Even picky eaters will enjoy this quick, tasty recipe and it's a perfect use for leftover beans and leftover rice. In traditional recipes for red beans and rice, the beans cook for hours in a savory liquid. But you save time and pack plenty of flavor into your red beans and rice with canned or precooked beans. Andouille sausage is traditional, but any variety of sausage will work. You can even use multiple varieties of sausage for layers of flavor. As the flavors come together, this dish keeps well, and it may be even tastier the second day!

Total time: 50 minutes | Prep time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil, such as olive or sunflower
  
• 1/2 pound sausage links, sliced and precooked
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 2 cups red beans, canned or cooked
• 2 cups rice, precooked
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or more, to taste
• Hot sauce to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium-size skillet heat the vegetable oil. Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery,  garlic, salt and sage. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. 
   
2. Add the red beans, rice, and Worcestershire. Continue cooking on medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly, until the beans and rice are heated through. Add hot sauce and additional Worcestershire if desired.