New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

Prep Time: 10 Min

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ small onion, finely chopped (approximately ½ cup)

1 celery stalk, finely chopped (approximately ¼ cup)

½ green bell pepper, seeded, cored & chopped (approximately ½ cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans or pouches (15.5 ounces each) organic Green Valley Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed

1 link smoked turkey kielbasa, sliced into ⅛” thick half moons (6 ounces)

3 cups water

2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

steamed white rice for serving

for garnish: sliced scallions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and sauté until soft and golden brown, 10–12 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
Add ⅓ of the beans and lightly mash with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until slightly chunky.
Add the remaining beans, sliced sausage, water, hot sauce, salt, thyme and bay leaves to the pot.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Reheat slowly over medium-low.
Serve over steamed rice, garnish with sliced scallions and pass additional hot sauce if desired.