Pairing Wine With Red Beans And Rice

The origins of red beans and rice go back to Louisiana and Creole cuisine. This dish was often prepared with leftover ham broth from the previous day to make a hearty and filling dish.

The flavor profiles of red beans and rice make it a great dish to pair with many wines. It is also a dish that is often served with meat, oysters, and other New Orleans classic menu items.

Depending on how this dish is prepared it can be full of spices and seasonings including jalapeno, peppers, broccoli, and also sausages or it can be simply seasoned with a light red tomato-based sauce. Either way, this vibrant dish is a great chance to bring out some wines!

Wine Characteristics To Pair With Red Beans & Rice

Characteristic	Detail
Sweetness	Dry
Acidity	Light
Tannins	Medium to high
Body	Medium White / Medium Red
Tasting Notes	Earthy, Spiced, Leather

Red beans and rice is a good opportunity to go for wines that are more full-bodied so that the food does not overpower the main flavors of the dish.

Best Red Wine To Drink With Red Beans & Rice

When selecting a red wine it’s best to go with some of the classics. We suggest going for more full-bodied wines such as Zinfandel or Malbec. Of course, you can also opt for lighter wines such as an Italian Sangiovese if you’d like.

Sangiovese

Native to Italy, this grape variety offers tighter tannins with rich and rusty flavors of dark fruits like plum. The herbs and violet notes will make this a refreshing pairing for red beans and rice.

Malbec

One of the easiest choices to pair with red beans and rice is an Argentinian Malbec given its strong tasting notes of dark fruit, spices, tobacco, raisins, and coffee. The medium to full-bodied characteristics will complement the fattiness of the sausages added to the Creole dish.

Zinfandel

This wine produced in the USA is a classic wine to pair with red beans and rice for its rounded and soft cherry, and strawberry notes to complement this NOLA dish without overpowering it.

Best White Wine To Drink With Red Beans & Rice

Pairing Red beans and rice with white wine is one of the best ways to balance out this meal by offering a lighter, crispy, and softer wine that will balance the spiciness of this dish. We’d recommend a classic Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay and then lean into more fruit-forward ones like Riesling that will balance out any additional flavors or seasonings you add.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc has a unique herby and grassy profile. That makes it one of the best wines to pair with given the strong herbaceous notes that make the smokiness of sausages stand out.

Chardonnay

For classic wine lovers, a Chablis-style Chardonnay is a great wine to pair with the Creole main dish especially if served with seafood or oysters. This is also a great option if you’re adding Tabasco or hot sauces to your main dish.

Riesling

A classic dry Riesling would be our recommendation with red beans and rice given its lemon and lime flavor notes. The refreshing and acidic nature of this wine is best if you want to enjoy a light summer wine with your meal. Plus, the slight sweetness from fruits doesn’t overpower it.