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Lowcountry Red Rice Recipe Easy Comforting Classic for Juneteenth

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A classic Lowcountry Red Rice recipe that honors Southern roots with smoky sausage, spices, and a rich tomato base. Perfect for Juneteenth celebrations or any comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
  • 12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced (or turkey/chicken sausage as substitute)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare ingredients (10 minutes): Dice the onion, green bell pepper, celery, and sausage. Mince the garlic. Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch (optional).
  2. Brown the sausage (5-7 minutes): Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced andouille sausage, cooking until browned and slightly crisp. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
  3. Sauté the vegetables (5 minutes): Add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add tomato paste and spices (2 minutes): Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to blend flavors and slightly caramelize the tomato paste.
  5. Add rice and toast (2 minutes): Pour in rinsed rice, stirring gently to coat each grain with the tomato and spice mixture. Toast briefly to add nuttiness and prevent mushiness.
  6. Pour in broth and add bay leaf (1 minute): Pour chicken broth over the rice mixture and add bay leaf. Stir once gently to combine. Increase heat to high until liquid boils.
  7. Simmer and cover (18-20 minutes): Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer gently. Avoid lifting the lid during this time.
  8. Rest the rice (5 minutes): Turn off heat but keep pot covered. Let rice rest to finish steaming and absorb liquid.
  9. Fluff and combine (2 minutes): Remove bay leaf and fluff rice with a fork. Stir browned sausage back in evenly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

Rinsing rice is optional but recommended for fluffier grains. Avoid stirring rice while simmering to prevent mushiness. Let rice rest covered off heat before fluffing for best texture. Adjust cayenne pepper and sausage spice level to taste. For vegetarian version, omit sausage and increase smoked paprika, use smoked mushrooms or tofu, and substitute vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: Lowcountry Red Rice, Juneteenth recipe, Southern cooking, andouille sausage, comfort food, red rice, easy dinner, smoky rice

Find it online: https://vexifood.com/lowcountry-red-rice-recipe-easy-comforting-classic-for-juneteenth/