Cajun/Creole · main

Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice

Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice reads allium 4.7, richness 4.5 and umami 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Cajun/Creole main, about 1 hr 2 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 4.7 · Richness 4.5 · Umami 4.5 · Salinity 4.1 · Heat 3.0 · Sweetness 2.8 · Smoke 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Earthy 2.1 · Sourness 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Fruity 1.4 · Bitterness 1.2 · Nutty 1.0 · Floral 0.9

What's in it (16)

• long-grain white rice — 266 g
• olive oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• green bell pepper — 100 g
• celery — 80 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• smoked paprika — 10 g
• thyme — 1 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• bay — 2 g
• red kidney beans — 1276 g
• vegetable broth — 710 g
• salt — 5 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g
• green onions — 220 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 2 min (1 hr active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 191.2 kcal, 10.9 g protein, 1.4 g fat, 36.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Combine the rinsed rice with 2 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 16-18 minutes. Keep covered off the heat while you make the beans.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, 6-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices smell toasty, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the bay leaves, kidney beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are heated through and the liquid has thickened slightly, 25-30 minutes.
6. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of the bean mixture, mash it with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth, and stir it back into the pot. This is what gives the beans their creamy body without any meat. Continue simmering uncovered until the whole pot is thick and glossy, 5 minutes more.
7. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the salt and the butter until the butter melts and coats the beans in a glossy sheen; taste and add more salt if needed.
8. Fluff the rice with a fork and divide among bowls. Ladle the red beans generously over the rice and scatter with the sliced green onions.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Cajun Vegetable Gumbo with Okra and Tomatoes — Cajun/Creole
• One-Pan Turkey Taco Skillet — Tex-Mex
• Tex-Mex Chicken Stew — Tex-Mex
• Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole
• Vegetarian Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole

Keep reading: what allium, richness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.