Cajun Crockpot Red Beans

These slow-simmered red beans are hearty, meaty and filling. Made low and slow in the crock pot, this recipe layers tender light red kidney beans with silky red beans for the perfect balance of creamy and hearty. Smoky meats, aromatic vegetables, green seasoning, and rich homemade drippings come together to create a thick, soulful pot of beans that tastes like it’s been tended all day. Whether served as a side or spooned over rice, this is the kind of simple, nourishing Southern cooking that brings everyone back to the table.

Ingredients

½ lb light red kidney beans
½ lb silk red beans
6 slices turkey bacon, chopped
6 slices of pork bacon
4–6 oz beef snack sticks, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup of green seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
½–1 tsp salt (add at the end)
4 cups chicken broth or water
Optional use ½ cup to 1 cup of drippings (I use lamb or chicken)
Optional: 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh stemmed thyme, Worcestershire, or hot sauce

Step 1: Boil Beans for 10 Minutes

Bring beans to a hard boil for 10 minutes
Drain and rinse again

Important: This destroys the natural toxin in raw kidney beans.

Step 3: Sauté Meats & Aromatics

In a skillet, cook pork bacon and turkey bacon until lightly crispy
Add beef snack sticks cut into coins and sauté 2–3 minutes
Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and green seasoning → cook 3–4 minutes until softened

This is the beginning stage of deep flavor for your beans!

Step 4: Combine Everything in the Crock Pot

Add boiled beans
Add sautéed meats + vegetables
Add broth, drippings, bay leaves, paprika, pepper, thyme, Worcestershire (if using)

Step 5: Cook

Low: 7–8 hours
High: 4–5 hours
Check on your beans and ADD more chicken broth if the beans expand and are no longer fully covered, BUT not so much liquid that it becomes soupy.
Stir occasionally if you can

Step 6: Finish & Thicken

Taste and then if needed add salt in the last 45 minutes
For extra thickness (Southern-style), mash ½ cup of beans with the back of a spoon and stir back in
Remove bay leaves and stemmed thyme before serving

Tips

Flavor boost: Add a splash of vinegar or hot sauce at the end if desired
Serve with brown rice or cornbread!