Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

It’s not often that I actually use a slow cooker. But, these days, it makes my life so much easier, especially for dishes like this. You kinda just put everything in the slow cooker and walk away. I’ll admit, I left the beans in a little too long. That just means they cooked down and the flavor intensified even that much more. Good stuff. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Slow Cooker Rice & Beans
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of minced onion
1/2 cup of minced bell pepper
1/2 cup of minced celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cans of red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
8-10 cups of vegetable broth
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
2 dried bay leaves
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
1 good pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
cooked white rice, to garnish
scallions, to garnish

Here’s what I did…and you’re going to think this is crazy. I dumped everything into the slow cooker, except the rice and scallions. Then, I turned it on high and walked away for 6-8 hours. When I came back to the beans, they were cooked perfectly. I added a good pinch of salt and pepper and served them over white rice and chopped scallions. That’s it!