This Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet is a one-pan wonder of spicy rice in a tomato and vegetable-filled sauce with delicious Andouille sausage. Just under an hour from start to finish!
(Updated post.)
Mardi Gras is just around the corner! Do you make a traditional dinner?
This one-skillet wonder of spicy, delicious sausage and rice is perfect for the occasion, especially since it's easy enough for a weeknight!
The origins of Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet
This meal came about when I went to visit my parents recently. I called ahead to see what produce they had on hand: a green bell pepper, onions, and scallions, they told me.
I knew that they always had pantry staples like rice, pasta, and tomato sauce.
I devised a plan and stopped at the grocery. That selection of produce was already leaning Cajun, I figured, so I picked up some Andouille sausage, white wine, garlic, and a bunch of parsley.
Let me back up for just a second. My momma has gotten a bit frail in recent years and she's never enjoyed cooking anyway.
My sister and I try to take some of the load off Momma's shoulders while also enjoying a nice visit.
We each stop by to bring them a couple of meals and/or cook some meals with what they have on hand.
We've taken to calling it Chopped: Mom & Dad's Fridge.
I nearly always use a one-pot strategy when I visit.
Making Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet
So, back to my Cajun creation. I decided to go with a rice-based dish.
Although the general rule for rice is 2 parts liquid to 1 part rice, I like it saucier.
For the wet ingredients, a bit of white wine (to deglaze), a cup of chicken broth, a 15-oz. can of tomato sauce, and a 15-oz. can of fire-roasted, diced tomatoes (drained) will do the trick.
Building flavor
Start out by browning the sausages all over (they're cooked already, but the browning adds another layer of flavor).
While the sausages cook, slice and dice the vegetables.
Once the sausages are browned, remove, cut into rings, and reserve for later. (I prefer to keep the sausages back for part of the bake so they keep their snap.)
After removing the sausages, add the onion and garlic. Then—after a few minutes, when the onion is translucent and softened—add in the rice.
When the rice starts getting fragrant, add a couple of bay leaves and some Cajun or Creole seasoning.
I just use a very slight variation of Emeril's Creole recipe: I cut the salt and oregano in half and increase the amount of thyme.
About the spice level.
Phil and I love crazy-hot dishes. In fact, we add sliced jalapeños to our already-hot dishes and tend to douse things in hot sauce.
If you are not similarly inclined, I suggest starting out with only 1 tbsp. of the seasoning mix—and definitely taste before you pile on the jalapeños and hot sauce.
However, if you or your family thinks of mustard as being hot, cut the spice in half again.
After sautéeing the spices for a minute or so (they should be fragrant), raise the heat to high and add the white wine, stirring until it reduces to almost nothing.
Baking the Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet
Stir in the remainder of the wet ingredients and the diced green bell pepper, cover the skillet, and put it in a 375° oven for 3o minutes.
Add the sausage back to the skillet. After 10 additional minutes in the oven, your masterpiece is ready to go.
To serve, I liberally scatter sliced scallions and parsley on top and sprinkle with hot sauce.
Momma, Dad, and Sis absolutely loved my impromptu dish.
Then, after I made Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet one week later to rave reviews from the hubster, I knew I had a keeper. I hope your fam loves it too!
A quick note before I go: there is usually a layer of crispy, caramelized rice at the bottom of the skillet. Don't be put off by this!
Although not everyone will be a fan of this crunchy layer at the bottom, for some it will be the most treasured part of the dish.
It's similar in concept to the prized socarrat at the bottom of a great pan of paella in Spanish cooking. Phil and I pick at these bits while making gratuitous "nom, nom" sounds.
—xoxo Michelle
For more one-pot dinner inspo, hop over to my how-to article, Mastering Easy One-Pot Meal Recipes!
Linkies
I'm linking my Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet up with:
- #CookBlogShare, a weekly recipe party featuring international food bloggers, hosted this week at Recipes Made Easy.
- Delicious Dishes Recipe Party, hosted at Walking on Sunshine.
Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet
Cajun Sausage-Rice Skillet is a one-pot wonder of spicy rice, tomato and veggie-filled sauce, and delicious Andouille Sausage. It's done just about an hour (faster if you do some meal prep in advance!), making this dish a great go-to for weeknights!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Andouille sausage
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 14 oz. canned tomato sauce
- 14 oz. canned, diced, fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning, (see Recipe Note #1)
- 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving
- ½ cup Italian parsley, chopped, for serving
- 3 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced into half-rings (optional)
- your favorite hot sauce, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and brown on all sides in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove to a plate.
- Add the onion and garlic to the same skillet (don't wipe out) and reduce heat to medium. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice; sauté until fragrant and translucent, but not at all brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the herbs and spices; sauté for an additional minute.
- Pour in the wine, stirring well and allowing the liquid to reduce to almost nothing. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, green pepper, and diced tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir to combine (see Recipe Note #2).
- Cover the skillet and place in the oven. Bake, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the sausages, cutting on the bias to make oblong coins.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the skillet and scatter the sausage coins over the top. Cook for an additional 10 minutes (uncovered), or until rice is tender.
- Remove skillet from the oven and gently fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork (see Recipe Note #3).
- Sprinkle liberally with scallions, sliced jalapeños (see Recipe Note #1), and parsley. Serve with a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Notes
- This amount will yield a dish that is quite spicy. If you are concerned about the level of heat, begin with only ½ tablespoon of the spice mix and proceed with caution using the sliced jalapeños and hot sauce.
EMERIL'S EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY ADAPTED CAJUN SEASONING:
1 ¼ tbsp. paprika
½ tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. garlic powder
½ tbsp. black pepper
½ tbsp. onion powder
½ tbsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tbsp. dried leaf oregano.
¾ tbsp. dried thyme.
-------------------------------------------- - The dish will be extremely soupy at this point, but that's okay: the rice will absorb most of the liquid, leaving behind a veggie-filled tomato sauce and fluffy rice.
- There will likely be layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the pan. I like to set these crispy bits aside for those who like them (a.k.a. the hubster and me).
WORK AHEAD: you can chop and mince the vegetables and herbs up to one day in advance.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowl of sausage rice mixture, about 1 ½–2 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 417Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 800mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 14g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate: if you are tracking this information for medical purposes, please consult a trusted external source. Thanks!
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About Us
Hi there! We're Michelle and Phil, the blogging duo behind flipped out food. Our mission is to inspire you with our favorite strategies for delivering easy, healthy dishes—even at the busiest of times.
Brianna says
I love cajun food and this looks super easy to make!
Michelle says
Thanks, Brianna! It is for sure: unless you have 2 hours or more to make a Mardi Gras dinner on a Tuesday, this is an easy way to get it done!
Lindsay says
My kind of skillet !! Need to add this to the dinner rotation for next week 🙂
Michelle says
Oh yay, I hope you love it! 😛
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious says
I'm going to make this recipe this week! This cajun rice skillet looks delicious!
Michelle says
Thanks Genevieve! I hope that this turns out great for you!
Biana says
This recipe sounds amazingly flavorful with sausage, spices, garlic and other ingredients! Will be making this soon.
Michelle says
Thank you, Biana! I hope it's a hit at your house!
Carrie Ann says
Such a great Mardi Gras recipe! Spicy Andouille sausage is one of my favorites, and I love that this only needs one pan. Yum!
Michelle says
Thanks, Carrie Ann! I'm also a huge fan of Andouille—and one-pot meals!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Oh this is my kind of food - one skillet, flavour packed, quick and easy! Plus crunchy bits on the bottom - could it get any better??? Eb x
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Eb! Yes, those crunchy bits are my "dessert"! 😛
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Sounds delicious although as a chilli wimp I would err o the side of caution with the seasoning for sure. My lad would always go for the ramp it option so I let them do that by adding hot sauce.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe with #CookBlogShare
Michelle says
Thank you, Jacqui! My kids are chili wimps as well, so it's nice that you can customize this for the chili-heads in the house by adding jalapenos and hot sauce to individual servings. 🙂
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
I do love the crunchy rice from the bottom of the pan lol. I make a very similar jambalaya style one pan dish and those bits belong to me (perk of cooking and plating up). Absolutely love all the flavours and that added heat from the jalapeños. Fabulous one pan family meal!
Michelle says
Ooohh, you and me both, Jo!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Deb says
This recipe has become a go-to for me. I love how easy it is to put together and how much flavor is in this dish. I tend to keep a jar of the Creole seasoning in my spice caddy - well worth keeping around. I was cooking for family today and they had been complaining that they were bored with the usual types of food they tend to make. I served this meal for dinner and it was a definite hit! Two forks up!
Michelle says
Thanks so much for that feedback, Deb! I'm so glad to hear that this is a favorite of yours now. You've made my day! 🙂
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Yum! This dish is not only mouth-watering but also a nutrient-dense dish, Michelle! Can I use dried parsley or does it have to be fresh?
Michelle says
Thank you, Agness! In this case, I'd say that fresh is best. Dried will do in a pinch if that's all you have on hand: just use sparingly.
Honest Mum says
Oh yummy! Love your photos too x
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Vicki!
Corina says
It sounds absolutely delicious and it's so nice of you to cook for your parents when you visit, especially a meal like this that they can eat in batches so thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Corina! 🙂
Patty @pattysaveurs.com says
Wow! I love these one pot recipes that are packed with flavors, Cajun spice mix is one of my favorites! Save a few of these crisp rice chunks for me! 🙂
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Patty! I will certainly save you some crispy bits! Come on over! 😉
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Oh wow - this looks so lovely and I can just imagine how good it must taste...I do so love one pot meals that are packed full of flavour, like this one 😀 Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare 😀 Eb x
Michelle says
Thanks so much, Eb! I'm also a big fan of one-pot meals: tray bakes, which are YOUR specialty, fit very well with this category, which is why I'm often lurking about on YOUR website!
Stephanie says
Looks great! I crave spicy sausages dishes quite often, and this one looks like a great one to try. Love the crunchy bits at the bottom. May also try the less spicy version for the toddler (he can handle some) and add some more spice later to ours with crushed red pepper.. Also a former scientist. 🙂 #cookblogshare
Michelle says
You're a former scientist too?! Awesome!! There must be SOMETHING about this food blogging thing! I love your idea for toning this dish down and adding the spice back in later. Thanks for stopping by!