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Baked Red Rice with Smoky Sausage, Tender Grains, and Bold Tomato Spice
Yo my flavor peeps!—this right here is baked Gullah red rice, a lowcountry soul food anthem, slow-cooked and bold, just like Dead Prez’s song “Hip Hop.”
We start with Carolina Gold rice—if you can get your hands on it—folded into a deep, rich base of tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and sizzling smoked sausage, all seasoned up with garlic, bell pepper, onion, and maybe even a spoonful of Haitian epis seasoning.
if you wanna ride that flavor wave. The tomato sauce base gives it that signature red color and layers of tangy, savory depth that hit like a heavy bassline.
The secret? This Charleston red rice gets cooked low and slow in a baking dish or cast iron skillet in the oven, about 45–55 minutes, letting every grain soak up those seasoned chicken broth until it's tender but still got a lil' bite.
For other similar recipes, checkout these different rice based recipes. The red rice tradition owes its existence to West Africa's jollof rice which made it's way to Charleston after the trans-atlantic slave trade. Also checkout Red Rice's sibling with this chicken and sauasage jambalaya.
For those unfamiliar, Gullah refers to a group of descendants of West African enslaved communities—living along the coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina, Georgia, and nearby islands.
How To Make Red Rice
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Render fat from the bacon and smoked sausage, then saute vegetables in the same fat. Finish with tomato paste and dry seasoning mix to create the perfect flavor base.
Add the rinsed rice and stir until coated well by the tomato paste mixture. 3-4 minutes
Add the Haitian Epis (or Green Seasoning) if using, crushed tomatoes and hot sauce. Mix well.
Turn off the heat and add the crumbled bacon plus sausage back. Then add the chicken stock, fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid or with aluminum foil and bake 25-30 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven from and let rest covered for about 5 minutes
Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve garnished with green onions and fresh parsley.
Beats and Eats (music to pair with Low Country red rice)
Dead Prez’s “Hip Hop” pairs well with Charleston red rice because both are bold, unapologetic, and rooted in resistance and identity—rich with history, flavor, and truth. The song’s raw, revolutionary energy mirrors the deep, layered spice and soul of the cooked rice, a dish born from African culinary traditions that survived and thrived through oppression.
Just like the beat hits hard with purpose, each bite of red rice delivers depth, smoke, and a taste of legacy that refuses to be watered down. “Hip Hop” matches the energy because both are unapologetically bold, rooted in legacy, and layered with real flavor—ain’t no filler.
Substitutions and Variations
Want it next-level? Sauté your aromatics and sausage first to build a smoky foundation, and cover the long grain rice tightly to steam and bake at the same time.
Not a pork sausage fan? Sub with turkey or chicken andouille sausage. Don't sweat it if Carolina Gold rice ain't available to you. Use a good long grain white rice from your favorite store.
What To Serve With Red Rice
Serve this Gullah red rice recipe with your favorite hot sauce. Pair the dish with fried catfish fillets, a batch of Southern style collard greens, and hot water cornbread for a Southern plate that speaks the truth. Other side considerations include creamed cabbage and smothered green beans.
Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.
Charleston Red Rice
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Long grain rice - Carolina Gold Rice or Jasmine Rice
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 slices Thick cut bacon diced
- 3 Andouille sausage links diced
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium Yellow onion diced
- 1 cup tri-color peppers diced
- 2 Celery stalks diced
- 6 oz. Tomato paste
- 8 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Haitian Epis Seasoning Base
- 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3 Fresh Thyme sprigs
- ½ teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Allspice
Method
- Place all the spices in a small mixing bowl or ramekin and mix well. Set aside
- Rinse the rice in your sink until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add oil to large saucepan or cast-iron skillet and fry the bacon on low heat. Cook stirring often until bacon crisps about 5 minutes and the fat renders
- Increase heat to medium heat. Add the andouille sausage and cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove both the bacon and sausage and set aside on a paper towel lined bowl or plate.
- Add onions and celery to the skillet and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the peppers, garlic, and a quarter of the spice mix and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and half the remaining spices and cook stirring frequently for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir until coated well by the tomato paste mixture. 3-4 minutes
- Add the Haitian Epis, crushed tomatoes, and hot sauce. Mix well. Turn off the heat and add bacon plus sausage back. Then add the chicken stock, fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid or with aluminum foil and bake 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven from and let rest covered for about 5 minutes
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve garnished with green onions and fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Notes
- The key to great red rice is that rich tomato flavor that comes from the tomato paste mixture. I like to use paste plus crushed tomatoes. The paste provides depth to the dish, while the crushed tomatoes is more of that tomato flavor. Both contribute to that deep red color of the rice.
- Epis is a Haitian addition. It is what gives this dish its character and makes it stand out vs. other red rice recipes. It's not a popular ingredient but it's worth it to add it as it elevates this dish quite a bit. I use it on everything from vegetables like green beans to soups/stews.
- Use a good quality smoked bacon as well as andouille sausage. Smoky bacon is a major flavor bomb while the best andouille is well-seasoned and super flavorful.
- If you have the time, make your own chicken stock to use as the main cooking liquid. This allows you to control salt levels and provide a cleaner more natural taste. If you go the store-bought route, then choose a low-sodium version. Store versions contain a lot of salt so be careful.
- Many recipes call for cajun seasoning, but I prefer to use my own spice blend which is based on smoked sweet paprika. Don't worry about adding hot spices like cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. The hot sauce will add more than enough heat depending on how much you add.
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