Red Beans and Rice Soup 2

By Thom7747

This dish is a great final resting place for your leftover rice, but if you don't have any kicking around, it's simple to make a fresh batch. Just boil up the rice as if it were pasta. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add rice and boil for about 45 minutes (brown rice takes longer than white to cook), then drain it. And since cooked rice freezes well, consider making extra for other meals.

And the kidney beans (the red beans for which the dish is named) are little marvels. They're rich in protein and a terrific source of fiber. In combination with the rice, they will fill you up. Which is why I think of this recipe as a one-dish dinner. Just partner it with a green salad.
By the way, this soup is even better a few days later, and it freezes well. Feel free to add extra chicken broth or water if you would like it to be even soupier.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 9 ounces (3 links) turkey or chicken andouille sausage, diced into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 cups medium chopped yellow onion (about 1 large)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (purchased or use the recipe below)
• Two 15 1/2 -ounce cans low-sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chopped celery (about 4 medium stalks)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green or red bell pepper (about 1 large)
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 Turkish bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1

In a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.

Add the onion to the saucepan and cook until golden. Add the garlic and Creole seasoning and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

While the onion and garlic are cooking, mash 1 cup of the kidney beans with a potato masher or fork, then add them to the saucepan. Add the celery, pepper, remaining whole beans, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the reserved sausage and the cooked rice. Cook until heated through. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories; 50 calories from fat (23 percent of total calories); 6 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 12 g protein; 740 mg sodium.

Creole Seasoning

Start to finish: 5 minutes. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Directions

Combine ingredients. Store in an airtight container up to 6 months.

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