Go Back
thick reddish-brown kidney beans with sliced andouille sausage and soft diced green pepper, onion and celery spooned around white rice in one plain bowl, with no parsley or garnish
Rachel Kim

Red Beans and Rice Crockpot Freezer Bag

Use canned kidney beans for this dump bag, which skips the boiling step raw kidney beans would need before slow cooking. The sausage is already fully cooked, but the onion, celery and pepper still need the crock's time to soften into the beans. Mash some of the beans at the end so the sauce gets thick enough to sit around the rice. Keep the rice dry and separate until serving day instead of freezing it inside the uncooked bag.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cans 15 oz each red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 12 oz fully cooked andouille sausage sliced into half-moons
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups dry long-grain white rice
  • 2 1/2 cups water for rice

Method
 

  1. Combine drained canned beans, fully cooked sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, paprika, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper in a labeled gallon freezer bag. Remove excess air and seal.
  2. Freeze before slow cooking: lay the bag flat on a tray and freeze for up to 2 months. Keep broth and rice separate until cooking day.
  3. Thaw the sealed bag in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Empty into a 6-quart slow cooker and add broth.
  4. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours until vegetables are tender and the mixture is hot throughout. Mash about 1 cup beans against the side, stir them back in and cook covered on high for 15 minutes.
  5. During the final 30 minutes, bring rice and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a covered saucepan, reduce to low and cook for 15 minutes, then rest covered for 10 minutes.
  6. Divide rice and thickened beans among 6 bowls, distributing the sausage evenly.
  7. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and reheat covered in the microwave, stirring midway, until the beans, sausage and rice reach 165°F.