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When weeknights get hectic, this Smoked Sausage and Rice One-Skillet Dinner is the ultimate lifesaver. Sliced smoked sausage (or kielbasa) is browned to caramelized perfection, then simmered with tender long-grain white rice, sweet bell peppers, and savory broth—all in a single pan! Ready from start to finish in just 30 minutes, it delivers maximum flavor with almost zero cleanup.
Why This Recipe Works
Combining sliced smoked sausage, tender white rice, sweet bell peppers, onions, and savory chicken broth, this complete dinner cooks in one skillet in just 30 minutes. With only 10 minutes of hands-on prep and minimal cleanup, it delivers a hearty, balanced family meal using affordable pantry staples.
More Easy Weeknight Dinners: Need more quick, family-friendly meals? Check out our reader-favorite John Wayne Casserole, Crockpot Chicken and Noodles, or browse our full collection of Easy 30-Minute Weeknight Dinners and One-Pot Meals.
Why you’ll love this one-skillet meal!
I have a very busy, active family so we don’t always have the luxury of sitting down together for dinner, but when we do, this is one of everyone’s FAVORITE smoked sausage recipes! It is so simple to put together but is hearty, flavorful and feels special, even on a regular weeknight.
If you try my smoked sausage and rice skillet, I know you will fall in love with it and add it to your weekly dinner rotation. I think I’ll make it tonight, too!
- One skillet, minimal cleanup: Everything cooks in a single pan, which means fewer dishes and an easier evening.
- Family-friendly flavors: Smoky sausage, tender rice, and simple seasonings make this a hit with kids and adults.
- Quick and filling: This is a complete meal—protein, carbs, and veggies—all in one.
- Great for leftovers: Reheats beautifully for lunch the next day.
Table of Contents
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why you’ll love this one-skillet meal!
- Ingredients for Smoked Sausage and Rice Skillet
- Kasey’s Kitchen Testing Notes
- Variations
- How To Make This Smoked Sausage Recipe With Rice and Broccoli
- Storage and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Delicious Sausage Recipes
- Smoked Sausage and Rice (One Skillet Meal) Recipe
Ingredients for Smoked Sausage and Rice Skillet
The perfect smoked sausage and rice is just 30 minutes away! Here is what you will need:
- Smoked sausage – If you have Hillshire Farms sausage at your local store, this is my favorite! You can also use Italian sausage or chicken sausage.
- Broccoli florets – Cut broccoli into small bite size pieces. They’ll also cook faster.
- Instant rice – Instant rice is the fastest option which I prefer for quick weekday meals. You can also make my Instant Pot Rice which turns out perfectly every time.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – This is optional, but it adds amazing flavor!
Kasey’s Kitchen Testing Notes
- Sear the Sausage First for Maximum Flavor: In my experience, skipping the initial browning step led to a bland dish. Searing the sausage slices in a hot skillet for 4–5 minutes renders out flavorful fats and creates caramelized browned bits on the bottom of the pan that season the rice as it simmers.
- Rice Type Matters: I tested this recipe with long-grain white rice, jasmine rice, and instant (minute) rice. Standard long-grain white, brown or jasmine rice yields the best fluffy texture without turning mushy. Avoid instant rice here if you can—it absorbs liquid too quickly and turns gummy over a 20-minute simmer.
- Resist the Urge to Peek: Once you cover the skillet and reduce the heat to low, keep the lid tightly closed for the full 15–20 minutes. Lifting the lid releases trapped steam, which causes the rice to cook unevenly and leaves hard, crunchy grains in the center.
- Sausage Swaps: I’ve tested this with standard smoked beef sausage, turkey kielbasa, and spicy andouille. Turkey kielbasa is a great lean option that holds its shape nicely, while andouille adds an extra kick if your family loves Cajun flavors!
Variations
This smoked sausage recipe is highly versatile and can be customized to suit your tastes. Here are some variations and substitutions you can try:
- Use different types of smoked sausage, such as chicken sausage or turkey smoked sausage, to change up the flavor.
- Toss in frozen peas or corn for extra color and flavor.
- Substitute chicken broth with beef broth or vegetable broth for a different flavor profile.
- Add some heat to the dish with red pepper flakes or diced jalapenos.
- Swap rice for quinoa or cauliflower rice for a lighter version.
How To Make This Smoked Sausage Recipe With Rice and Broccoli
- Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil until melted. Add the sliced smoked sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until sausage begins to brown.
- Steam the broccoli: Add the broccoli and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes more – stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the cooked rice, garlic powder and onion salt to the skillet.
- Serve: Enjoy this smoked sausage and rice skillet while warm!
Storage and Reheating
To enjoy your smoked sausage and rice for days to come, follow these storage and reheating tips:
- Refrigerating: Store the cooled dish in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to keep it away from strong-smelling foods, as it can absorb odors easily.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of chicken broth. You can also add some diced tomatoes or red pepper flakes to give it an extra boost of flavor and freshness.
- Freezing: Simply place the cooled smoked sausage and rice in a freezer-safe bag or container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as mentioned above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but brown rice requires more liquid and cooking time. Increase the chicken broth by 1/2 cup and increase the covered simmer time from 15–20 minutes to 40–45 minutes, or until the brown rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Rice stays hard if steam escaped during cooking or the heat was too high, evaporating the broth before the grains softened. Keep the lid tightly sealed on low heat during the full simmer time, and let the skillet rest off the heat for 5 minutes before removing the lid.
Yes! Allow the cooked meal to cool completely, transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth or water over medium-low heat.
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Smoked Sausage and Rice (One Skillet Meal)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound Smoked Sausage sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil and let the butter melt.
- Add the sliced smoked sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until sausage begins to brown.
- Add the broccoli and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked rice, garlic powder and onion salt to the skillet.
- Stir well.
- Add the shredded cheese, stirring well until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Slice the sausage evenly: This ensures it will all cook at the same rate.
- Use a large skillet: You’ll be adding a lot to it and you’ll want room to stir without ingredients falling out of the pan!
- Swap in white rice if you’d like: Since the rice is already cooked, it won’t change the cooking time at all.
Perfect camping trip recipe! Easy and yummy!
This recipe doesn’t mention any type of liquid. Just wondering before I burn my house down, if this requires water or some other type of liquid and at what point do you add it?
No extra liquid. The oil and butter provide all the liquid needed.
we used beef flavored rice-a-roni for a interesting twist. Mom and I barely got any as the kids fought us for it.
Ive made this a few times and it’s really good, especially for a quick meal and stovetop for those hot summer nights so no heating up the house with the oven. I was thinking that next time I make this, instead of using the water, I’m going to try to use chicken stock in the pan with the instant rice (I had to use white rice) and let it boil with the broccoli to make it truly a one pot meal.
Has anyone attempted to make this using quinoa? Just wondering if it might be good…or just ruin the dish…also super broke and have quinoa on hand. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated! !
I think that’s a GREAT idea! I love quinoa! Try it!
How many servings does this make?
4 servings.
Do you use raw broccoli? & is it cooked to a tenderness for kids in this amount of time?
My husband says yes. (I can’t stand broccoli, so I ate mine without.) You can always steam or roast the broccoli separately, then add it. I will probably steam the broccoli next time, so I don’t have to eat around it.
Got home late tonight and had no idea what to cook. All I had was the smoked sausage. So I quickly came to Pinterest for ideas and ran into this. Unfortunately I didn’t have broccoli and I was too lazy to drive to the store ? But even without the broccoli it was still a hit for hubby and I. Thank you!
this looks amazing – wanted to add that for about $6 you can stop by your local pick up sticks and purchase brown rice already cooked, makes it easier and fast.
Love this combo! I’m going to piggy back and modify it without the butter and cheese but totally looking forward to this great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I did the same, replacing the butter with margarine and omitting the cheese. We used spicy chicken sausage, as well. This was fantastic, and healthful enough that we don’t feel guilty eating it.