Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Enjoy this slow-cooked bean and rice dish that is nutritious and packed with flavor.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 271kcal
Equipment
- Minimum Slow Cooker size: 5 quarts
Ingredients
Beans and Rice Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3/4 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- kosher or sea salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons freshly snipped thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 30 ounces dark red kidney beans canned
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium, fat free
- 2 cups long grain brown rice uncooked
Sausage Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken 93% works well
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
For the Sausage
- Place all the above sausage ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly until well blended. Make into small meatballs, about 1/2". Refrigerate while veggies are cooking.
For the Beans and Rice
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium-low, add onions, bell pepper and celery, sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add sautéed onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, stir to combine.
- Add sausage meatballs and stir gently, cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Recommend 4-6 quart slow cooker.
- Separately, cook brown rice according to the directions on the package.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve sausage meatballs and beans over a bed of brown rice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 150mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 6