This fantastic sausage and rice casserole is perfect for using up leftovers, and a great one pan meal that you can prepare in only 15 minutes.
Jump to:
This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about it in the privacy policy
If you have leftover sausages or leftover cooked rice, you should try making this sausage and rice casserole. Sausages, rice and peppers are cooked together in a simple tomato sauce to make a simple, but delicious one pan dinner in just a few minutes.
I love this easy weeknight dinner, and it's a great way to take advantage of any leftovers. The dish is so easy to adapt to your dietary requirements, preferences or what you have available, and can be made to suit anyone's taste.
🍲 More CASSEROLE RECIPES from Hint of Healthy
Why you'll love it
- Easy 15-minute dinner
- A great way to use up leftovers
- Easy to customize to your preferences
- Tastes great
- Kids love it too
- Stores really well
- Dairy free and gluten free, with a vegan option
Ingredients
Boiled rice: Any leftover boiled rice can be used in this recipe, including boiled Basmati rice or boiled brown rice.
Canned diced tomatoes: The base of the sauce. Use tomato passata, or tomato sauce if you prefer.
Onion + garlic: Added for flavor. You can omit these if you wish, or use garlic paste or garlic and onion powder seasoning instead.
Seasoning: A combination of salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and oregano adds flavor to the dish.
Sliced sausage: Use any sausage that can be sliced, such as vegetarian sausage, smoked sausage or leftover cooked sausage. Make sure to use sausages that you actually like!
Olive oil: Prevents the food from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Bell peppers: Adds a little crunch.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Sauté diced onion and garlic in some olive oil in a cast iron skillet.
Two: Add sliced sausage, diced bell peppers and all seasoning to the skillet, and sauté for another minute, or until they are warm.
Three: Then, add canned diced tomatoes and boiled rice. Stir to incorporate the ingredients evenly, and leave the dish to cook for about 5 minutes, or until everything has heated through.
Add any additional seasoning to taste if you wish, and serve.
Top tips
- Feel free to add any leftover cooked vegetables, diced meat or other ingredients that you want to use up.
- Make sure to sauté the ingredients before you add the tomatoes and rice. This will enhance all the flavors.
- Add more olive oil if you find that the food is sticking to your cast iron pan.
Serving suggestions
Serve your sausage rice skillet as a quick and easy weeknight meal for lunch or dinner. This dish is a one pan meal, which means that you can cook it all together without making any side dishes.
If you like to add some tasty sides, I recommend any of these recipes:
- Instant Pot Broccoli
- Instant Pot Carrots
- Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Sauteed Spinach
- Za'atar Roasted Eggplant
Variations
Cheesy baked casserole: For a traditional baked casserole, you can top the skillet with cheese, and bake it in the oven at 400 F / 200 C for about 15 minutes. The melted cheese topping tastes amazing, and makes the dish feel more like a traditional casserole.
Using other vegetables: Any veggies can be added to this casserole, and I highly recommend that you try any vegetables that you have on hand. Try broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, sugar snap peas or onion for a tasty alternative.
Try different sausages: As long as the sausage can be sliced, you can use it in this dish. Smoked sausage is great, but some raw sausages can also be used. You can also use leftover cooked pork or chicken sausage.
Vegetarian / vegan: Use vegetarian or vegan sausages. There are many options available in most supermarkets.
🍲 More CASSEROLE RECIPES from Hint of Healthy
Equipment
I recommend using a cast iron skillet for this recipe, but any frying pan can be used. The cast iron skillet will cook food more evenly, and can also be transferred into the oven if you want to try the oven baked variation.
I also recommend that you cut the vegetables with a sharp knife, and preferably on a cutting board. Always use different utensils on raw and cooked food!
Leftovers
Store any leftover sausage and rice in sealed containers in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the dish in a microwave or skillet, and serve it warm.
This dish can be frozen for up to 3 months, but be aware that rice can become quite dry after defrosting. Thaw the frozen dish in a refrigerator overnight, and reheat as above.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! You can freeze this dish up to 3 months.
Yes. Raw pork sausages are tricky to slice, but you can either cook them beforehand, or use pre-cooked or smoked pork sausages.
You can use leftover rice to make skillet meals, casseroles, salads, soups and so much more. This leftover sausage rice skillet is one of my favorite options.
You might also like these recipes
- Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
- Kielbasa Pasta
- Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Broccoli Sausage Casserole
- Skinny Mexican Casserole
- Sausage and Cabbage Skillet
- Sausage and Bean Stew
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Sausage and Rice Casserole
Equipment
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced sausage
- 3 cups boiled rice
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Dice the onion, and finely grate or dice the garlic. Dice the bell peppers, and slice the sausage.
- Sauté diced onion and garlic in some olive oil in a cast iron skillet.
- Add sliced sausage, diced bell peppers and all seasoning to the skillet, and sauté for another minute, or until they are warm.
- Then, add canned diced tomatoes and boiled rice. Stir to incorporate the ingredients evenly, and leave the dish to cook for about 5 minutes, or until everything has heated through.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, then serve.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover in a refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the dish in a microwave or frying pan.
- Feel free to use any rice, such as Basmati, Jasmine or brown rice.
- You can use any sliced sausage. Try vegetarian sausage or smoked sausage. You can also use leftover cooked pork or chicken sausages.
Nutrition
Food safety
Cook safely with these easy tips:
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Leave a comment