment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onions, green bell pepper, and celery until tender; about five minutes. Add Andouille sausage and minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the Vigo Red Beans and Rice mix with 2 ½ cups of water.
- Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the Vigo Red Beans and Rice mixture and the trinity and sausage mixture in the baking dish. Be sure to stir together so the mixtures are well combined. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 mins.
- Remove foil, stir, and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. By this point, the rice should be tender and the liquid is absorbed. If not, place in the oven uncovered and cook 5 minutes.
- Fluff the red beans and rice with a fork; allow to sit for 5 minutes. Serve this Vigo Red Beans and Rice Casserole garnished with sliced green onion and topped with your favorite hot sauce! Don't forget the warm French bread or cornbread! Enjoy!
How Do I Make the Vigo Authentic Red Beans & Rice Casserole?
I hope you enjoy this Vigo Authentic Red Beans and Rice Casserole. Be sure to let us know what you think of it in the comment section below!
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Keep the red beans cookin’!
Eric
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
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