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by Mel Lockcuff
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Whip up quick and easy Instant Pot sausage and rice for dinner tonight. It's a hearty one dish recipe you can throw together in minutes and a flavorful weeknight meal everyone will enjoy!
Don't you just love it when you can combine 2 or 3 of your favorite foods and create a dish that's so full of flavor, you want to have it for dinner every night? That's how this Instant Pot smoked sausage and rice recipe is for me.
this recipe
I have always loved smoked sausage. When you combine it with rice (or cauliflower rice), onion, garlic, certain spices like smoked paprika, and a dash of green peas, you've got a blue ribbon dinner winner.
Now I do like to use regular white rice, but as I've told you before, I have a low carber in the house. So he'll sometimes make this one pot meal with cauliflower rice, if he even wants any rice at all.
If you love this Instant Pot kielbasa and rice dish, check out another one-pot meal my family loves, sausage and chicken casserole, also made in the Instant Pot.
Why You'll Love This Easy Dinner Recipe
- This is a delicious dump and go meal, and it really reminds me of a good Cajun dish like this jambalaya recipe, but without all the other ingredients. The smoked paprika gives this a real kick in flavor.
- This flavorful rice is quick and easy, even with cooking time, and your Instant Pot does the main work for you. I love a good quick meal.
- It's a budget-friendly meal. Depending what you already have on hand, this dish can be made for around $5-10, and it can easily feed 5 people.
- It's a one pot meal, a rice casserole, per sé. You get your meat, veggies, and carb all in one hearty dish.
- It's kid-friendly, a great recipe for kids to help you make.
Ingredients and Substitutions Notes:
To make this sausage and rice Instant Pot recipe, you'll need to gather a few simple ingredients…
- Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves – An easy way to add the garlic is to just used already minced garlic you can find in the produce section at the grocery store.
- Yellow Onion – While you can use sweet onion, I find the yellow onion gives a nice kick; and this dish has enough carbs (with the rice) without added sugar.
- Sausage Link – I love to use smoked sausage, usually beef smoked sausage, and Polish sausages. You can get great flavor by using kielbasa, andouille sausage, smoked chorizo, etc. You can also use turkey sausage or chicken sausage. Do keep in mind that if you're trying to make this gluten-free, be sure to look for sausage labeled gluten-free; you'd be surprised at some of the things that do actually contain gluten.
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Smoked Paprika – This is my “not so secret” ingredient that adds spice, smoky flavor, and a kick. Without it, this dish just wouldn't be the same. It is a wonderful seasoning for so many things and just adds a lot of flavor. Again, be sure to look for the gluten-free label if making this gluten-free.
- Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock – You can mix up bullion or use ready-made broth or chicken stock; however, if you're making this gluten-free, be sure to check your labels.
- White Rice – When it comes to the type of rice, I suggest using long grain rice. We prefer to use a long grain rice to make pressure cooker sausage and rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are more great examples of long grain rice. The reason I prefer long grain rice is because it really fluffs up after cooking, and it won't be so moist; it'll have a drier texture to it, so it doesn't just clump up into heaps of cooked rice. You can also make this recipe with brown rice or cauliflower rice, but keep in mind that it will change the texture and taste of the finished dish.
- Frozen Peas – Just be sure to thaw them. You can also add in other veggies, things like bell peppers, green beans, corn, etc.
Let's Talk about the Instant Pot for a Second
If you haven't used an Instant Pot for pressure cooking, you're in for a meal making treat. The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker that allows you to make so many things quickly and easily.
I love using mine to make one pot dinners and weeknight meals, especially when we're super busy and just don't have a lot of time to cook. One pot Instant Pot dinners are the absolute best!
Not sure how to use your Instant Pot? You're not alone; I have a lot of friends and readers who've ordered one but but have yet to get it out of the box and actually use it. But I've got ya covered with my quick and easy Instant Pot guide.
How to Make Instant Pot Sausage and Rice
Before you even heat up your Instant Pot, be sure to prep your ingredients and have them ready to go. This means go ahead and mince up your garlic and onion, slice the sausage, and make chicken broth if you're not using already made broth.
I've used both my 6-quart Instant Pot and 8-quart Instant Pot to make this recipe.
Just follow these steps…
- Press “Sauté” on your Instant Pot, and once it's heated up, add the olive oil, garlic, and onion, sautéing 'til they become soft and slightly browned.
- Add in the sausage slices with the browned bits, and brown for a good 1 to 2 minutes.
- Then sprinkle in the seasonings, and add the rice and chicken broth, mixing everything together.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure, with a cooking time of 5 minutes. Allow it to do a natural release, not a quick release.
- Once it's released, go ahead and remove the lid, and stir in the thawed peas. Put the lid back on, and allow those peas to warm for about 5 minutes. No need to turn on the pot; just let everything sit in its own warmth.
- Then stir and fluff the rice, and serve it up!
It's such an easy meal to make, and definitely one your family will love!
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ideas and ways you can switch up this Instant Pot rice and sausage recipe to make it even more fun…
- Add bell peppers. Bell pepper, including green pepper and red bell pepper, gives excellent flavor to just about any dish.
- To give it a kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
- Try different seasonings. If you want it to have a Tex-Mex feel, try adding taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. If you want Instant Pot Cajun sausage and rice, try adding Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning. If you want more of a Chinese sausage dish, you can try adding soy sauce.
- Speaking of Tex-Mex, add salsa to the mix, or picante sauce, or better yet, a green salsa.
- Make it cheesy by adding either some shredded cheese, or a can of cheddar soup.
- Try making it with other types of meat… Maybe ground sausage or ground beef, bits of steak, chicken, or shrimp.
- Sprinkle green onions on top of each serving as you dish it out.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's
Can you double the recipe?
Sure you can! You can double or even triple the recipe, as long as your Instant Pot is big enough to hold all the ingredients. This recipe makes enough to feed about 5 people. So if you have a crowd of 10 or more, feel free to increase as needed.
What if you get a burn message or burn notice?
Thankfully, this hasn't happened when we've made this recipe, but different brands and types of pressure cookers may differ. A burn notice can also happen when cooking something more dense and starchy like rice, if it sticks to the bottom of the pot. So to avoid that ominous burn message, avoid stirring everything together when you add the chicken broth. Just make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid, so it will cook properly. Then put the lid on, and pressure cook as instructed.
How should you store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge; leftovers should keep for 3-5 days in the fridge. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet.
Can you freeze sausage and rice?
Yes, you can make smoked sausage with rice ahead of time and freeze it. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.
More Instant Pot Dinners You Can Make in a Jiffy
If you love this Instant Pot sausage and riceas much as we do, you're going to love these other Instant Pot recipes you can make too…
- Instant Pot potato soup
- 2-in-1 Instant Pot meatloaf and potatoes
- Maple brown sugar oatmeal – Yes, you can even make breakfast in the Instant Pot, including peaches and cream oatmeal too!
- Instant Pot vegetable soup
- Instant Pot baby back ribs
- Easy Instant Pot chicken tacos
- Easy Instant Pot chili
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a reviewin the comment sectionfurther down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Instant Pot Sausage and Rice
Quick and easy Instant Pot sausage and rice. Hearty one dish recipe you can throw together in minutes. Flavorful weeknight meal everyone will enjoy!
4.73 from 73 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 401kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 1 pound sliced sausage link*
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup long grain rice*
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
Instructions
Before you even heat up your Instant Pot, be sure to prep your ingredients and have them ready to go.
Press “Sauté” on yourInstant Pot.
Once it's heated up, add the olive oil, garlic, and onion, sautéing 'til they become soft and slightly browned.
Add in the sausage slices with the browned bits, and brown for a good 1 to 2 minutes.
Then sprinkle in the seasonings, and add the rice and chicken broth, mixing everything together.
Place the lid on your Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” with a cook time of 5 minutes. Allow it to do a natural release.
Once it's released, go ahead and remove the lid, and stir in the thawed peas. Put the lid back on, and allow those peas to warm for about 5 minutes. No need to turn on the pot; just let everything sit in its own warmth.
Then stir and fluff the rice, and serve it up!
Notes
*I love to use smoked sausage, usually beef smoked sausage. You can also get great flavor by using kielbasa, andouille sausage, etc.
*We prefer to use a long grain rice to make pressure cooker sausage and rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are more great examples of long grain rice. The reason I prefer long grain rice is because it really fluffs up after cooking, and it won't be so moist; it'll have a drier texture to it, so it doesn't just clump up into heaps of cooked rice. You can also make this recipe with brown rice or cauliflower rice, but keep in mind that it will change the texture and taste of the finished dish.
What If You Get a Burn Message?
To avoid that ominous burn message, you may want to avoid stirring everything together when you add the chicken broth. Just make sure all the rice is submerged in the liquid, so it will cook properly.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
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