Smoked Sausage with Rice - Instant Pot / Slow Cooker

Instant Pot Smoked Sausage with White Rice makes for a quick and easy one-pot dinner recipe that gets ready in just 10-minutes in the Instant Pot. It's easy to make. and tastes similar to Jambalaya just squeeze out the Cajun Flavors.

I've used Hillshire Farm Polska kielbasa Smoked Sausages (Polish Sausages). But you can use chorizo or Kransky as well.

Try this easy recipe tonight

https://youtu.be/M31Gq76NvHs

Wondering what is the best way to cook smoked sausage?

In my humble opinion this Smoked Sausage with rice or pasta in a crock pot or instant pot is like the best thing that you can make for dinner. 🍽

One recipe that I think you'll love the MOST (i personally recommend this for you) - The Best Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole

You can also try:-

• Sausage and Peppers with Onions

One Pot Meal for the family

Nothing can beat. the comfort of a one-pot meal. It's easy, super quick and you only have one pot to clean at the end.

Have you tried my Bruschetta Chicken Pasta - Slow Cooker / Instant Pot or Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta or Low Carb Lemon Butter Chicken - Instant Pot / Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Salsa Chicken or Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe {Vegan} or Instant Pot Sesame Noodles (10-minutes) {Takeout Style} or Instant Pot Vegetarian Baked Ziti

All of these makes for a quick One Pot Meal for the family.

I really love good One-Pot Rice Recipes like this Oven Baked Chicken and Rice or this Cajun Shrimp and Rice Or this Traditional Indian Biryani

Jump to:

• Try this easy recipe tonight
• One Pot Meal for the family
• 😋 Let's Talk Taste
• What's Smoked Sausage?
• What's the difference between polish kielbasa and smoked sausage?
• Is Smoked Sausage healthy?
• What is the best way to cook smoked sausages?
• Smoked Sausage and Rice quick one pot meal
• 🍴Ingredients
• 👩‍🍳 Instructions on making Easy Smoked Sausage and rice
• 🥘 Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage and Rice
• Can I use Raw Sausages instead of smoked sausages?
• 📝 Variations for this Perfect Weeknight meal
• 💯 Top Tips
• 🥗 What do you serve with Smoked Sausage and rice?
• More of my favorite sides
• "BONUS" Tips
• More Sausage Recipes:
• Recipe Card
• Smoked Sausage with Rice - Instant Pot / Slow Cooker

This recipe uses Smoked Sausages along with Onion, Garlic, and just a hint of Smoked Paprika for that perfect kick of spice and smokey taste!

I have used Long grained Basmati Rice for this recipe as it tastes the best in this one-pot recipe and also cooks exceptionally quickly.

😋 Let's Talk Taste

When it comes to taste this Sausage with Rice is a hearty and comforting recipe for dinner. It's great to serve with Grilled Chicken or Steaks.

I just love the buttery taste of this rice and sausage. It's just sooo good and makes this feel so comforting. 😋😋

What's Smoked Sausage?

In simple language smoked sausage is typically raw sausage that is mixed with spices and exposed to aromatic wood.

As you can obviously guess, the wood is burnt and then the smoke from the wood infuses a smoky flavor into the sausages. Why? What's the purpose?

This has two major purpose.

a) It extends the shelf life of sausage.

b) It infuses a better flavor to the sausage.

Learn more about types of 13 different types of sausages here

What's the difference between polish kielbasa and smoked sausage?

Both sausage and Polish Kielbasa sausage is typically made from ground pork. In fact in Poland, Kielbasa is just an another name for Sausage.

BUT, the basic difference are:

a) Kielbasa is usually "U" shaped or Horseshoe shaped. But, other forms of sausage are long and cylindrical in shape.

b) Kielbasa has coarsely ground pork meat.

c) Kielbasa has a garlicky taste and contains marjoram (something that we mostly use during holiday meals)

d) Kielbasa uses only ground pork meat. Whereas for other sausages you can make that with all kinds of meat.

Is Smoked Sausage healthy?

Before we answer that, let's talk about how bad sausage is for you? The answer is NO, Smoked Sausage is not keto. It is not as healthy as you would want it to be. Is sausage healthier than bacon? Well, again its a no. Sausage has bit more calories than bacon.

This brings me to my next question:

What is the healthiest sausage to eat? - In my opinion Pork sausages or Cajun Style Andouille sausages are the healthiest sausages to eat. You can also try Chicken Sausages.

What is the best way to cook smoked sausages?

Well there are so many options that you can consider when you want to cook smoked sausages.

• You can Grill your sausages.
• You can Bake your sausages
• Or You can simply pan fry your sausages.

Many people ask if you actually need to cook smoked sausages? Well, NO if its been cured. If the sausage is smoked at 180 degrees F then NO you don't need to cook your sausages. But, if it is cold smoked i.e. below 85 degrees F then YES you do need to cook your sausages.

Another confusion between people is does fully cooked smoked sausage look pink? The general rule of thumb is YES. Sometimes fully cooked smoked sausages that comes in a pack looks pink in color and that is absolutely safe for eating. Meaning - you do not need to heat it through to consume it.

Smoked Sausage and Rice quick one pot meal

🍴Ingredients

This Smoked Sausage and Rice uses very few ingredients and is so easy to make.

• Polish Smoked Sausage
• Onions
• Garlic
• Salt & Pepper
• Smoked Paprika
• Beef Broth
• Basmati Rice
• Eggs
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Parsley (for garnish)

👩‍🍳 Instructions on making Easy Smoked Sausage and rice

STEP 1: Cook the Onion and Garlic

• Put the instant pot to saute mode and add the olive oil and butter
• As the butter shimmers, add the chopped onion and garlic
• Saute until they get fragrant for 2-3 minutes on high

STEP 2: Cook the Sausages

• Add the Sausages to the pot
• Cook until they get smoked for 3-4 minutes on High
• Push them to one side and add beaten egg to the pot
• Stir constantly so that they scramble.

• Add the Washed and Drained Rice and toss to combine
• Do NOT STIR RICE. This will break your rice. Just push it down with a spatula.

STEP 3: Cook the Rice

• Pour Beef Broth (or water) in the pot
• Stir to combine everything. Scrape off any bits which might have got stuck to the bottom of the pan
• Cover with the lid and pressure cook on high for 3 minutes.

STEP 4: Garnish and Serve

• Garnish with freshly chopped Parsley and serve.

🥘 Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage and Rice

• Heat Olive Oil and Butter in a Pan
• As the butter shimmers, throw in the chopped Onions and Garlic
• Saute on high for 2-3 minutes or until they get fragrant
• Next, add the Sausages along with Salt, Pepper and Smoked Paprika
• Cook it on high for 3-4 minutes or until it gets smoked
• Add washed and drained rice to it
• Saute on high for 2-3 minutes
• transfer to a greased slow cooker
• Pour the Beef broth over it. Toss to combine everything
• Cover with a lid and slow cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.

Can I use Raw Sausages instead of smoked sausages?

Yes. I do recommend raw sausages, in case you don't have or don't want to use smoked sausages. Raw sausages have ton of flavors and you can easily cut them into small chunks.

📝 Variations for this Perfect Weeknight meal

• Sausage Variations - I have used Kielbasa Smoked Sausages for this recipe. You can use Andouille, Pork or Turkey Sausages or Chorizo Smoked Pork Sausage for this recipe.
• Veggies - You can make this a protein packed dinner recipe by including healthy veggies in this recipe. I love to include sauteed Mushrooms or Broccoli or Spinach or Carrots or sauteed Asparagus or Bell Peppers or Cauliflower or chopped Zucchini or French Beans or Green Peas to this Smoked Sausage and Rice.
• Chicken - You can add Chicken along with Sausage. Just smoke it in the same pot you are using to cook the Sausage. You do not even have to cook the chicken through, just cook until it gets light golden brown on the edges. Pour the Beef Broth and cover cook either in the Instant pot or in the Slow Cooker
• Asian - Give this Smoked Sausage and Rice an Asian twist by including a bit of asian sauces like Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, just a hint of hot and spicy Sriracha and some brown sugar. Add all of this while sauteing the Sausages. This will be a fun twist on the original recipe.
• Chees-y Rice - Make this even comforting and Americanised by adding some shredded Cheddar Cheese or even Parmesan while sauteing the rice with the sausage. After the cheese melts and gets stringy add the Beef Broth and then cover cook.
• Crispy Bacon - Make this Smoked Sausage and Rice even better by garnishing with some crispy bacon on top. You can crisp the bacon separately in a pan with some butter and then top it over the cooked rice, right when you are garnishing with the freshly chopped Parsley. It's going to give a nice crunch and burst of flavors to this Smoked Sausage and Rice recipe.
• Spicy - This smoked Pork Sausage with white Rice recipe is absolutely kid friendly so there is no spiciness in this recipe. However if you like it spicy you can include some Cayenne Pepper or chopped Jalapenos for the heat. Of course you can add some Cajun or Creole Seasoning to make this even spicer and hot.
• Hot Sauce or Sriracha - If you want, you can add Hot Sauce and Sriracha to make this even spicy.
• Diced Tomato - If you want you can add a can of Diced Tomato along with 1 teaspoon of Tomato Paste along with the Beef Broth, stir to combine and then cook it. It'll give a nice tang to this rice.
• Choice of Rice - I have used Basmati Rice for this Smoked Sausage and Rice recipe. Alternatively you can use Brown Rice or Wild Rice for this recipe. If you use Brown Rice, then the cooking time will increase by 2 more minutes in the instant pot and 1 hour in the slow cooker. Also, the water or beef broth quantity will increase by 1 1/2 cup.
• Cauliflower Rice - Cauliflower Rice is an excellent choice to make tis Smoked Sausage and Rice Low Carb. Just replace Basmati Rice with Cauliflower Rice and its going to taste so good.
• Quinoa - To make this Low Carb, Keto and Healthy, you can replace Rice with Quinoa. It takes the same time to cook as does rice and is such a healthy alternative.

💯 Top Tips

• The ratio of Rice to Water - This is the most important thing about making Smoked Sausage and Rice. Always remember that the trick to perfectly cooked fluffy rice is the ratio of Rice to Water. It should always be 1:2.
  • So if you're using 1 cup of Basmati Rice, you need 2 cups of Water (or Beef Broth, as in this recipe) to cook the rice.
• Basmati Rice - I have used Long Grained Basmati Rice for this recipe. You can easily find this online or in your local grocery store in the rice bags sections. This is also very easily available in indian grocery stores or spice stores.

🥗 What do you serve with Smoked Sausage and rice?

This Smoked Sausage and Rice makes for a simple and wholesome One-Pot Meal in itself. However, you can serve it with some sides like:

Grilled Chicken or Grilled Steaks. Grilled Food is healthy and makes for a great side to Rice recipes. You can try my Grilled Chicken Drumsticks or Grilled Chimichurri Chicken or Greek Grilled Chicken .

You can also serve with some side salads like this Healthy Black Bean and Corn Salad with Lime Dressing or Mexican Corn Salad

or Refreshing Pomegranate Orange Salad or Feel-Good Apple Orange Salad With Walnuts and Mint Leaves or Deli-style Creamy Classic Macaroni Salad or Onion Cucumber Tomato Corn Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing or Creamy Cucumber Red Onion Salad with Dill and Sourcream or Asian Cucumber Red Onion Salad with Garlic Vinegar Dressing or Summer Potato Salad

More of my favorite sides

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips (just 3 ingredients)
• Baked Beans with Bacon & Maple
• Mac and Cheese

"BONUS" Tips

These "BONUS" tips will take your sausage and rice recipe from - "hmm.. that's okaish" to "man, I can't get enough of this".

• Add Peppers. Green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers - whichever one you like can definitely be included in this recipe.
• Cayenne Pepper - Just a pinch of if you'd want me to be specific - 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper will improve its taste so much.
• Don't be stuck on Basmati rice - Use any white rice that you have at home with the same rice to water ratio to make this recipe.
• Cajun Seasoning - My Homemade Cajun Seasoning can be an essential part of your dish (only if you love that hearty cajun and creole flavors)

More Sausage Recipes:

• Velveeta Sausage Dip
• Sausage and Cheese Balls
• Cheesy Sausage Gnocchi in One Pan
• One Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
• Grandma's Sausage Herb Stuffing

I hope you liked this recipe. If you have any comments on it, please post them below. Also, if you happen to make this recipe, then share a snap of it on Instagram and tag me with #recipemagik.

https://youtu.be/M31Gq76NvHs

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