This is the jambalaya I cook up at 1am for my family to get some food in our bellies and sober everyone up. It takes just about thirty-five minutes from start to finish and it turns out absolutely delicious! Red bean jambalaya is my way of making red beans and rice jambalaya. Jambalaya is technically already a rice dish, but using only beans and smoked sausage, you can achieve the jambalaya flavor with beans! Don’t forget to spice things up with Crystal brand hot sauce and sliced green onion. All you need is rice, sausage, canned beans, tomato, and a few spices. How easy is that?

Creole food is one of my three favorite cuisines to cook, so needless to say I’ve been pretty experienced in building Cajun flavors. This is all about using the correct ratio of mirepoix or the three flavor enhancers necessary to achieve the proper flavor. This recipe starts with just those three: celery, green pepper, and onion. These ingredient will get you to a somewhat tasty jambalaya on their own, but won’t take you all the way to incredible. Spices are a big part of enhancing and making a recipe unique, especially in jambalaya or gumbo. Use a trusted Cajun seasoning as a base layer and finish with some classics like smoked paprika and dried oregano.

The reason this is my go-to recipe at 1am is because I ALWAYS have these recipes in my pantry or freezer. The only fresh ingredients you need are onion, pepper, and celery. Do yourself a favor for the next time you want to whip up something Creole, cut up all your extra onions or peppers (especially if they’re going bad), then freeze them in a Ziplock bag and you’re ready to make this whenever.

I love jambalaya day because those flavors just warm me up inside. This is one of those recipes that makes A LOT of rice, so be prepared to have this next day or plan to repurpose the leftovers to make fried rice balls like arancini or heat up with a fried egg on top. You will love this recipe and so will everyone you make it for.