Are you looking for a healthy Cajun-inspired recipe that is vegan friendly? Then check out this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice! This flavorful dish is made with a variety of spices & aromatics that are fundamental to Cajun cooking.
This recipe for Cajun black beans and rice is gluten free, vegetarian, egg free, dairy free, nut free, and vegan. This easy meal can be made with only one pot so there is no need to worry about cleaning any extra dishes!
What flavors are most common in Cajun cooking?
Are you wondering how to add some bold Cajun flavor to your home cooked meals? In the next few sections of this article we will discuss some of the most common spices, vegetables, and aromatics that are used to add flavor to Cajun dishes. Many of these ingredients are used in this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice.
First we will discuss the holy trinity of Cajun cooking – the thee vegetables that make up the base of many popular Cajun dishes. After that we will go over some other vegetables and aromatics that are popular in Cajun cooking. Finally, we will discuss the spices that most commonly appear in Cajun seasoning.
What is the holy trinity of Cajun cooking?
Have you ever heard of the holy trinity of Cajun cooking? The holy trinity of Cajun cooking is made up of the three vegetables that are frequently used in Cajun cooking. These vegetables are used in equal proportions to form the base of many popular Cajun dishes. Here are the three vegetables that make up the holy trinity of Cajun cooking.
- Onions
- Celery
- Green bell pepper
Other vegetables & aromatics used in Cajun dishes
Are you looking for more vegetables and aromatics you can use to add even more Cajun flavor to your dishes? Here are some other vegetables and aromatics that commonly appear in Cajun cooking.
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Parsley
- Green onions
What is in cajun seasoning?
What is in cajun seasoning? Paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder are probably the most common spices that are used in Cajun seasoning. There are a few other spices that make frequent appearances as well. Here are some of the most common spices that are used in Cajun seasoning.
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Dried celery flakes
- Dried bell pepper flakes
What is in these Cajun black beans and rice?
What is in this recipe for black beans and rice? Here are all the ingredients in this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice.
- Onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, shallots, and green onion. Onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, shallots, and green onion are all added to this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice. That is a whole lot of veggies! We recommend using a high quality chef’s knife (this is our all time favorite kitchen knife) or a food processor to chop the vegetables so that this step does not take too much time. It is amazing how much time a nice, sharp knife can save you!
- Smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper. Smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper are all used to add flavor to this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice. If you do not own many individual spices you can also use a cajun spice mix.
- Vegetable broth. This rice is cooked in vegetable broth rather than water to give it even more flavor. If you are looking for gluten free & vegan friendly bouillon cubes that are absolutely packed with flavor then we recommend picking up some of these bouillon cubes. The resulting broth tastes just like chicken broth – only without the chicken!
- Hot sauce. A little hot sauce is added at the end to add a little bit of acidity to this dish. If you do not have hot sauce, or if you want to limit the amount of spice in this dish then you can use lime juice or lemon juice in place of hot sauce.
Toppings for cajun black beans & rice
Are you looking for some tasty toppings to put on you cajun rice and beans? Here are some of our favorite toppings to put on cajun rice and beans.
- Avocado. The creamy flavor and texture of avocado serves as a perfect contrast to the bold flavors in this recipe for Cajun black beans and rice. Avocado has the added benefit of being vegan friendly. We recommend topping your Cajun black beans and rice with some mashed avocado.
- Fresh parsley. Fresh parsley is commonly used in Cajun cooking. This recipe for Cajun black beans and rice tastes great topped with a little bit of fresh parsley.
Cajun black beans and rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried rice
- 1 can black beans (15 oz can)
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- vegetable broth (1 - 2 cups depending on they type of rice)
- vegetable oil
Vegetables & aromatics
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 shallot
- 1 stalk green onion
- 2 cloves garlic
Spices
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Dice all of the vegetables and aromatics into small pieces.
- Preheat a medium sized pot over medium heat then add vegetable oil to it. Add the onions and let them cook for 10 minutes. Add the celery, bell pepper, and shallots and let them cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the light green parts of the green onions and let them cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Reserve green parts of green onion and add them when the rice is done cooking.
- Remove the veggies from the pot and set them to the side. Add the rice to the pot and cook it according to the instructions on the package. Replace the water with vegetable broth. The exact amount of vegetable broth and cook time will vary depending on the type of rice that is used.
- Add beans, veggies, spices, and hot sauce to the pot with the rice and mix them well. Heat the rice until the beans are warm.
Notes
Substitutions for Cajun black beans & rice
- Smoked paprika. We use smoked paprika in place of paprika in this recipe because we love the smoky flavor it adds. If you do not have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika in place of the smoked paprika. Smoked paprika generally has a stronger flavor than regular paprika so you might want to play around with adding a little extra paprika.
- Spices. Do you not have many individual spices at your house? Feel free to buy an all-in-one Cajun seasoning to use in place of individual spices.
- Hot sauce. All out of hot sauce? You can replace the hot sauce with another acid such as lime juice or lemon juice. We recommend staring out with more like 1 tsp of juice and adding more to taste if you are using lemon juice or lime juice rather than hot sauce.
Other recipes you will love
Are you looking for another vegan bean recipe with a little bit of a kick to it? Check out this recipe for vegan white bean chili with tomatillos, poblanos, corn, pickled jalapenos and, of course, lots of white beans!
Are you looking for another bean dish that has a little bit of a kick to it? Check out this recipe for Mexican white beans. These creamy white beans are flavored with roasted tomatillos, spicy jalapeños, oregano, cumin, and monterey jack cheese.
