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Indulge in the savory flavors of our quick Sausage and Rice, a one-pot wonder that’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners. This dish features a hearty blend of aromatic smoked sausage and tender rice combined with the subtle sweetness of caramelized onions and bell peppers.
Experience the rich and delicious taste of this flavorful sausage and rice dish, ideal for those evenings when time is short – it’s done in under 30 minutes! – but the craving for a delicious, home-cooked meal is strong.
Why You’ll Love This Sausage and Rice Recipe
- Prep-friendly. Make it in advance and just reheat it throughout the week.
- Easy clean-up. Since it’s a one-pot dinner, there’s barely any cleaning involved.
- Delicious. This fluffy rice dinner with lots of juicy sausage will become a weeknight staple in no time.
- Versatile. Use a different kind of rice, add more veggies like in my sausage and peppers recipe, or make it Jambalaya style, depending on what you’ve got on hand.
- Quick. Everyone’s got at least 20 minutes to throw this recipe together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this sausage and rice recipe, we’re using simple ingredients that you can easily find at your grocery store or in your pantry, from smoky turkey sausage to fresh bell peppers and rice.
- Olive oil: Feel free to use avocado, coconut, corn, or vegetable oil for this.
- Smoked turkey sausage: Use your favorite kind, but remove the casings.
- Yellow onion: White onion works too.
- Green bell pepper: Any color of bell pepper is great.
- Salt and black pepper: I prefer kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- Garlic cloves: You can use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Vegetable broth: Pick a low-sodium kind for best results.
- Minute® White Rice: Brown rice works, too.
- Fresh parsley: This is an optional garnish. Leave it out if you want.
How to Make Sausage and Rice
It’s just like making your favorite rice but with juicy sausage and tender veggies mixed in. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Brown the sausage. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the sausage and cook it until browned. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Cook the veggies. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onions and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the garlic and cook it for another minute.
- Add the broth and rice. Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil. Add in the rice and cooked sausage. Reduce the heat, cover it with a lid, and cook it for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish and serve. Remove it from the heat. Garnish the rice with parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Change the seasonings. Adding 1 teaspoon paprika or 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning can add more depth.
- Even slices. Make sure the sausages are evenly sliced so that they cook evenly in the pan.
- Swap the sausage. Use any type of smoked sausage, chorizo, or leftover breakfast sausages to throw this rice together.
- Make it Jambalaya-style. Stir in grilled shrimp and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for a Jambalaya-style rice.
- Add veggies. Mix in sauteed mushrooms, baby spinach, cabbage, or peas to make this dish heartier.
- Use homemade. If you’ve got a family recipe for simple steamed rice, go ahead and use it. It doesn’t matter if you make it in a rice cooker.
- Brown rice. If you’d like to use brown rice, I suggest picking up quick-cooking brown rice because the recipe won’t work as written if you use traditional rice.
Serving Suggestions
Sausage and Rice is the perfect dinner for busy days. You can enjoy it on its own, or with a bowl of Minestrone Soup, which would be a great starter. I love it with sides like my Roasted Artichokes, Corn on the Cob, or Cauliflower Steaks.
Other side ideas include Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Butternut Squash.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days. This recipe isn’t freezer-friendly, but you can still make it ahead for the week.
- To reheat it: Pop it into the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm. You can also reheat it in a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
One Skillet Dinners To Try
- Easy Cheesy Skillet Burritos
- One Skillet Dijon Chicken with Mushrooms and Chives
- Caprese Skillet Chicken Recipe
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Sausage and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil,, divided
- 14 ounces smoked turkey sausage,, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 small yellow onion,, diced
- 1 green bell pepper,, diced
- salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic,, minced
- 1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups Minute White Rice,, you can also use Minute Brown Rice
- chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until nicely browned, stirring frequently.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the sausages from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Stir in onions and green pepper; season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the rice and previously prepared sausages.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir.
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Opt for Different Sausage Varieties: Use varieties like chorizo, Andouille, smoked sausage, or even some leftover breakfast sausages.
- Introduce New Flavors: Experiment with seasonings by adding a teaspoon of paprika or half a teaspoon of Old Bay to enhance the dish’s complexity.
- Incorporate Vegetables: Boost the heartiness by mixing in sautéed mushrooms, baby spinach, cabbage, or peas.
- Create a Jambalaya Twist: Add grilled shrimp and half to one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning for a Jambalaya-inspired variation.
- Choosing Rice: You can use any quick-cooking rice. Note that quick-cooking rice is recommended because this recipe, as written, is not suitable for traditional rice.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can you use regular rice?
Hi Samantha! Yes, you can, but you will have to cook it for a bit longer, or for as long as it takes to cook the rice… should be about 20 minutes, instead of 5.
I would precook the rice, i like a brown/wild mix and the follow the directions as posted.
The original white minute rice!
I don’t think I’ve ever bought minute rice. I would probably pick their white rice or a brown rice.
Brown/wild rice is my favorite
My favorite Minute Rice product is the multi-grain medley.
Like them all..but, the two I purchase the most is their wild /brown rice and we all love the aromatic line..like Thai Jasmine…so cook with shrimp Bombay.
I like the brown rice the best!
I like their brown rice. Cooks up perfect in a jiffy – chewy and filling!
Whole Grain Brown Rice is my favorite.
This recipe reminds me of my mom, too! She used to make the same dish when we were children. She is an amazing cook, and always makes simple quick recipes. Probably half of the recipes on my blog are inspired by her 🙂