Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet: An Easy Dinnertime Favorite

This Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is basically what I like to call “jambalaya-lite.” It’s got all those warm, smoky, spicy flavors you love, but in a super simple, weeknight-friendly form. One pan, no fuss, and it comes together fast. The best part? The leftovers are even better the next day. (Hello, meal prep win!)

Let’s Talk Sausage

If you can get your hands on Andouille sausage, that’s the move. It’s a smoked pork sausage that brings tons of bold, Louisiana-style flavor. Can’t find it? No worries, any smoked sausage will totally work here. Just go with what you’ve got.

If you really want to go all in, you can special order authentic Louisiana sausage from spots like CajunGrocer.com for the real-deal experience.

How Spicy Is It?

That’s totally up to you. The heat in this dish depends on the sausage and your spice blend. I used a medium-spicy Andouille and added a little cayenne for kick. If you’re not into spice, grab a mild sausage and skip the cayenne. Easy fix!

Can I Use Store-Bought Cajun Seasoning?

Sure thing, but check the label first. A lot of store-bought Cajun blends are super salty and act more like a finishing salt than a true seasoning mix. If yours is more herbs and spices than salt, go ahead and use about 1 tablespoon for this recipe.

What About Brown Rice?

You can use brown rice, but it’s a bit trickier. Brown rice needs more liquid and a longer cook time than white rice. I haven’t tested it yet, but if you want to try, I’d recommend adding at least 1 extra cup of broth and cooking for closer to 40 minutes to get that rice tender.

How to Make Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet

Let’s get cooking! Here’s how to make this smoky, savory one-pan wonder—step by step.

1. Start with the Sausage

This is the Andouille sausage I used, but don’t stress if you can’t find it in your area. Any smoked pork sausage will do, just make sure it’s got that rich, smoky flavor because that’s where a lot of the magic comes from!

Slice your sausage into thick coins and add them to a large skillet with a tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté over medium heat until the sausage is nicely browned. And hey, if the bottom of your pan starts to turn a little brown? Don’t panic, that’s flavor gold that’ll mix right into the rice later.

2. Add the Veg + Spices

While the sausage is doing its thing, dice up one bell pepper. Toss it into the skillet and cook for another minute or so. Then it’s spice time, go ahead and add (smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper).

Give it all a stir and cook for about a minute to wake up those spices and get your kitchen smelling amazing.

3. Add the Rice + Tomatoes

Now pour in one 15 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (juice and all), 1 cup long grain white rice, and 1½ cups of chicken broth. Stir well, making sure to scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan, they’re going to melt into the dish and give you SO much flavor.

4. Let It Simmer

Cover the skillet with a lid, crank the heat to medium-high, and bring it all to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Don’t peek, let the steam do its thing!

5. Rest + Fluff

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but keep the lid on. Let it rest for 5 more minutes, this helps finish cooking the rice and keeps it nice and fluffy.

6. Serve It Up

Remove the lid, fluff everything together to mix up the sausage, rice, and peppers, and… wow. It smells amazing, looks delicious, and is ready to serve. Honestly, try not to eat it straight from the pan (no judgment if you do though!).

Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet (Easy Jambalaya Vibes)

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This Cajun Sausage and Rice Skillet is basically what I like to call “jambalaya-lite.” It’s got all those warm, smoky, spicy flavors you love, but in a super simple, weeknight-friendly form. One pan, no fuss, and it comes together fast. The best part? The leftovers are even better the next day. (Hello, meal prep win!)

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

14 oz. Andouille sausage

1 Tbsp cooking oil

1 bell pepper

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

1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 cup long grain white rice

1.5 cups chicken broth

2 green onions, sliced

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Instructions

1. Start by slicing your sausage into ¼ to ½-inch thick rounds. Heat a drizzle of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the sausage. Cook it until it’s nice and browned on both sides. And if the bottom of the pan starts to get a little browned too, don’t worry. That’s where all the flavor lives, and it’s going to work its way into the rice later.
2. While the sausage is cooking, dice up your bell pepper. Once the sausage has some good color, toss in the bell pepper and sauté everything together for about a minute to soften it up just a bit.
3. Next, sprinkle in your spices, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir it all together and cook for another minute to let the spices bloom and coat everything in that smoky, savory goodness.
4. Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes (don’t drain them!), the rice, and the chicken broth. Give everything a good stir, scraping up any of those tasty browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
5. Pop a lid on, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it all to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, lower the heat to low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, lid on, no peeking.
6. After 20 minutes, take the skillet off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes with the lid still on. This helps the rice finish cooking and makes everything nice and fluffy.
7. When time’s up, take off the lid, fluff everything up with a spoon or spatula to mix the sausage and rice back together, and sprinkle with sliced green onions.

 

That’s it, dinner’s served! Cozy, flavorful, and all in one pan.

Equipment

Cutting Board

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Dutch Oven Casserole Pot

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Wooden Cooking Spoons

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• Author: Kelly Foster
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stove
• Cuisine: Cajun

Jennifer West Recipe Development Editor

Recipe designer, Jennifer West, shares easy and flavorful dishes with a creative twist,. Perfect for busy families and everyday home cooks.

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