This recipe for Vegan Red Beans and Rice is not an authentic recipe as it is adapted from the hearty, traditional Louisiana Creole red beans and rice. Our family take on red beans and rice features red split lentils and pinto beans cooked with Cajun seasoning and results in a delicious, easy, budget-friendly meal.

Vegan red beans and rice is delicious served with rice, and a large slice of crusty bread or a few of our Home-Made Cornbread Muffins to dip and dunk into the thick tasty homely red beans and lentils.
Origin of red beans and rice
Cajun red beans and rice is a flavourful, hearty dish originating from the Southern United States, mainly Louisiana. This region makes use of many cooking traditions such as French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences. Red beans and rice is prepared by slow-cooking red kidney beans with a mix of vegetables especially onions, bell peppers, and celery, which are known as the "holy trinity" of Cajun and Creole cooking. A variety of seasonings, including cayenne pepper, garlic, and thyme, are often added. Cajun red beans and rice is generally served with white rice and often accompanied by smoked sausage, ham hocks, or andouille sausage.
Using up leftover family dinners
Traditionally, red beans is often prepared on Mondays, as it presents an ideal opportunity to repurpose leftover pork and bones from Sunday dinner. Throughout history many traditional recipes have stemmed from working class people needing to use up leftovers by repurposing them into the next days meal. Other tasty examples include our vegan adaptations of traditional favourites such as this Irish Stew, and these Scottish Stovies, and the Welsh Cawl Soup and Englands traditional Lancashire Hotpot.
Mardi Gras, Pancake Day, Fat Tuesday, & Shrove Tuesday
If your celebrating Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, then a bowl of red beans and rice is the perfect family meal as its a traditional time for red beans and rice. We do have another vegan Mardi Gras recipe for dirty rice that is a popular Mardi Gras street food: Vegan Dirty Rice. Mardi Gras, is a colourful and festive annual celebration held primarily in New Orleans, Louisiana, but is often marked in other parts of the world. It marks the last day of indulgence before the Christian season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is famous for its fancy parades, masquerade balls, and lively street parties, featuring music, dancing, and vibrant costumes.
In the UK, Mardi Gras is not a common holiday but we do have a few parades and events that celebrate Mardi Gras. Also, we do mark Fat Tuesday but we tend to use the other names Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday, and use it as an excuse to consume lots of tasty pancakes. Pancake Day is held on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. The date of Pancake Day varies each year because it is determined by the date of Easter, which is a movable feast. Generally, Pancake Day falls between February 2nd and March 9th in the Gregorian calendar. For an Easy Vegan Pancake recipe check out our family favourite recipe as well as our kids favourite easy vegan Chocolate Chip Pancakes. A pancake or two does make an ideal dessert after a bowl of red beans and rice.
Ingredients
This vegan red bean stew recipe replaces the traditional pork with red split lentils, which not only thicken the stew but also provide lots of umami flavour. The red beans are seasoned with bay leaves, thyme, Cajun [or Creole] seasoning mix, and dried garlic. Soy sauce, red wine vinegar and tomato paste add extra flavour. White long grain rice serves as the perfect accompaniment to this red bean stew, along with one or two homemade cornbread muffins. The recipe includes a simple method for cooking long-grain rice, but do feel free to use a different type of rice and follow package instructions for cooking times.
The ingredients you will need are:
- carrot
- celery
- bell pepper
- onion
- canned or cooked pinto beans (can replace with cooked kidney beans)
- red split lentils
- garlic powder
- Cajun seasoning
- tomato paste/puree
- brown sugar (can use coconut sugar or your usual sugar)
- dried or fresh thyme
- bay leaf
- red wine vinegar (can replace with balsamic vinegar)
- vegatable stock/both
- salt & pepper
To serve:
- long-grain rice
How to prepare
This vegan adaptation of red beans and rice is really easy to prepare. Once the vegetables are sauteed, the flavourings and vegetable stock are added and then cooked for about 30 minutes.


Step 1: Cook the diced carrot, celery, bell pepper and onion in coconut oil or a small amount of vegetable stock.
Step 2: Next stir through the cooked pinto beans, red split lentils, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf, and thyme.


Step 3: Pour in the vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper, then stir thoroughly and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the stew reaches a thick consistency and the vegetables become tender.


Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat, pop a lid over, and allow to sit for 5 minutes before checking the seasoning. Add extra salt & pepper if necessary.


Prepare the rice:
While the red beans stew is simmering prepare the rice. Always check your rice package instructions as the cooking times for your particular rice may differ from our guidance. We used quick cook long-grain rice.
Step 1: Place the long-grain rice in a saucepan, pour in water, season with salt, and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Cover the saucepan with a lid, turn off the heat, and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
Step 3: Finally, fluff the rice with a fork.

Serving suggestion:
Enjoy the red beans and rice with our old-fashioned cornbread muffins and a garnish of fresh parsley. We also have an easy Slow Cooker Steamed Cornbread recipe which results in a very light and tasty cornbread.
Recipe notes
Storage
Leftover red beans can be stored within a covered container within the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftover rice should be cooled quickly and placed in a food container and stored for up to 1 day.
Freezing
Leftover red beans can be frozen for 2-3 months. Rice can also be frozen but do cool the rice quickly and once cooled place it into a suitable container and store in the freezer. Don't leave rice to sit out for hours always cool quickly and keep chilled in the refrigerator or freeze directly after cooling.
Reheating
To reheat leftover red beans, first defrost within the refrigerator if frozen, and then place into a non-stick saucepan. Bring to a simmer and heat until piping hot throughout. A little extra water will likely need to be added to the stew as it will have become very thick due to the lentils continuing to absorb liquid. Just add enough to loosen the sauce.
FAQ'S
Red beans and rice is generally gluten-free, as the main ingredients of red beans and rice do not contain gluten. However, it's essential to check the specific ingredients in your recipe, as well as any seasonings, sauces, vinegars, and vegetable stock or broth to ensure that they are gluten-free as well.
A few ideas:
1. Any variety of rice, including cauliflower or broccoli rice
2. Cajun Dirty Rice [instead of plain rice]
3. Quinoa (see our Chili Recipe for an easy quinoa cooking method)
4. Mashed potatoes or mashed root veggies
5. Baked white or sweet potatoes
6. Potato fries, chips, or wedges
7. Steamed or stir-fried green veggies
8. Roasted veggies
9. Crispy green salad
10.Vegan sausages
11. Vegan coleslaw or potato salad
12. Pickled beetroot or pickled red cabbage
13. Canned jalapenos, fresh sliced chili, or hot sauce
14. Sliced green/spring onions or chives
15. Cornbread muffins (check out the recipe notes for this post as there is a gluten-free vegan cornbread muffin recipe)
16. Crusty bread
17. Garlic bread
18. Quick 3-ingredient dinner rolls
19. Buttermilk plain scones
20. Grits or polenta
21. Fried plantains or yucca
22. Hush puppies
23. Black-eyed peas salad
Traditionally, red kidney beans are used for Cajun red beans however we happened to have canned pinto beans in our food cupboard so that's what we went for. It's your meal, so feel free to use any beans you have on hand or prefer.
More vegan rice & bean recipes
Rice and bean recipes are just so budget-friendly and easy to cook with so we are always creating vegan adaptions of traditional recipes at our home. The main ingredients are usually store-cupboard ones so these types of recipes are great to have as many different meals can be made up often without the need for fresh ingredients although frozen vegetables are perfect for rice and bean recipes. A few of our family favourite rice and bean recipes are this Slow Cooker Rice & Peas and this Vegan Rice-A-Roni and this Mexican Rice & Bean Casserole and this Vegetable & Bean Pilaf. All our recipes use everyday ingredients which are easily subsituted so use whatever vegetables and beans you have to hand.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe

Vegan Red Beans And Rice
Equipment
- Non-stick skillet/large pot with lid
- Saucepan for cooking rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil [or your usual oil, can replace with ½-1 cup of vegetable stock]
- 1 medium carrot [diced small]
- 2 sticks celery [diced small]
- 1 medium onion [diced small]
- 1 medium green bell pepper [diced small]
- 580 grams cooked pinto beans [or kidney beans or Adzuki beans] use about 2½ 400g/14oz cans of beans or cook your own]
- 130 grams dried red split lentils [washed and drained]
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder [or 4-6 garlic cloves, diced/minced]
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning [or Creole seasoning - adjust the amount of this seasoning depending on preferences as some mixes may be very hot so add less or more as liked]
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme [or sprig of fresh thyme]
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste [puree]
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar [or balsamic vinegar]
- 1 litre vegetable broth
Rice: [or follow the instructions on your specific rice package and prepare enough for your meal]
- 1 cup long grain rice [rinsed and drained]
- 2 cups water
To serve, optional
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan or skillet. (Or heat the vegetable stock if using that to replace the oil.)1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the diced carrot, celery, onion and bell pepper. Cook over a low-medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables have softened. They don't have to be completely cooked just softened up a little.1 medium carrot, 2 sticks celery, 1 medium onion, 1 medium green bell pepper
- Next add the lentils, beans, Cajun seasoning, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, thyme, sugar, bay leaf and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well.580 grams cooked pinto beans, 130 grams dried red split lentils, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 2 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are completely soft and the stew is thickened. While cooking give the stew a stir every now and again.1 litre vegetable broth
- Remove the pan from the heat and place a lid over and leave for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, and extra sugar if the spices are too hot.
- Remove the bay leaf and thyme stalk if used. A few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes is a nice addition stirred through before serving or sprinkled over each portion.
While the red beans are cooking prepare the rice:
- Add the rice and water to a saucepan. Season with a little salt and stir.1 cup long grain rice, 2 cups water
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the water has mostly been absorbed and pucker holes appear over the rice. Turn the heat off and place a lid over the pan.Leave for another 10 minutes or until the red beans are ready.
- Before serving the rice, give it a fluff up with a cutlery fork.
Serving suggestions:
- Serve the red beans with the rice and a few home-made cornbread muffins if liked. A dollop of vegan mayonnaise or sour cream is a nice addition, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley or sliced spring [green] onions for a fresh touch.A few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes stirred through the red beans is a tasty addition, as is a few drops of hot sauce for those who love extra spice.chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- The provided nutritional information is for guidance only and should not be considered as an exact calculation, as ingredients may vary. Data includes the rice accompaniment.
- Store leftover red beans in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store leftover rice for up to 1 day.
- For longer storage, freeze the red beans and rice in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months.
- To reheat the red beans, place the leftovers in a non-stick saucepan with a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until piping hot throughout.
- Alternatively, reheat the red beans in a microwave-safe container until it reaches a piping hot temperature, stir frequently during cooking.
- Adjust the spice level of the red beans to suit your taste preferences by adding more or less Cajun seasoning, if your beans are too spicy at the end of cooking add 1 teaspoon of extra sugar and consider stirring through some vegan sour cream or similar.
- For extra spicy flavour, consider adding more Cajun seasoning, a dash of hot sauce, a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, fresh chilli, or smoked paprika to the stew.
- If you're short on time, use pre-cooked canned beans and pre-chopped frozen vegetables [such as a frozen celery, onion and carrot mix] to speed up the cooking process.
- Serve the red beans with a variety of toppings, such as chopped spring (green) onions, parsley, fresh coriander (cilantro), a dollop of vegan mayonnaise, plain yogurt, or creme fraishe, or a squeeze of lime juice for added freshness.
Nutrition
Comments
We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do drop us a comment below. All feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks so much. Jacq x
Lesley says
This worked out very well. I think my Cajun spice mix must be quite mild so I might add a few chilli flake next time but it still had a lovely warm, sweet spiciness to it. I added half a can of sweetcorn that I had in the fridge and this worked well. I will be making this again.
Jacq says
Hi Lesley, I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I'm glad you enjoyed the red beans and rice. I often add sweetcorn as well as it does go nicely. My Cajun spice was quite spicy so I add less but the recipe is easy to adjust to your own spiciness preference. Chilli flakes, hot sauce or fresh chilli should add some more heat. Thanks! Jacq x