Red beans with homemade sausages and hot paprika
On a weekend day, I found a pack of dried red beans and some homemade sausages left over from Christmas in the pantry. Together with some simple vegetables, I whipped up this dish of red beans with sausages and hot paprika. The result is thick, tasty, and filling. It's the kind of meal you can leave in the oven while you get things done around the house.
Quick Info
Total Time: 2 hours (including boiling the beans and cooking in the oven)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy to medium
Ingredients
500 g dried red beans
3 homemade sausages (approx. 400-500 g)
3 red onions
1 carrot
3-4 sun-dried tomatoes (canned or jarred)
100 g thick tomato paste or puree
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon hot paprika
2 cups of water (approx. 500 ml)
1-2 tablespoons oil (I use the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes if I have it)
Salt (to taste)
(optional) Pepper or dried thyme, to preference
Preparation Method
1. Sort and rinse the red beans well in a few cold waters to remove impurities and dust. Soak in cold water overnight if you have time; otherwise, you can boil them directly – it will just take a bit longer.
2. Place the beans in cold water to boil. When it comes to a boil, drain the water, rinse the beans, and put them back in the pot with clean water. Continue boiling until the beans are almost cooked but not mushy (about 50-60 minutes, depending on the beans).
3. While the beans are boiling, place the whole sausages in a heat-resistant tray and bake them in the oven at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until browned. There's no need to prick or cut them now.
4. Peel and finely chop the onion. Grate the carrot. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into cubes or strips.
5. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and let them soften for a few minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
6. When the sausages are browned, take them out of the oven, let them cool for 3-4 minutes, then slice them into thick rounds (about 1.5-2 cm).
7. Place the sausage rounds over the vegetables in the skillet and let them sizzle together for 2-3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
8. Add the tomato paste or puree and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir. Check the salt, but don’t overdo it, especially if the sausages are salty.
9. When the beans are cooked, drain them. Place them in a clay pot or a thick pot suitable for the oven. Top with the sausage and vegetable mixture, bay leaves, and hot paprika. Add the second cup of water if you want more sauce.
10. Mix everything, cover the pot (with a lid or foil), and bake in the oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes. If you don’t have a clay pot, a regular tray will also work. At the end, leave uncovered for 5 minutes if you want the sauce to reduce.
11. Serve hot, with pickles or a simple cabbage salad.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
It’s the kind of dish that holds up well the next day. It works for lunch or dinner, is filling, and easy to adapt with what you have in the fridge. Red beans are creamier than white beans and hold up well to cooking, while homemade sausages give a more pronounced flavor than any ordinary smoked meat.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Do not boil the beans with salt from the beginning, or they will toughen. Add salt only towards the end when they are almost cooked.
- Skim off the foam that forms on the surface of the water at the beginning of boiling.
- If using very fatty sausages, drain some of the fat after browning them to avoid a heavy dish.
- If using very salty sun-dried tomatoes, adjust the salt at the end.
Substitutions
- Red beans can be replaced with dried white beans, but they won’t have the same color and creaminess.
- Homemade sausages can be replaced with cabanos or any high-quality smoked sausage.
- Sun-dried tomatoes can be omitted or you can use canned diced tomatoes, but the flavor will be less concentrated.
Variations
- You can add chopped bell pepper to the vegetables for extra flavor.
- A pinch of dried thyme or a bit of crushed garlic goes well if you want a more intense flavor.
- If you want a richer dish, you can also add a few small pieces of smoked bacon.
Serving Ideas
- With assorted pickles, especially cucumbers or green tomatoes.
- Freshly shredded cabbage salad, drizzled with vinegar.
- Dark bread or simple polenta.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use canned red beans?
Yes, but add them only at the end, as they don’t need to be boiled. Add them when you put everything in the oven dish, reducing the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.
2. Can it be made without sausages, for a vegan version?
Yes, omit the sausages, use more vegetables (like celery or bell peppers), and add more tomato paste.
3. If I don’t have a clay pot, what can I do?
It can be made in a stainless steel or enamel tray or any pot that can go in the oven. It won’t drastically affect the texture.
4. Can I freeze the dish?
Yes, after it cools completely, portion it into containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator.
5. If I only have sweet paprika, not hot, what should I do?
Use sweet paprika and add a bit of dried hot pepper or chili flakes if you want to keep a little heat.
Nutritional Values (estimated for 1 serving, for 4 servings)
Calories: 430-470 kcal
Protein: 24-28 g
Fat: 14-20 g (depending on the sausages)
Carbohydrates: 50-55 g
Fiber: 10-13 g
Beans are high in fiber and protein. Sausages add protein and fat. The content may vary depending on the type of sausages and how much oil you use.
Storage and Reheating
It keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. When reheating, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking or drying out too much. It can be heated in the microwave or on low heat in a pot.
This is my basic recipe. It’s practical, filling, and uses simple but flavorful ingredients.
I cleaned the beans of impurities, washed them in plenty of water, and put them to boil. They cook quite quickly. In the meantime, I placed the sausages in a heat-resistant dish and put them in the oven at high heat. I cleaned the onion and carrot and washed them. I chopped the onion finely, and grated the carrot. In a pan, I added a bit of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, added the onion, carrot, and diced tomatoes. I let them sauté for a few minutes. I set it aside. After they were done, I took the browned sausages out of the oven, sliced them thickly, and placed them over the onion. I let it sizzle for a bit, then added the tomato paste and a cup of water. I let it cook for about 5 minutes and set the pan aside. After the first boil, I strained the beans and put them to boil again in another water. Once they boiled, I placed them in a clay pot, added the sausages, a few bay leaves, and hot paprika, and a cup of water. I put it in the oven for about 30 minutes at medium heat. I served it with pickles! It’s crazy, I swear! The ingredients cost approximately 14 lei. It goes perfectly with pickles or cabbage salad.
Ingredients: 500 g dried red beans, 3 homemade sausages, 3 red onions, 1 carrot, 3-4 dried tomatoes from a can, 100 g tomato paste, bay leaves, 1 tsp hot paprika, 2 cups water
