Description
This flavorful and comforting sausage and rice dish combines savory sausage, aromatic vegetables, and tender rice cooked together in a skillet. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal, it features a blend of spices including paprika, thyme, and cayenne for a mild kick, balanced by fresh parsley and sweet peas for freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage and Vegetables
- 1 pound sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Rice and Seasonings
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Additional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat to prepare for cooking the ingredients.
- Cook sausage: Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it apart with a spoon or spatula as it cooks for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Set sausage aside: Remove the cooked sausage from the pan, leaving the drippings behind; this adds flavor to the next steps.
- Sauté onions: Add the chopped onion to the same pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Cook bell pepper: Add the chopped bell pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften.
- Add spices: Sprinkle in paprika, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne, stirring well to evenly coat the vegetables.
- Toast rice: Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine, letting it toast lightly for 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth: Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom for flavor.
- Simmer rice: Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes until rice is tender and broth absorbed.
- Add peas and sausage: Stir in frozen peas and the cooked sausage, then cover again.
- Heat through: Let the mixture sit covered for 5 minutes to warm the peas and sausage through.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve hot.
Notes
- Use mild or spicy sausage depending on your flavor preference.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute sausage with plant-based sausage or extra vegetables.
- Ensure the rice is well covered by chicken broth for even cooking.
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth for a different flavor.
- Adjust cayenne pepper to make the dish more or less spicy.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated for up to 3 days.
