My Red Beans and Rice is loaded with fresh herbs and veggie sausage, making this dish the Vegan version of Louis Armstrong's favorite dish!

January 7, 2020 Updated May 2, 2021 Jump to Recipe
My Red Beans and Rice is loaded with fresh herbs and veggie sausage, making this dish the Vegan version of Louis Armstrong's favorite dish!
Do you like Creole inspired dishes?
As I mentioned before in my Jambalaya with Tofu Ham recipe, Creole and Cajun dishes are very popular in our house! If I’m not preparing one, we’re probably dreaming of our next visit to The Palace, one of our favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara that serves delicious Creole and Cajun food. (It also happens to have been one of President Reagan’s favorite places to eat!)
I love Jambalaya, but it can take time to prepare. That’s what is so great about this vegan red beans and rice recipe. You get those delicious Creole flavors, but the meal is made and ready to serve in about 45 minutes. Pretty awesome!
And historically, that’s kind of what red beans and rice was all about. Back in the day, Mondays were wash days in Louisiana cultures, so women wanted a really low maintenance meal for Monday nights, a dish they wouldn’t have to think about while getting the wash done. Enter red beans and rice! The women could just let those red beans simmer away without too much thought while getting the laundry done for the week.
My Vegan Red Beans and Rice recipe borrows from the red beans and rice meal idea, but it’s also reminiscent of dirty rice: I like to mix the red kidney beans and rice together, along with veggie sausage, ground beef substitute, and yummy Creole spices. So the white rice in this recipe turns the color of all these delicious seasonings, which is where the term “dirty rice” comes from.
And for anyone unfamiliar with the name “Satchmo,” let me explain.
“Satchmo” was the nickname of the legendary trumpeter and jazz musician, Louis Armstrong. I’m sure you’ve heard Louis’ music, even if you aren’t familiar with his name. (Think “What a Wonderful World.” That’s him!)
Louis’ favorite dish was red beans and rice. So much so that he was known to sign autographs with the phrase
“Red beans and ricely yours, Louis Armstrong.”
How cool is that?!
So this is dish is my tribute to the great Louis Armstrong! I’m sure Satchmo himself wouldn’t have been able to resist a bowl of this vegan red beans and rice! Make it for dinner this week, preferably while listening to some of Louis’ showstopping jazz. (Here’s my favorite Louis Armstrong album [aff. link] if you’re interested in getting better acquainted with his music!)
As you can imagine, the spices are a huge part of what gives this dish it’s amazing flavor!
I use two types of paprika here, good old paprika, as well as smoked paprika. If you’ve never cooked with smoked paprika you’re in for a treat! It truly infuses this dish with a wonderful, smoky sweetness you just can’t get from any other spice. Simply Organic is generally my favorite spice brand, and I absolutely love their paprika [aff. link] and smoked paprika [aff. link].
If you’re in the market for either, I highly recommend going with Simply Organic for both! Here they are on Amazon:
If you want to see Satchmo in action, watch as Louis and Bing Crosby jazz up High Society (1956) [aff. link], a fabulous film that also stars the beautiful Grace Kelly and FRANK SINATRA. Yes, Bing, Louis, and Frank together in one film. You can imagine how great the music is in this one!
This Post Has 10 Comments
Interesting! This recipe is a cross between dirty rice and red beans…I love it! So I lived in south Louisiana for a while, and I absolutely fell in love with everything about that state…the history, the food, the football. You name it! We absolutely love Cajun and Creole recipes around our house, and this one sounds delicious. What a fun way to combine two classic recipes together into one!
Thank you so much David! Louisiana would be such a fun place to live, sounds like you had a blast during your time there! I’ve yet to visit New Orleans, but it is one of the cities at the top of my list!
This is a lovely dish Shannon. Lynne and I do enjoy our beans and rice. And I’m with you totally when it comes to preparing nice and easy healthy dishes when time is short. I’ll have to make this whilst playing my favourite Louis Armstrong tracks! Lovely!
Haha I love that idea Neal! Thank you so much! Can’t go wrong with beans and rice, right? Hope you have a lovely week!
Your Satchmo’s Red Beans with Rice does indeed look mighty tasty and as Satchmo is one of my favorite singers, it’s a must-try in my book. I thinking if old Louie was still around, he’d be singing “What a wonderful world” after eating a bowl of your Red Beans with Rice.
Awww thank you Ron! Such a kind comment. I’m with you, Louis is one of my very favorite musicians. No one sings “What a Wonderful World” quite like Louis!
Oh I love Creole and Cajun food, and don’t make it often enough. Thanks for a good reminder. I’m not vegan, and I wouldn’t mind a little chorizo or andouille in this, though I’m sure it’s fabulous with the substitutes. Happy New Year!
Oh for sure!!! Those would be excellent substitutions! I love classic dishes like beans and rice that are so easily adaptable for many different ways of eating. Thank you so much for commenting Mimi! (And of course, I adore your name!)
How fun was Satchmo’s autograph? I should definitely incorporate my favourite food into mine! This looks fabulous, Shannon. We don’t cook creole food at all but we loved it when we travelled the US, so I will give it a go! Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks so much Katerina! I totally agree, isn’t it fun that Louis made beans and rice part of his signature? I think it speaks to what an awesome and fun guy he must have been!