Sausage and Rice combines smoked chicken sausage, crisp sweet corn, savory black beans, roasted bell peppers, and tender rice in an unforgettably delicious dinner! This meal is ready in 30 minutes or less and is all prepared in one skillet!
Sausage and Rice is part of my Back-To-School Lifesavers — a series of recipes that are intended to have little (or no) veggie chopping, minimal prep time, around 10 ingredients or less (not including pantry staples), and use kid-friendly ingredients. Click here to see all the recipes in the series!
Sausage and Rice
Burrito bowls are hugely popular at my home — in fact, I’ve shared some of my favorites over the years. (These Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls, these Bean and Chicken Burrito Bowls, these meal prep Chicken Burrito Bowls, or Street Corn Burrito Bowls are made regularly at my home.)
I figured out how to make burrito bowls for this series with minimal chopping, ingredients, and dishes. After some trial and error, I’m excited to share this simple burrito bowl recipe. It packs in protein, flavor, and plenty of melty cheese. Best of all, you can make it in 30 minutes or less!
To get Sausage and Rice on the table that quickly, I rely on quite a few shortcuts which i’ll discuss below.
Shortcuts
Sausage And Rice Shortcut Ideas
Here are the main shortcuts I employ for Sausage and Rice:
- Pre-diced onions are available in the produce section or frozen near other veggies. You can also use a food processor to quickly chop an onion.
- For a minced garlic shortcut I love Dorot’s® garlic cubes, which are convenient to keep in the freezer and use as needed. Look for them with frozen veggies. Refrigerated minced garlic is another option.
- Smoked sausage is a great quick protein source as it’s already cooked and only needs a few minutes to reheat. I prefer chicken sausage for its flavor, but turkey, pork, or beef sausage will work too.
- Use Ready Rice or microwaveable packaged rice. It’s pre-cooked and just needs heating. Instead of the microwave, warm it in the skillet with veggies and sausage for convenience. Find it with other rice and grain packets in the grocery store.
- Save time with pre-roasted red pepper strips. These are a massive time-saver and can be found near canned pasta sauces, jarred pesto, or ingredients like artichoke hearts.
- I recommend Swanson’s® chicken stock for its robust flavor. It’s so flavorful that additional seasonings/spices are unnecessary for this Sausage and Rice meal.
How To Make Sausage and Rice
- Cook Onions and Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add diced onion and cook until golden. Add sliced sausage and cook until browned. Hot oil sears better. Thin sausage slices cook evenly.
- Add Garlic and Spices: Add minced garlic and seasonings. Stir for a minute. Toast spices for extra flavor.
- Add Broth and Veggies: Pour in chicken stock, scrape up browned bits. Add chopped roasted red pepper, corn, black beans, and ready rice. Stir until warm. Scraping up bits adds flavor. No need to thaw corn.
- Season and Add Cheese: Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off heat, add grated cheese, and cover until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat to avoid oily cheese.
- Serve: Stir in melted cheese and serve. Add lime, cilantro, and sour cream if you like.
Garnishes
This meal is so tasty; however, the garnishes truly take it over the top. Of course, I want to keep the toppings as simple as possible to align with the concept of this meal. Therefore, below are our favorite easy toppings:
- Chopped cherry tomatoes or a quick homemade pico de gallo
- Fresh cilantro
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- A large scoop of sour cream (I use fat-free to keep this Sausage and Rice dinner on the lighter side)
- Sliced avocado or scoop of guacamole
Variations
Need A Sauce?
- Chili-lime sauce The sauce on these Black Bean Wraps, made with a few of the same seasonings as the Sausage and Rice meal, plus mayo, fresh lime juice, and zest, is delicious drizzled over everything!
- Cilantro-lime sauce (if I have leftover sauce from these Shrimp Tacos i’ll drizzle some on this meal!)
Storage
Leftovers?
Refrigerate: Cool the dish, transfer to airtight containers, and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: Place in airtight containers or freezer bags, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat as needed.
More One-Skillet Recipes
- Baked Ravioli Lasagna with Boursin cheese
- One-Skillet Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl with loads of veggies!
- Creamy Tuna Pasta with peas
- Creamy Pesto Orzo with ground turkey
- Chicken Pot Pie Pasta with rotisserie chicken
Sausage and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 12 oz smoked chicken sausage, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1-1/2 teaspoon each: paprika, chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Fine sea salt and cracked pepper
- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper strips, coarsely chopped
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 package Ready Rice/Microwaveable Packaged Rice, 8.5 oz
- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- Optional: fresh lime, fresh cilantro, sour cream
Instructions
- ONION AND SAUSAGE: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Add sliced sausage and saute another 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and salt & pepper to taste (I add 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Add broth, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2-3 minutes or until liquid is mostly evaporated. Mix in red pepper strips, corn, black beans, and rice (no prep needed beforehand). Mix until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings to personal preference.
- CHEESE: Turn off the heat. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover with lid. Let stand 3-5 minutes or until melted. Gently stir to mix in the cheese and serve immediately. Add fresh lime, fresh cilantro, and a scoop of sour cream if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Was pretty good. I added extra water because the spices were pasty all over the sausage and didn’t like the melted cheese in this. I’ll just add on top of my bowl. It melted and clumped everything together.