Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet
This Cajun sausage and rice skillet combines smoky sausage with bell peppers, onions, and rice in a spicy tomato-infused broth for a complete meal in just 20 minutes. It's the perfect one-pan solution for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table fast without sacrificing flavor or resorting to takeout.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage andouille or kielbasa, sliced into rounds
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning adjust to your spice tolerance
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green onions sliced (for garnish)
- Hot sauce for serving (optional, but is it really?)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in your large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced sausage and cook for about 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown. Those caramelized edges are pure flavor bombs, so don't rush this step.
- Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Your kitchen should be smelling amazing right about now.
- Toss in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Any longer and it might burn, which would be a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.
- Add the rice to the skillet and stir for about a minute, coating it with all those delicious oils and flavors. This step might seem minor, but it adds a ton of depth to the finished dish.
- Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes (with their juice). Add the Cajun seasoning and bay leaf, then give everything a good stir.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. This allows the rice to finish steaming and the flavors to meld together.
- Fluff with a fork, remove the bay leaf, and garnish with sliced green onions before serving. Pass the hot sauce at the table for those who like to live dangerously.
Notes
- The level of spice can vary dramatically between different brands of Cajun seasoning. Start with less if you're sensitive to heat – you can always add more.
- For extra richness, stir in a tablespoon of butter just before serving.
- This recipe works great with leftover cooked rice too – just reduce the broth to 1/2 cup and simmer for only 5 minutes after adding the rice.
- For a one-pot meal that covers all your nutritional bases, toss in a handful of chopped kale or spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking.