This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Mini slow cooker red beans and rice, made for one from scratch with dried beans, smoked sausage, and Creole seasoning. Everything cooks hands-off for one rich, incredibly delicious bowl.
Featured Comment
“I had this for dinner last night. Sorry, no picture. I ate it all! So wonderfully, fabulously delicious and easy…”
– Sharon
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Equipment: 1.5-quart slow cooker
- Cook Method: Slow cooker (crockpot)
- Servings: 1 hearty serving, or 2 smaller portions
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Smoky and savory with a mild Creole heat
A full bowl of red beans and rice, scaled down to cook for one in a mini crockpot while you go about your day.
Why You’ll Love This Mini Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice
A good bowl of red beans and rice is pure comfort: smoky sausage, soft beans, and rice that soaks up every bit of the Creole-seasoned sauce. I grew up on it in New Orleans, where it showed up on the table week after week, and it still tastes like home to me.
This is my family’s recipe, scaled down from a pot that feeds 8 to 10 to a single bowl in a 1.5-quart mini crockpot. It’s made from scratch with smoked sausage you can find at any grocery store, and once the beans go in, the crockpot does the rest.
When it’s ready, I stir in a little butter and spoon the beans over hot rice. Every spoonful is rich and just spicy enough, the kind of bowl I could eat any night of the week. Serve it with small batch cornbread or a slice of warm French bread, and if you want to keep cooking your way through Louisiana, try a bowl of Jambalaya for one or Seafood Gumbo for one, then finish with a single serving of Bananas Foster.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look
- Why You’ll Love This Mini Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice
- Ingredient Notes
- Recipe Variations
- How To Make Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice
- How To Safely Cook Dried Red Beans In A Slow Cooker
- Expert Tips
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Mini Slow Cooker Recipes
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Mini Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Every ingredient in this crockpot red beans and rice earns its spot, and most are pantry and grocery-store staples. If you have any left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder for ways to use them.
Dried red kidney beans: These are the base of the dish. Red kidney beans hold their shape through the long cook and turn creamy inside, and as they soften they release starch that gently thickens the sauce. I use dried beans for the best texture and flavor, though canned work too, which I cover in the variations below.
Smoked sausage: This is the smoky, savory backbone of the pot. As it cooks low and slow, the sausage renders its fat and smoke into the beans and broth. Back home in New Orleans I’d reach for andouille, but it isn’t on every grocery shelf, so I call for smoked sausage instead, which is easy to find and a little milder. Any leftover sausage is good in Bangers and Mash for one or Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers for one.
The trinity, onion, celery, and bell pepper: These three vegetables, along with garlic, are the base of Creole and Cajun cooking. As they slowly soften in the crockpot, they build the savory depth that carries the whole dish. Use up what’s left in Shrimp Creole for one or Crawfish Pasta for one.
Creole seasoning: This blend does the heavy lifting on flavor, with paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powder, and dried herbs in one scoop. Use your favorite store-bought brand or make a small batch of homemade Creole seasoning so you can control the salt and heat.
Hot sauce and thyme: A little Louisiana hot sauce adds brightness and a low background heat, and dried thyme brings the earthy, herbal note that runs through Creole cooking.
Chicken broth: The beans cook in broth instead of water so they take on flavor from the start. I call for low-sodium broth so you can season to taste at the end. Vegetable broth makes the dish vegetarian.
Butter: Stirred in at the very end, a little butter melts into the sauce for a richer, rounder finish.
Rice: Cook the rice separately and spoon the beans over the top so the grains stay distinct. Long-grain white rice is traditional, and here’s how to make a single serving of rice if you need it.
Recipe Variations
A few easy swaps let you change the sausage, beans, rice, or serving size of this crock pot red beans and rice.
Change the Sausage: Andouille is the traditional New Orleans choice and brings more spice and smoke; use the same 1 cup sliced (about 4.5 ounces). For a milder pot, use kielbasa. For a leaner, higher-protein version, use turkey or chicken sausage. To make it vegetarian, use a plant-based smoked sausage and swap in vegetable broth.
Use Canned Beans: To skip the soaking and boiling, use canned red kidney beans, which are already cooked. Drain and rinse one 15-ounce can (about 1½ cups), and reduce the cook time to 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW.
Swap the Rice: Serve the beans over brown rice for more fiber, or over cauliflower rice to keep it low carb. Use the same 1 cup cooked.
Make It for Two: To serve two, double every ingredient and use a 3-quart slow cooker. Check the beans for tenderness before serving.
How To Make Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice
Here’s how to make red beans and rice in a mini slow cooker. You’ll find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Prep and boil the beans. Rinse the dried red kidney beans and pick out any broken ones or debris. Put them in a bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water, and soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse, then move the beans to a saucepan with fresh water an inch or two above them. Bring to a full boil and cook for at least 10 minutes. Drain, rinse once more, and add the beans to a 1.5-quart slow cooker. This boil is a food-safety step, and I explain why below.
- Add everything else. Put the sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic on top of the beans. Add the Creole seasoning, hot sauce, and thyme, then pour in the chicken broth. Stir well so the seasoning spreads through evenly.
- Slow cook until the beans are tender. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beans are soft all the way through. Start checking about an hour before the end. Once the beans are tender, switch the cooker to WARM if you’re not ready to eat.
- Season, finish, and serve. Taste the beans. Slow cooking softens spices, so add more Creole seasoning or hot sauce if you want. Stir in the butter until it melts into the sauce, then spoon the beans over hot cooked rice.
For a faster version, try our Stovetop Red Beans and Rice for one, which simmers in about an hour on the stove instead of hours in the slow cooker.
How To Safely Cook Dried Red Beans In A Slow Cooker
Yes, it’s safe to cook dried red beans in a slow cooker, as long as you boil them for at least 10 minutes first. Raw red kidney beans contain a natural compound called phytohaemagglutinin, and a slow cooker on its own doesn’t get hot enough to break it down. Boiling the beans before they go in takes care of it.
Here’s why that step matters. Raw or undercooked red kidney beans can cause severe vomiting and stomach upset because of this natural toxin. While the toxin is destroyed by boiling at 212°F for 10 minutes, scientists recommend a full 30 minutes so the beans stay hot long enough to be thoroughly safe. A slow cooker usually reaches only about 167°F, which is not hot enough to break down the toxin on its own, so the stovetop boil is what makes the dish safe.
I used to add dried beans straight to the slow cooker, but once I understood how the bean toxin works, I updated the recipe to boil them first.
Here are two safe ways to prepare the beans for this recipe:
- Soak and boil (recommended): Rinse the dried beans and remove any broken ones. Soak overnight, at least 5 hours, then drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water in a saucepan and boil the beans. The toxin is destroyed at 10 minutes, but scientists recommend boiling for 30 minutes to be thorough. Then add the beans to the slow cooker.
- Use canned beans (easiest): Canned red kidney beans are already cooked, so they are safe to use straight from the can. Drain and rinse, then reduce the cook time to 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW.
Expert Tips
Use a 1.5-quart slow cooker: This recipe is sized for a small 1.5-quart slow cooker, which keeps the beans and broth at the right depth to cook evenly and stay saucy. I also tested it in a 2-quart slow cooker and it works well, so either small cooker is fine. Avoid a full-size pot, where the shallow layer cooks unevenly.
Start with fresh dried beans. Dried beans that have sat in the pantry for more than a year can stay firm no matter how long they cook. Buy them somewhere with good turnover and use them within a year so they soften properly.
Mash some of the beans for a creamier sauce. Near the end of cooking, press a couple spoonfuls of the softened beans against the side of the cooker and stir them back in. The starch they release thickens the liquid into the creamy texture red beans and rice is known for.
Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Hours in the slow cooker mellow the Creole seasoning and hot sauce, so they taste milder than they did going in. Taste at the end and stir in a little more of either to bring the flavor back up.
Troubleshooting
If your slow cooker red beans and rice isn’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues like watery beans, beans that stay hard, or a dish that’s too salty.
Why is my Red Beans and Rice too watery?
Simmer the beans uncovered on the stovetop for a few minutes to thicken them. Move the beans to a saucepan and simmer over low heat until some of the liquid cooks off. For a creamier, thicker sauce, mash a few of the beans against the side of the pan and stir them back in. The starch they release thickens the liquid into the texture red beans and rice is known for.
Why are my beans still hard after slow cooking?
Keep cooking them, since firm beans usually just need more time. Give them another 30 to 60 minutes on HIGH and check again. Beans that won’t soften no matter how long they cook are usually more than a year old or were cooked in very hard water, so start with fresh beans and, if your tap water is hard, use filtered water next time.
Why is my Red Beans and Rice too salty?
Stir in a splash of unsalted broth or water, then serve over extra rice to balance it. Smoked sausage, Creole seasoning, and broth all add salt, so the dish can taste salty when your sausage or seasoning blend runs high. A little more broth softens it, and an extra spoonful of rice per bowl soaks up the seasoning. Low-sodium broth and a lightly salted sausage keep it in check next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, canned red kidney beans work well and skip the soaking and boiling since they’re already cooked. Drain and rinse one 15-ounce can, about 1½ cups, and reduce the cook time to 2 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW.
Andouille is the traditional New Orleans choice and adds the most smoke and spice. I call for smoked sausage instead because it’s easier to find and a little milder, and turkey, chicken, or plant-based sausage all work too.
Red beans and rice is filling enough to be a full meal, but it’s often served with a Southern side. Cornbread is the classic pairing, and sautéed green beans or a tangy vinegar coleslaw both cut through the richness of the beans.
Yes, double every ingredient and use a 3-quart slow cooker.
Separately. Cook the rice on its own and spoon the beans over the top so the grains stay distinct instead of turning soft in the sauce.
Up to 4 days, stored in an airtight container. Keep the beans and rice in separate containers so the rice doesn’t absorb the sauce and turn soft.
Reheat it on the stovetop over low heat, stirring in a splash of broth or water to loosen the beans. You can also microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each.
More Mini Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for more small slow cooker recipes for one? Each of these is scaled down to a single serving.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: Best Slow Cooker Size For One Person
If you’ve made this red beans and rice, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Snapped a photo? Tag us on Instagram; we’d be thrilled to see your creation!
Mini Slow Cooker Red Beans And Rice
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried red kidney beans (about 3 oz)
- 1 cup sliced smoked sausage (about 4.5 oz / ¼ lb)
- 1 celery stalk – chopped
- ½ cup chopped onion (about 2.5 oz)
- ¼ cup green bell pepper – chopped (about 1 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- ½ teaspoon Creole seasoning (use homemade Creole seasoning or your favorite brand.)
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
To serve
- 1 cup cooked rice
Instructions
- Rinse the dried red kidney beans and remove any broken ones or debris.
- Put the beans in a bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water, and soak overnight.
- In the morning, drain and rinse the soaked beans.
- Transfer the beans to a saucepan, cover with 1 to 2 inches of fresh water, and bring to a rolling boil.
- Boil the beans for at least 10 minutes, then drain and rinse them again.
- Add the beans to a 1.5-quart slow cooker, along with the sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic.
- Stir in the Creole seasoning, hot sauce, and thyme, then pour in the chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beans are soft all the way through. Start checking about an hour before the end.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the butter until it melts into the sauce. For a creamier sauce, mash a few beans against the side of the cooker and stir them in.
- Spoon the beans over hot cooked rice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is way tardy as it’s the 4th or 5th time I’ve made this recipe. I love the flavor, but there is more liquid than I prefer. It still gets five stars for ease of preparation and flavor.
Joanie, is there any chance you will give us a single serving recipe for porcupine balls? It was one of my favorite comfort foods when I was a child (80 plus years ago) and my children and grandchildren grew up with them, too.
I’m so glad you’ve made it several times and that you love the flavor!
If you’d like the beans a little thicker, you can transfer them to a saucepan and let them simmer on the stove for a few minutes. The extra simmering will help some of the liquid evaporate and thicken the beans to your liking.
And porcupine balls… what a wonderful memory. I love that they’ve been part of your family for generations. I’ll definitely keep that in mind, it sounds like a perfect candidate for a single serving version.
Thank you for the suggestion, Joanie.
I can’t wait for the “pared down” recipe for porcupine balls. It’s that darned one large egg in the larger version that always gets in my way 😉
I can not say enough about your recipes! You have given this 60 year a joy of cooking again!
That means so much to me. I’m really happy to hear the recipes have helped you enjoy cooking again. Thank you for sharing that with me.
I’d like to make this, but need to make it for two. Would I need a larger crock pot?
Yes, if doubling the recipe use a 3-quart slow cooker.
I just made this for a hot day. Came out so creamy and delicious! The difference in recipes I used turkey sausage and a red bell pepper. Everything else was to the recipe.
Terrific recipe. For 2 different takes on this recipe: For soup: put all the ingredients into 1 1/2 cups broth, simmer till done, then serve. For salad, combine all ingredients together and serve with any salad dressing. All versions are YUMMY.
I made this on stove instead of slow cooker. It was delicious! Thank you, Joanie for your recipes. My husband passed away 2 years ago and your recipes have helped me cook good food for myself again. I really appreciate you!
Thank you for the recipe for creole seasoning. I enjoy making my own. Have a wonderful day.
I really enjoy your recipes but I do not own an air fryer or slow cooker as I move around a lot. Can you you give oven or stove top instruction?
Hi Teresa,
Here are the stovetop instructions. Please refer to the recipe in the article for ingredient amounts and other details.
Prep the beans as instructed in the recipe.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the sausage, beans, and the broth. You might need to add additional broth but do not completely cover the beans.
Bring to a light boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
When beans are soft, stir well and mash a few with the back of a spoon.
Joanie
I thank you for these tiny receipe. Couldn’t come at a better time. Love the single serving rice recipe. Alli can say god bless no Moe wasted food. Will be ordering your cook book from Amazon in Dec. I highly recommend this sight
Hi Mary,
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you are enjoying the recipes. I appreciate hearing this so much!
Have a wonderful week.
Joanie
I can cover all that in my Instant Pot! It has a sauté function and a slow cook function in addition to all its other talents. I can boil those beans hard, then reset it it to slow cook, and away I go! Marvelous pot, marvelous recipe! I highly recommend the Instant Pot to my single friends so they aren’t so tempted by a fast-food meal, as it is a one-pot-meal wonder, and now you have done the most wonderful recipes for one, so they will be directed here to your site as well. I look forward to your cookbook! It, along with an Instant Pot, will make wonderful gifts for a new grad! (Yes, ya’ll can make cheesecake for one in it. You’re welcome. 😊)
Hi Barbara,
I love that you used the Instant Pot with this recipe. I haven’t tested it with the IP so I’m happy to hear it worked great for you. Thank you for directing others to our site, that’s so kind of you – we appreciate it so much!
We’re so excited for our cookbook too. Early December 2019 is the date and we can’t wait to see the finished product.
Thanks again for writing.
Joanie
I had this for dinner last night. Sorry, no picture. I ate it all! So wonderfully, fabulously delicious and easy. Thank you, Joanie. Love this dish. Oh, I didn’t soak the beans either and I’m still here to tell you about it. No problems.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for letting me know. It’s one of my favorites too.
Have a wonderful week!
Joanie
I would fuss about using kidney beans but I won’t because it is so hard to find small red beans.If you did find some you can substitute them in recipe. Tony’s is the only way to go tho.
Joanie – thank you for this recipe.
I am low carb so rice is generally not on the menu. That being said, I am going to try this with cauliflower “rice”.
Great idea, Leanne. I try to avoid carbs as much as possible and I just enjoy the beans and sausage. I love your idea to use cauliflower “rice”. I’ll definitely give that a try.
Hi Joanie , Trying your slow cooked beans on rice just one problem, cannot get creole seasoning in UK, have you any suggestions for a substitute please,
Hi John,
The main spices found in creole seasoning are salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano and thyme. I would suggest using any combination of these. In a pinch, I’ve just used salt and pepper, plenty of garlic and a bit of cayenne for heat. Hope this helps a bit.
creole seasoning recipe: 3 tbsp onion powder, 3 tbsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tbsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp white pepper, 6 tbsp paprika, 1/2-1 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your taste), 1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme and 1 1/2 tbsp dried basil. Mix together and store in airtight container or ziploc bag with air squeezed out.
I love all of these single serving recipes and this one looks amazing!
Just made the banana muffins! Awesome! Can’t wait to try other recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins, Vickie! Hope you love the other recipes – thanks for letting me know!
Red beans and rice are a favorite! I love that I can let my slow cooker do the work now!
I will never make red beans and rice any other way. The slow cooker method is the best!
I LOVE this!! Such an incredible meal!! YUM!!
You must have enjoyed so much great food growing up! This looks so good and flavorful, and really comforting, too! Yum!
I love red beans and rice! I love that I can let my slow cooker do the work now!
I’m so in love with this!
I love that you cooked these red beans and rice in the slow cooker! Perfect as a full meal or a side dish.
I love red beans and rice…such a tasty budget friendly meal!
I love slow cooker meals! And honestly, my kids are in the picky phase, so I might as well cook for one so I can try out the things I like.
What a great idea for a quick and easy lunch for one! So delicious!
We love love love red beans and rice! This one dish meal will be perfect for my mom too!
What is the ingredients for the baked rice it just says ingredients but nothing there no quantity or anything. Please
Hi Marion,
Here is the ingredient list and instructions for the rice.
TO MAKE A SINGLE SERVING OF RICE
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white rice
Directions
1. Bring the water, salt and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice.
2. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
3. Simmer for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
Thank you.
Joanie
Mmmm this slow cooker recipe looks so delicious! Definitely saving it to Pinterest for later!
I’m from Louisiana and always do my red beans and rice in a slowcooker and almost exactly like this too! The only difference is I slice and brown my sausage first before I add it to the beans – but putting everything in a slowcooker is so easy! Love that you used Tony’s in your recipe!
I love the idea of recipes for one! This scrumptious red beans and rice dish looks so amazing. I’d love to quadruple your recipe so I can have some leftovers. Yum, yum! Thank you so much for sharing your slow cooker recipe inspiration.
This really sounds good but would like the cornbread for one recipe to go along with it!
Thanks Karen – the cornbread for one recipe is coming to the site very soon. So many readers have requested a cornbread for one recipe and I can’t wait to share it very soon 🙂
I’m always on the hunt for small batch recipes. I can’t wait to try this one out!
I love simple slow cooker meals, but you hardly ever see them making just 1 portion! I’ve got to try this!
I am sooo glad I found this dish for one, I love red beans and rice but don’t cook it because I always make too much. It looks delicious.
This looks incredible & so packed with flavor! I really need to utilize my slow cooker more often. :]