Description
This Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is a hearty, flavorful one-pan meal featuring spicy Andouille sausage, tender bell peppers, and smoky spices simmered with rice and fire-roasted tomatoes. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, this dish combines robust Cajun seasonings and easy stovetop cooking to deliver a delicious, satisfying meal in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 14 oz. Andouille sausage
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Spices
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 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 the cooking oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until they are well browned, allowing the browned bits to form on the bottom of the pan for added flavor.
- Sauté Bell Pepper: While the sausage is cooking, dice the bell pepper. Add the diced bell pepper to the skillet with the browned sausage and sauté for about one more minute until the pepper softens slightly.
- Add and Toast Spices: Sprinkle the smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and freshly cracked black pepper into the skillet. Stir and sauté the mixture for about one minute to toast the spices and release their aromas.
- Add Tomatoes, Rice, and Broth: Pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, the long grain white rice, and chicken broth. Stir well to combine all ingredients and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to infuse more flavor into the dish.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet with a lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the broth to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the skillet simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat and keep the lid on. Let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the rice to finish steaming. After resting, lift the lid and gently fold the sausage and rice to redistribute everything evenly. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot.
Notes
- Slice sausage uniformly to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Do not stir the rice too much during simmering to avoid mushiness.
- You can adjust the cayenne pepper amount to control the heat level.
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to prevent sticking and promote even cooking.
- Resting the dish off heat helps the rice absorb any remaining moisture and improves texture.
