Creamy Cajun Sausage Rice Skillet

This Creamy Cajun Sausage Rice Skillet is filled with delicious cajun flavor. In this rice skillet sausage is sautéed with bell peppers, onions and garlic along with rice, spinach, mozzarella cheese and cajun seasoning and finished off with a creamy cajun sauce of cream and Parmesan cheese. You will love this easy one pot meal for those busy weeknights!

CREAMY CAJUN SAUSAGE RICE SKILLET

I am a huge fan of Cajun flavors, especially in comforting rice dishes.

There is something so cozy about a big bowl of this Creamy Cajun Sausage Rice Skillet.

I am partnering with the American Dairy Association Mideast to share this easy weeknight dinner that is perfect for back-to-school and fall meal-prep.

I personally think the leftovers are even better the next day.

You can feel good about feeding this protein-packed meal to your family. The creamy sauce mixes together cream, milk and cheese which pairs so nicely with the Cajun seasoning and the rice.

If you are lactose intolerant you can substitute the cream and milk for lactose-free cow milk.

If you love one pot meals you should also try this One Pot Chicken Enchilada Pasta, Cheesy Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet or this One Pot Mediterranean Shrimp Pasta.

If you like Cajun style recipes try my Easy Cajun Shrimp, One Pot Cajun Pasta, Cajun Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Blackened Fish and Shrimp Creole recipes.

Why You Will Love This Cajun Rice Skillet Recipe:

PACKED WITH FLAVOR: With the smoky pork sausage, lots of colorful veggies and spicy Cajun seasoning, this dish is bursting with flavor.

GREAT ONE-POT DISH: This is a great one-pot dinner dish. Everything cooks in one skillet which means you will save time on dishes. You can’t beat an easy dinner.

EASILY ADAPTED: Adapt this recipe to suit your own tastes. You can adjust the seasoning, add in extra veggies, stir in some leftover cooked chicken. The options are endless so make the dish your own!

DOUBLE-UP: This recipe is really easy to double-up if you are feeding a larger group of diners.

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

• Sausage – when it comes to adding sausage I used a smoked sausage like andouille sausage which is a great tasting smoked pork sausage commonly used in Cajun cooking.
• Garlic – I add fresh mince garlic for this recipe as it has the best flavor. You could use garlic puree or frozen garlic in a pinch.
• Onions – I add a small sweet onion for flavor, but a red onion, a yellow onion or shallots would be a good alternative.
• Peppers – for this recipe, I used a red bell pepper and orange bell peppers, but you can use any other color like green pepper or yellow peppers.
• Celery – fresh celery adds great savory flavor to the rice.
• Seasoning – I season the rice with salt, black pepper and Cajun seasoning or creole seasoning. The Cajun seasoning can be adjusted, depending on how spicy you like your food.
• Tomatoes – I used fire roasted diced tomatoes in this recipe, but you can use regular diced tomatoes.
• Rice – I add long grain white rice to this dish.
• Broth – use vegetable broth, chicken stock or chicken broth with the rice. Both work equally well.
• Spinach – I add baby spinach to the pot right at the end of the cook, allowing the spinach to wilt.
• Cream – for the creamiest flavor add heavy cream, or you can substitute half and half.
• Milk – I use whole milk in this dish but you can use lactose-free milk if you are lactose intolerant.
• Cheese – I flavor the rice with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, saving a little extra cheese to garnish the dish when ready to serve.

How to Make This Cajun Rice Skillet Recipe

1. Cook the sausage

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add the olive oil. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook until browned.

2. Sauté the vegetables

Add in the garlic, onion, Cajun spice, salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add in the bell pepper and celery and continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.

3. Add the tomatoes and rice

Add the fire roasted tomatoes, rice and broth and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

4. Add the spinach

Take lid off and stir in the spinach until wilted.

5. Add the cream and cheese

Add in the cream, milk, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese and stir well, simmering for another 2-3 minutes or until the sauce becomes creamy.

6. Garnish the dish and serve

Remove from the heat and garnish with green onion and more cheese.

6. Garnish the dish and serve

Remove from the heat and garnish with green onion and more cheese.

Recipe Tips & Modifications

Sausage – I’ve used Andouille sausage which is a smoky pork sausage traditionally used in Cajun cuisine. You could substitute with other smoked pork sausages, and kielbasa would be a great option.

Protein – You can add other protein to this recipe. For example you can stir through some leftover roast chicken, or add a handful of shrimp toward the end of cooking. I also like adding in ground meat like ground turkey, ground beef or ground chicken.

Beans – If you want a vegetarian version leave out the meat and add beans. I like black beans, red beans or pinto beans.

Vegetables – This recipe can be easily bulked up by adding extra vegetables. Try carrots, mushrooms, eggplant or zucchini.

Greens – I added a handful of spinach to the rice just before serving. Arugula, chard or kale are great alternatives.

Rice – I’ve used long grain white rice, which is traditionally used in this recipe. You can swap for brown rice, but just be aware that you may need to add more broth to the rice and it might take longer to properly cook through. When I use brown rice, I must use at least another cup of chicken broth and simmer for about 35-40 minutes.

Spice – I use a Cajun seasoning blend to add flavor to this dish. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning you can make your own by using a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Here is a good recipe to use.

RECIPE TIPS

Lactose Intolerance – Lactose intolerance may lead some to avoid or limit dairy food consumption, which can result in missing out on the essential nutrients and health benefits dairy foods provide. If you are lactose intolerant you can still make this recipe using that lactose-free cow’s milk, like lactaid.

Everyone tolerates lactose differently. The good news is there are a variety of lactose-free and lower-lactose choices that deliver on taste and nutrition. Lactose-free milk is real milk just without lactose, offering the same 13 essential nutrients, health benefits and taste.

Leftovers – Once cooked and cooled, store leftover Cajun rice and sausage in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet, or in the microwave, until piping hot.

Freeze – Once cooked, quickly cool the rice down and place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Defrost the rice in the refrigerator then reheat in a skillet, or in the microwave, until piping hot. Add a splash of broth or water to stop the dish from drying out.

Reheating – To reheat the sausage and rice skillet, use the microwave and heat until warmed through. Another option is to slowly heat it in a skillet or in the oven at 300 degrees F.

What to Serve with Creamy Cajun Sausage Rice Skillet

I always love adding a salad to all main dinner dishes, try my Mexican Street Corn Salad, Watermelon Arugula Salad, Lemon Arugula Pine Nut Salad, Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing, or this Jalapeño Coleslaw.

Vegetables are also a nice side dish addition, try my Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables, Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower or these Lebanese Green Beans. 

I also enjoy potatoes alongside this meal. These Lemon Cilantro Roasted Potatoes, Gouda Smashed Potatoes, and Spicy Lebanese Potatoes are always a hit. 

Other Rice Recipes You Might Like

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN & RICE

CURRIED CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

SAUSAGE & BEAN CASSEROLE

GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS

MEDITERANEAN CHICKEN & RICE

SLOW COOKER CUBAN PORK RICE BOWL

SLOW COOKER PHILLY CHEESESTEAK RICE

For more information about dairy nutrition, to find delicious new recipes and to meet Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers, visit www.Drink-MIlk.com, and follow the American Dairy Association Mideast on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Today’s post is sponsored by the American Dairy Association Mideast. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that allow me to create new and exciting recipes.