Vegan red beans and rice from a Louisiana native (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

**Update: since writing this, Goya seems to have changed their ham seasoning, and now it lists meat and dairy as an ingredient. I've found that a combination of Better than Bouillon "no chicken" or veggie, plus liquid smoke works just as well, so I've updated the recipe below.**

Since my husband and I went pescatarian nearly a year ago, I've been working on converting my favorite recipes. Growing up in Louisiana, I was always picky about my red beans and rice. My recipe is inspired by my favorite red beans ever, at The Chimes in Baton Rouge. The beans are tender and creamy, the flavor rich, smoky, and porky. Cajun recipes have been a special challenge to vegetarianize, since they usually involve a lot of meat, particularly pork. I recently found a secret weapon: Goya Ham flavored concentrate. This stuff is a ham bouillon that actually does not contain any meat products but tastes just like ham! You can buy it in a lot of grocery stores in the Latin foods section or for cheap on Amazon. Ok, this stuff is not exactly natural--it is mostly artificial flavors, but I'm fine with using it in moderation, especially considering the original version of this recipe involved smoked sausage, which has lots of cholesterol, saturated fat, and, depending on the brand, artificial flavors anyway.

In addition to the Goya seasoning, I have a couple of other special ingredients to take this over the top. Tony Chacheres Cajun seasoning is the seasoning salt that everyone in Louisiana uses for everything. You can buy it in most grocery stores. It's cheap, it will last forever, and you will find yourself using it on everything.

Liquid smoke is a great way to add smoky, meaty flavor naturally without meat products. I also add diced tomatoes and a little apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten it up with some acidity. You don't actually taste the vinegar, but it balances out the rich, earthy flavors nicely. Don't add acidic ingredients until you're finished cooking, because acidity early in the cooking process will toughen the beans and make them take longer to cook. I think one of the most important things about cooking red beans is cooking them long enough that the beans start to break down and make the sauce creamy. 

Vegetarian Red Beans 
4 T butter or oil
1 large onion, diced
2 (1/2 lb) Tofurky Andouille sausages or Field Roast vegan chipotle sausages, sliced, optional
4 stalks celery, diced
2 bell peppers, any color, diced
1 T minced garlic

2 t Better than Bouillon "no chicken" or veggie flavor

1 t liquid smoke

1 3/4 t Tony Chacheres Cajun seasoning
2 t Worcestershire sauce (use the vegan kind if desired)
1 bay leaf
1 lb red kidney beans, soaked for 8 hours or overnight
3 cups water
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 T apple cider vinegar (optional)

Garnish:
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
Tabasco Sauce

Serve with brown or white rice. 

Instant Pot instructions 
Saute sausage and veggies until caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes and vinegar. (Acidic ingredients slow bean cooking time, so add them after cooking.) Set Instant Pot to Beans/Chili 38 minutes. When cooking is complete, quick release. Add diced tomatoes and vinegar (if using). The texture should be thicker than a stew. If necessary, add water to thin or let stand to thicken. 

Stovetop instructions
Saute sausage and veggies until caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except tomatoes and vinegar. (Acidic ingredients slow bean cooking time, so add them after cooking.) Simmer, uncovered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Water should be just covering beans; you may need to add more if some evaporates. Cook until beans are starting to fall apart and the sauce becomes creamy. Add diced tomatoes and vinegar (if using). The texture should be thicker than a stew. If necessary, add water to thin or let stand to thicken.