Description
This Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet recipe combines smoky and spicy Andouille sausage with flavorful spices, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tender rice for a hearty one-pan meal. It’s a quick and easy dish perfect for weeknight dinners, capturing the essence of Cajun cuisine with a simple stovetop cooking method.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 14 oz. Andouille sausage, sliced ¼ to ½ inch thick
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Spices
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Main Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage: Slice the Andouille sausage into ¼ to ½ inch thick slices. Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until well browned, allowing the browned bits to form on the bottom of the pan to enhance flavor.
- Sauté Bell Pepper: While the sausage cooks, dice the bell pepper. Add the diced bell pepper to the skillet with the browned sausage and sauté for about one additional minute to soften the pepper.
- Add and Toast Spices: Sprinkle smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and freshly cracked black pepper into the skillet. Stir and sauté the spices for one minute to toast them and release their aromatic flavors.
- Add Tomatoes, Rice, and Broth: Pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, the cup of long grain white rice, and the chicken broth. Stir everything together well and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet to infuse extra flavor.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet with a lid and increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from heat but keep it covered. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking. After resting, uncover the skillet and gently fold the sausage and rice together to redistribute evenly. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot.
Notes
- Use a deep skillet or Dutch oven to ensure enough space for sautéing and simmering.
- Allowing the sausage to brown well is key to building flavor through caramelization.
- Adjust cayenne pepper according to your preferred spice level.
- If you prefer a spicier version, add more cayenne or a dash of hot sauce before serving.
- Resting the dish after cooking allows the rice to fully absorb flavors and improves texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
