I’m a huge fan of one pan meals and have developed dozens of recipes like this for my website and cookbooks. I want you to feel confident about putting dinner on the table! Not overwhelmed with cleanup afterward. My Cajun Sausage & Rice Skillet is a great example of this – easy, tasty, and quick!
Why this Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet WORKS
Using pre-cooked sausage is such a time saver and provides a lot of flavor in this recipe! Combining the sausage, rice, and some easy veggies makes a well-rounded meal in one pan!
I like to use this recipe as a meal prep option, too! It stores and reheats well and turns out fabulous every single time.
Cajun Rice with Sausage Ingredients
- Butter or avocado oil: Either works well here! You could also use coconut oil if you prefer.
- Onion: any type of onion works here.
- Carrots or Bell peppers: I wanted to add some flexibility for you. You could use all carrots or all bell peppers or a combination of the two.
- Garlic cloves: I love using fresh garlic, but you can use ¾ teaspoon granulated garlic if you prefer.
- Pre-cooked smoked sausage: I like using chicken sausage because it’s less greasy, but pork or beef sausage would be delicious too. Especially something andouille style.
- White rice: You could use quinoa instead, but don’t replace it with brown or wild rice since it requires 3x the cooking time and will overcook the rest of the ingredients.
- Cajun spice blend
- No-salt all-purpose seasoning: I like using Costco’s version. Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute is also good. Or one of Mrs. Dash’s all-purpose seasonings.
- Sea salt
- Petite diced tomatoes: or a couple of small vine tomatoes chopped small.
- Broth: Use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
- Baby greens: spinach, kale, or chard work well.
Best Sausage to Use in a Cajun Skillet
Any kind of pre-cooked smoked sausage would work here. You could use beef, pork, or chicken sausage, too.
I used some Kiolbassa brand grass-fed smoked beef sausage from Costco in this recipe. I LOVE their sausages and love the clean ingredient list and sourcing.
Aidell's also has some great options for pre-cooked sausage! Their chicken-apple sausage is Whole30 friendly and my kids' favorite.
How to Make Sausage and Rice
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the butter/oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and sausage. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice and seasonings and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the rice turns opaque and becomes toasted and golden in spots, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the can of tomatoes and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 12-15 minutes until the rice is cooked through and most of the moisture is gone from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the greens and cover the pot. Remove from the heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes to wilt the greens. Stir again and taste, adding more salt if needed.
Cajun Sausage Skillet Recipe Tips
- Toast the rice -- preferable in butter. Avocado oil or coconut oil would work, too. I use the same technique in my Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice and Instant Pot Lemon Herb Rice. It adds so much flavor!
- Use broth instead of water. Any kind!
- Season it well. Rice is a blank canvas and can hold a lot of seasoning, so don't be shy with them!
Cajun Sausage and Rice Variations
Making a vegetarian Cajun Skillet
Sure! Just use avocado oil, vegetable broth, and replace the sausage with a drained can of your favorite beans or your favorite vegetarian protein source.
Here are a few of my other favorite rice recipes!
How to serve Sausage and Rice
Since this meal pretty much has everything in the pan already, I would serve it as is! Perhaps add a squeeze of lemon juice on top for fun!
How to Store
Store any leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave or in a lidded skillet with a splash or two of water to help steam everything back to life.
More Tasty Rice Dishes
Chicken Rice & Mushroom Skillet is another FABULOUS one-pot dish!
Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto is a great little side dish and it's easy to add protein to make it a meal on its own!
Mango Cucumber Rice Salad is a cool mix of quinoa and rice tossed with sweet mangoes, diced cukes, crunchy sliced almonds, and a tangy lime vinaigrette!
Then there are my three favorite ways of making "just" rice -- Cilantro Lime Rice, Lemon-Herb Rice, and Coconut Rice. All made with your Instant Pot!
Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet
An easy, 30-min, ONE PAN meal that everyone will love! Using pre-cooked smoked sausage is a great, flavor-boosting shortcut.
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter or avocado oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cup chopped carrots or bell peppers (or a combo)
- 3 garlic cloves, Microplaned or minced
- 1 ½ cups diced pre-cooked smoked sausage
- 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 teaspoon Cajun spice blend
- 2 teaspoon no-salt all-purpose seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
- 2 handfuls of baby greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the butter/oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and sausage. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice and seasonings and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the rice turns opaque and becomes toasted and golden in spots, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the can of tomatoes and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 12-15 minutes until the rice is cooked through and most of the moisture is gone from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the greens and cover the pot. Remove from the heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes to wilt the greens. Stir again and taste, adding more salt if needed.
- Serve.
Low-Carb/Grain-Free adaptation: Replace the rice with 3-4 cups of uncooked cauliflower rice. Omit the broth. Saute until all of the vegetables are cooked through. Alternately, you could roast the cauliflower rice and stir it in at the end so it'll be less mushy.
Notes
Nat's Note:
- Feel free to replace the no-salt seasoning with more Cajun seasoning. Depending on the Cajun seasoning, it could make this dish too spicy for little ones.
- For the no-salt seasoning, I like Costco's 21 seasoning blend (similar to Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute).
- If you'd like to make this even spicier, add ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper flake when you add the rest of the seasonings.
- If you use unsalted broth, you might want to add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt.
