This is a dish I make pretty often. It’s quick and easy and the rice stretches it into a number of meals at low cost. I’ve made a few simplifications and will often make it with what I have on hand rather than going to the store for specific ingredients, so it’s not exactly traditional, but it’s quite good.

Ingredients

• Spicy sausage (andouille is traditional, but I often use chorizo)
• Canned beans (“small red beans” or “red kidney beans” are what I typically use)
• White or yellow onion
• Bell pepper (I like a mix of red and green)
• Tony Chechere’s creole seasoning mix (I use the “no-salt” version so I can adjust the spice and salt individually)
• Olive oil
• Rice

Preparation

I use a single wok for the whole preparation, plus a storage bowl which I later use to refrigerate the leftovers.

Heat oil in the pan on medium high heat. Cut sausage lengthwise into quarters, then chop into small pieces. Add to pan and saute in the oil, turning over occasionally, until the meat has developed some color and some of the fat has had a chance to render out. In the meantime, chop onion and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.

Scope sausage out of the pan and into the large bowl, leaving the oil and rendered fat behind. Add onions and peppers into the pan with a few shakes of the creole seasoning mix and saute until the onions have begun to brown.

Return the sausage to the pan and add beans, including their canning water. Rinse the can and add the rinse water to the pan as well. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the beans have softened. Using a spoon, crush a few of the beans against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce.

Adjust seasoning to your taste. Serve in a bowl with the bean mixture on the bottom, and a packed measuring cup of rice up-ended on top.