Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is a family favorite easy and delicious one skillet meal that is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner! This Cajun sausage recipe is perfect for busy weeknights that uses cajun smoked sausage, bell peppers, and rice.
I love a good one skillet meal. They are easy to make, easy to clean up, and if it's the right recipe - they are delicious! This Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is just that - a healthy, delicious, and easy weeknight dinner that the family will be sure to love! And since it is cooked in only one skillet, that means less cleanup - a winner for sure!
This one-pot wonder has pretty simple ingredients that combine to make one amazing dish.
Vegetables - white onion, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper. You can use a yellow onion, and yellow or green bell peppers too, if you prefer.
Cajun Sausage - I used a smoked cajun sausage for this recipe. Cajun sausage adds a ton of great flavor to this rice skillet recipe. Other sausages would work too. For example, kielbasa sausage, spicy andouille sausage, regular smoked pork sausage, or chicken sausage would also work great in this dish.
Spices - garlic, smoked paprika, and dried oregano. These are classic Cajun spices that add so much flavor to this dish.
Rice, Tomato Sauce, Broth - The tomato sauce adds some flavor to the liquid portion that the rice is cooked in. Chicken stock or vegetable broth also work well in place of the chicken broth.
Toppings - The last thing is to top this cajun sausage and rice off with some fresh parsley. This adds a bit of freshness and different colors to the dish that I loved!
As I mentioned, this cajun sausage recipe is an easy weeknight meal and the best part is that it is super delicious, too. It's spicy Cajun comfort food that you will look forward to at the end of the day!
Cook the veggies - In a large nonstick skillet, add olive oil over medium-high heat. A dutch oven would work well for this recipe, too. Cook the onions, bell pepper, and cajun sausage until the vegetables are softened and the sausage is browned.
Garlic and spices - Next, add the garlic and spices, cooking another minute.
Rice - add the tomato sauce, rice, and vegetable broth and give it a good stir with a wooden spoon to gently to combine. Simmer the mixture over medium heat, covered, for about 25 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid and is soft and ready to eat. See? So easy!
Storage - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Can I use brown rice?
You could adapt this recipe to use brown rice. However, you will need to increase your cooking time quite a bit. While white rice typically cooks in 20 minutes, brown rice takes closer to 50 minutes, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Can I add cooked rice to this recipe?
Yes, but you will have to adjust the recipe a little bit. Cook the vegetables and sausage like the instructions say, and then add the cooked rice without
Looking to make your own version of this cajun sausage recipe? Consider these variations, below!
Use different sausage. While cajun sausage is delicious in this cajun rice recipe, there are many other sausage options. The kind of sausage you use will affect the flavors, but you always should use whatever you prefer. I have seen chicken Andouille sausage that would work well, along with pork Andouille sausage. Other ideas include smoked turkey sausage, kielbasa sausage, and beef sausage.
Spice it up. If you like spicy foods and want this dish extra spicy, add some cajun seasoning blend, creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, or jalapeños. I found it was plenty for my wimpy tastebuds spicy using cajun sausage!
Add some beans. Red beans are a classic ingredient in Cajun recipes. If you like beans, feel free to add a can of red beans to the skillet when you add the tomato sauce, rice, and broth!
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I love this recipe! Has been one of my staples for about a year. I use mild Italian sausage instead of chorizo. Thank you!!
Very good recipe and kids enjoyed it too. Proportions were accurate. The rice got a little crispy on the bottom which added to the flavor. Next time will up the spices and/or add a jalapeño as we found it a little on the bland side. Great way to stretch a meal when you’re low on meat as it calls for more rice than other similar ones. Thanks!