Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice

December 9, 2009

I spent 10 years of my life as a vegetarian. I loved being a vegetarian. Even today, I sometimes feel like an icky traitor for eating meat.

I’m aware that I’m weird. Just play along.

I feel a special allegiance to meatless cuisine, and we eat meatless meals often around here.

A few weeks ago, I received a cookbook called Dollars to Donuts: Comfort Food and Kitchen Wisdom from Route 66′s Landmark Rock Cafe from a friend in PR. It’s full of my kind of recipes: simple, healthy, comfortable.

And so delicious.

This beans and rice recipe comes from Dollars to Donuts, and the author explains that they serve it with meat in the restaurant. The recipe is provided for the meaty version, too.

Cajun Style Red Beans and Rice

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 14-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn
3 cups cooked white rice
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream or ranch dressing

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often until onion is soft, 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add seasonings.
Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Mix in beans and rice.
Continue to cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Add water if it looks as if the spices or rice are sticking and burning.
Serve with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream or ranch dressing.

Happily submitted to Ultimate Recipe Swap, Kids in the Kitchen, Friday Feasts, Foodie Friday, What Did You Bake Today?, Food on Friday, and Fight Back Friday

Photo courtesy of noonch on Flickr

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Katie said:

That sounds so good and easy. I'm always looking for good meatless meals. Thanks for sharing!

# 10 December 2009 at 5:14 pm

OnePerfectBite said:

These sound delicious. It looks like a great recipe. I hope you are having a wonderful Foodie Friday.

# 11 December 2009 at 9:28 am

mleewest said:

What a great, meatless recipe–and I love the Cajun spices!

# 11 December 2009 at 10:09 am

Food on Fridays: Clementine Celebration « said:

[...] 1. Kristen (gingerbread with lemon sauce) 2. Hoosier Homemade( Christmas Cookies~ Day 10) 3. Yvonne@ Stone Gable ( Spicy Grown-Up Gingerbread Men 4. K @ Prudent and Practical {Christmas Dog Treats} 5. April@ The 21st Century Housewife Christmas Squares 6. Tara @ Feels like home (cajun style beans & rice) [...]

# 11 December 2009 at 5:10 pm

Kim @ Cheap Chic Home said:

This looks really good. Beans and rice are popular dishes where I live (Tampa, FL), but I've never looked up a good recipe. This one looks very good! (I'm a native Midwestern girl). My daughter has just started eating raw (although not 100%-she's a college student) and likes it a lot.

# 11 December 2009 at 7:19 pm

Kim @ Cheap Chic Home said:

# 12 December 2009 at 3:19 am