Hey guys! If you’re a regular reader, you may have noticed a bit of an updated look to my blog. If you’re new here, hello! I decided it was time for a little freshening up. I happened to come across a Bible at Half Price books this past Sunday, and I just fell in love with the colors. It was about the pale turquoise color and chocolate brown that you see in my header and menu bar. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I decided those were the colors I wanted to use here on Healthier Dishes. It’s something I’ve been thinking about changing, but hadn’t been able to decide on a new color. Hope you guys like it as well. Let me know in the comments below! Anyway, on to todays recipe.
This Slow Cooker Andouille and Bean Chili is going to be one recipe you are going to want to have around this Fall and Winter. This spicy chili will fill your tummy and warm you right up on those chilly nights. The slow cooker does all the work for you, so it’s great for busy days.
Oh, and the deliciously thick broth that is created with the beans in the slow cooker is just crazy good. Canned beans are fine, but you just don’t get quite the same yummy broth as cooking them from scratch. Slow cooking dried beans is definitely the way to go for the best flavor. Plus, dried beans are a whole lot more economical!
I cooked mine on high for about five and half hours. If you cook this on low, the cooking time would be about double that. They could be done sooner though, depending on your slow cooker and how old your beans are. The cooking times I’ve seen online and in cookbooks vary. It could be anywhere between 4-5 hours on high and 8-10 hours on low.
I chose to soak my beans overnight. Some people skip this step, but I think it’s an important one. Soaking the beans helps to reduce the amount of phytic acid in the beans. Removing this helps your body to be better able to absorb the nutrients of a food.
I used my favorite brand of 100% grass-fed andouille sausage from Teton Waters Ranch. That’s not a paid advertisement, I just like their products. You can use your own favorite brand of andouille sausage or another type of sausage all together. Andouille sausage can be a little spicy, and I imagine that the heat level may vary with different brands.
Slow Cooker Andouille and Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb . dried pinto beans , soaked for 8 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
- 1 (12 oz) pkg. of fully cooked andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp . ghee or olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper , diced
- 2 medium white onions , minced
- 1 jalapeno , minced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp . smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp . ground cumin
- 1 tsp . oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp . fine sea salt
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 2 cups of water
- Toppings:
- sour cream
- scallions
Instructions
- Drain the soaked beans and give them a rinse.
- In a large skillet, heat one tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and jalapenos to the pan and cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices and let cook for another minute. Place into the slow cooker.
- Stir in the chicken stock, water, beans and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, about 5-6 hours.
Notes
Could be anywhere between 4-6 hours on high and 8-10 on low heat.