Easy Kielbasa and Rice
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Rice cooks until tender with savory Kielbasa, onion, green pepper and tomatoes to create a flavorful one pot meal.
This post is sponsored by Ohio Pork, but all opinions are my own!
An Easy One Skillet Meal
One pan meals like Sauerkraut and Kielbasa, Skillet Sausage and Pasta and this Kielbasa Sausage and Rice recipe use common ingredients from the pantry to create easy weeknight dinners.
A can of fire roasted tomatoes with garlic helps blend the flavors in the Kielbasa sausage and rice together so well. Inspired by our Cajun Sausage Pasta, a trending recipe on Tiktok, the tomatoes enhance both of these classic suppers.
My kids love the carbs in the rice and I love that pork provides nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, zinc and essential fatty acids that plants alone can’t provide.
The leftovers reheat well and are easy to change up by adding some cooked shrimp or leftover baked pork chops or chicken.
More mild than our spicy Andouille Jambalaya and lighter than our Sausage Fried Rice this is a nice, mild meal that even picky eaters can enjoy.
Ingredients Needed
- Kielbasa Sausage – Polska Kielbasa, smoked sausage or any pre-cooked smoked pork sausage gives great flavor to this skillet meal.
- Rice – We like medium grain white rice, other varieties of white rice work fine, the cooking time and amount of broth needed may vary slightly by changing the type of rice.
- Diced Tomatoes – use a can of fire roasted tomatoes with garlic for maximum flavor – we like petite as they mix in easier than bigger chunks.
- Green Pepper – provides better balance to the savory meat than sweeter bell peppers.
- Onion and Garlic – help take rice from bland to enjoyable. Minced garlic can be added with the onion or included in the can of tomatoes.
- Chicken Stock or vegetable broth – make rice more flavorful than water alone.
Getting Started
For best results do these steps before you begin to cook. Rinse the rice and set aside.
If using Better Than Bouillon instead of prepared broth, take time to mix it up.
Chop green pepper and onion. If adding your own garlic have it prepped.
Brown The Kielbasa In A Hot Skillet
We like to slice the Kielbasa into bite sized pieces to make serving easier. Chunks can also be used.
Set a deep skillet on medium high heat. Pour in a couple of teaspoons of oil and allow the skillet a few minutes to thoroughly heat up.
When the oil begins to sizzle carefully add the Kielbasa. Add the onion and green pepper at the same time to allow the vegetables to saute and soften.
Use tongs and turn the slices of sausage often.
Cooking The Rice
Once the meat is beginning to brown add rice to the skillet and stir often or almost continuously using a wooden spoon. Allow rice to begin to lightly brown (adds flavor).
Then pour in broth and the can of undrained diced tomatoes. Stir well.
Cover and turn down to low.
Stir every 7 to 10 minutes. After about 15 minutes of cooking, if the rice is still firm and liquid is almost absorbed then add 1/4 cup of additional broth or liquid at at time as needed.
Allow rice to simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and cooked.
Stir in one can of drained and rinsed black beans or red beans after the rice is tender. Cover on low and allow beans to warm for 5 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- This recipe calls for some extra liquid to start with as that is our preference, but more can be added as desired.
- Get the skillet and vegetable oil hot before adding the Kielbasa to really sear and brown the cut edges.
- Can add red pepper flakes or use a spicy smoked sausage to change the flavor profile.
- Keep some extra broth on hand to add if necessary.
- Increasing to 2 cans of tomatoes and decreasing broth to 2 cups is another variation of this recipe to sweeten it a bit.
- Rinsing and browning raw rice are extra steps that are not required but make the dish more fluffy than mushy and browning in oil adds a bit more flavor.
- Growing up on a farm and being one of the 3,500 family farms in Ohio that raise enough pork to feed about 25 million people I’m proud to buy pork at the grocery store and know I’m supporting local farm families!
More Easy Family Meals With Pork
Pork and Sauerkraut has a surprising and easy ingredient for more flavor!
Ham Salad that’s super popular from Jamie at Love Bakes Good Cakes.
Brown Sugar and Pineapple Ham is great for holidays and parties.
Kielbasa and Rice
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 1 pound Kielbasa sausage
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup medium grain white rice rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 14.5 ounces petite fire roasted tomatoes we like the can with garlic
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a deep skillet and vegetable oil on medium high heat. Add slices of Kielbasa sausage.
- Add chopped peppers and onions and stir often. Flip the sausage often to help evenly brown.
- Once meat is beginning to lightly brown add rinsed rice to the skillet and stir often until rice is lightly browned.
- Add can of undrained tomatoes and broth. Stir well.
- Stir every 7 to 10 minutes and cook for a total of 20 to 25 minutes until rice is tender and cooked.