Name: Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound dried red beans, sorted and rinsed; 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes; 1 pound ham, diced; 1 pound smoked sausage, cut in half and sliced (turkey, kielbasa or andouille); 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped onion; 1 cup chopped bell pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; ½ teaspoon ground red (cayenne) pepper; 6 cups water; Rice, cooked

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This delicious recipe for slow cooker red beans and rice is indulgent and simple to make. A great weeknight recipe that everyone will love!

When it comes to making weeknight meals I love to break out the crock pot. It does all the work for me and more than that, it means I don’t have to hover in the kitchen monitoring the process.

If you are looking for ways to make your life easier in the meal prep, planning, and execution stages you need to look into slow cooker recipes and Instant Pot recipes. They are game changers in the kitchen for busy families especially.

Finished slow cooker red beans and rice ready to eat with title across the top.

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I love to use the slow cooker to make recipes like this because they are so simple. There’s about 4 steps to this recipe and a few of them are just throwing everything in and giving it a stir…so get ready for your new favorite recipe!

For those of you who are looking for recipes that are inexpensive to prepare, feed a crowd, and can be served as part of weekly meal plan, this slow cooker red beans and rice recipe fits the bill. The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find as well as family friendly. The flavors are great!

If you enjoy the flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine, try crawfish etouffee.

finished red beans and rice in the slow cooker ready to serve.

How much does this recipe make?

This recipe for slow cooker red beans and rice makes about 6-8 servings and it’s a full meal in one pot so you have less clean up, no worries about preparing a bunch of extra recipes, and this one is easy to put into containers for extra lunches and dinners throughout the week.

finished recipe for slow cooker red beans and rice ready to eat

If you want to make more or less servings you can double the recipe or cut it in half but doubling or cutting the amounts in half. Do this for all ingredients. The cook times remain the same. If I know we will be having a very busy week I make a double batch and then we have this for dinner on a Monday and it’s great for leftovers all week long!

top down look at the finished red beans and rice with sausage ready to serve.

This recipe is also gluten free, you have to keep an eye on additives in your ingredients but you should be able to prepare this one pretty much gluten free without much stress. No major swaps need to happen in order to prepare this one for those who need to eliminate gluten!

close up view of the finished red beans and rice in the slow cooker

What do I need to make slow cooker beans and sausage in the slow cooker?

This recipe uses a variety of simple ingredients to create a delicious meal that the whole family will love. The rice takes on all the great flavors from the meat, beans, and seasoning and the end result is delish!

For this sausage and beans in the slow cooker recipe you will need cooked rice, water, cayenne pepper, white pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. You will also need chopped bell peppers, onions, celery, and canned tomatoes. You will also need diced ham, smoked sausage, and dried red beans.

While that might seem like quite the list it’s some stuff you probably already have on hand and the rest are easily grabbed during your next shopping list. Find the full amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You’ll also find helpful tips, shopping links, and nutritional estimates there as well.

ingredients needed to make slow cooker red beans and rice.

How to make sausage and beans in the slow cooker:

I hope you are ready to have your mind blown…this one is really easy and I swear, once you try it you will be adding it to your meal plans again and again!

Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir to combine.

ingredients being added to the crockpot.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the beans are tender.

cooking red beans and rice in the crockpot.

Taste and adjust the salt to your desired preference.

a scoop of the red beans and rice mixture ready to be served.

Remove the bay leaves. Serve over rice.

Looking for more great ways to use beans in your recipes?!

If you like adding beans to your recipes you will definitely want to check out some of these other options. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and you’ll love finding new and creative ways to use this healthy ingredient!