This Rice Cooker Cajun Pilaf isn’t like your typical Cajun Red Beans and Rice, as you can see in the photo below. It’s a tasty spin on the traditional dish, but it takes a fraction of the time.
This is a wonderful beans and rice side dish that cooks in the rice cooker. The dish goes together very quickly and best of all, the rice cooker does all the cooking! It’s the perfect side dish for a busy day.
Table of Contents
How to Make Rice Cooker Cajun Red Beans and Rice Pilaf
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Rice cooker
- White rice – 2 rice cooker cups of rice (rice cooker cups are NOT the same size as a traditional measuring cup)
- Water
- 2-3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken base or chicken bullion powder
- Dash of cayenne powder
- 1 celery stock – minced
- 1 small onion – minced
- 1 small green bell pepper – seeded and minced
- 1 can of red kidney beans – drained and rinsed
- 1/2 – 1 pack of little smokies -OR- some chopped up ham
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- A few dashes of black pepper
Using the measuring cup that came with your rice cooker, measure out two rice cooker cups of white rice. Put the rice in the rice cooker bowl and rinse it with water several times. Fill up rice cooker with water up to the 2 cup line for white rice.
Next, add the spices. If you want your rice to be spicy, then add 3 teaspoons of the cajun seasoning, and if you want it milder then add two teaspoons. Add in the chicken stock (I used Better Than Base Chicken), garlic powder, a dash of cayenne powder, some salt, and black pepper. Stir the spices into the rice.
This is the cajun seasoning I used. It’s really tasty, but I’ve read that Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning is truly amazing. I plan on trying it very soon.
Next add the minced celery stalk, minced onion, and minced bell pepper. Do NOT stir these vegetables into the rice, just let them sit on top of the rice and in the spicy water.
Add in the can of drained and rinsed red kidney beans. Now it’s time to add in the chopped ham or some sliced Little Smokies. I used half a package of little smokies, but feel free to use the whole package if you like your rice extra meaty.
Now pour an extra 1/3 cup of water on top of the meat but don’t stir. You want the rice to stay on the bottom of the rice cooker in the liquid. I took a big spoon and kind of gently pushed the ingredients down into the liquid with the back of the spoon.
Set the rice cooker to cook. My rice cooker has a “mixed” setting and that’s what I used.
Here’s what the Cajan Rice Pilaf looks like after it’s done cooking and fluffed up.

Rice Cooker Cajun Red Beans and Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 rice cooker cups of white rice rice cooker cups are NOT the same size as a traditional measuring cup
- Water
- 2-3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken base or chicken bullion powder
- Dash of cayenne powder
- 1 celery stock - minced
- 1 small onion - minced
- 1 small green bell pepper - seeded and minced
- 1 can of red kidney beans - drained and rinsed
- 1/2 - 1 pack of little smokies -OR- some chopped up ham
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- A few dashes of black pepper
Instructions
- Place the rice in the rice cooker bowl. Rinse the rice several times with water.
- Place the rice cooker bowl in the rice cooker and fill to the 2 cup line for white rice with water.
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, some black pepper, a dash of cayenne powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of chicken base or powdered chicken bullion.
- Stir the spices into the rice.
- Add the minced celery stock, minced onion, and minced bell pepper to the rice, but do Not stir the vegetables in.
- Add in the drained and rinsed red kidney beans and top them with the sliced little smokies or chopped up ham. Do Not stir.
- Add an extra 1/3 cup of water over the meat and beans.
- Set the rice cooker to cook.
- When done fluff up the cajun red beans and rice pilaf.
More Ideas:
- Add in one small minced carrot
- Replace the little smokies or chopped ham with some sliced hot links.
If you think this recipe looks good, go take a look at my Rice Cooker Chinese Fried Rice, it’s amazing!
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
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Sunday 5th of March 2023
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Jean Reinhardt
Monday 14th of March 2016
Hmmm, makes me hungry, it looks so delicious.
ShellyB
Monday 14th of March 2016
Thanks Jean!