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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Italian Sausage Rice Skillet

    Published: Nov 10, 2021 by Janessa

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you're looking for an easy and delicious one-pot meal, look no further than this Italian Sausage and Rice Skillet. It is absolutely packed with flavour, cooks mostly hands off and makes some of the best leftovers!

    I have to be honest with you. This recipe happened by accident. It happened when we were supposed to be having Chorizo Rice Skillet (another tasty one-pot meal that you have to try!) but...

    Italian sausage and rice skillet in a bowl next to the pot.

    I bought Spicy Italian Sausage by mistake.

    A fortuitous mistake it was, though! With a few changes to the spices, switching up the colour of the beans and adding a bit of spinach, another tasty recipe was born.

    Try them both and let me know if you have a favourite!

    The Ingredients

    Ingredients for Italian Sausage Rice Skillet
    • Spicy Italian Sausage (Hot Italian Sausage)-You need uncooked sausage for this recipe. If it is in casings, remove the ground meat from the casings prior to cooking. Since the sausage is the base of the recipe, make sure you pick a good quality one. The one that I used was simply pork and spices.
    • Red Onion- A white or yellow onion will also work.
    • Bell Pepper- Any colour will work or you can leave it out if preferred.
    • Long Grain Brown Rice
    • White Beans- Such as navy beans, cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. You could also substitute kidney beans, black beans or chickpeas or leave them out altogether.
    • Canned Diced Tomatoes- If you have a lot of fresh tomatoes on hand, you can use those instead! Substitute with 1 and ½ cups diced.
    • Dried Italian Herbs- Use a premixed blend or any combination that you have on hand of parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, savory, etc.
    • Garlic Powder- Freshly minced garlic will also work. Use 2 cloves (about 2 tsp) and add them to the pan in the last minute of cooking the onions and peppers.
    • Sea Salt
    • Red Pepper Flakes
    • Water
    • Spinach- Kale or chard can be used instead but remove the stems and cook them at the same time as the onions and peppers.

    The Method

    1. Cook sausage. Remove sausage from casings and cook over medium high heat. Stir and crumble with a wooden spoon or spatula until cooked through. Drain excess grease.

    2. Sauté onions and peppers. Add the onions and peppers to the cooked sausage and cook until softened, stirring often.

    3. Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the seasonings, rice, beans, tomatoes and water.

    How to make Italian Sausage skillet with rice.

    4. Simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    5. Add spinach. When most of the water is gone and the rice is nearly tender, stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time until wilted. Cover and cook for 2-5 more minutes until rice is cooked through and water has evaporated.

    Adding spinach to skillet.

    6. Serve.

    Italian sausage and rice in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

    Leftovers

    To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    To Reheat: Warm in the microwave until heated through.

    Bowl of Italian sausage and rice with peppers, spinach and white beans.

    Make It Your Own

    • Use White Rice- If you would like to use white rice instead of brown, reduce the water to 3 and ½ cups. Cook time will be about 10 minutes less.
    • Try it with Sweet Italian Sausage- For a different but equally delicious twist use sweet Italian sausage in place of spicy!
    • Make it Cheesy- At the end, stir in 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and then sprinkle an additional 1 cup on top. Or try topping it with Parmesan.
    Italian sausage and rice skillet topped with optional cheese.

    Serving Suggestions

    To add more vegetables to this meal, it would be delicious alongside a Mediterranean Salad or Baked Herb Tomato Zucchini. Or try serving it with a piece of garlic toast made on some Honey Oat Bread.

    Dietary Notes

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Nut Free

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Lemon Herb Shrimp Rice Skillet
    • Bruschetta Chicken Sheet Pan
    • Cajun Shrimp Rice Skillet
    • Easy Weeknight Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

    Italian Sausage Rice Skillet

    A sure dinner winner, this easy one pot meal cooks mostly hands off, freezes well and tastes great as leftovers!
    5 from 59 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 448kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb spicy Italian sausage removed from casings
    • 1 medium red onion diced (1 cup)
    • 1 bell pepper diced (1 cup)
    • 2 cups long grain brown rice
    • 1 (19 oz) can white beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes do not drain
    • 2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 5 and ½ cups water
    • 6 oz fresh spinach about 6 cups
    US Customary - Metric
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • Place the sausage in a large skillet and heat over medium, stirring and crumbling until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes.
    • If there is a lot of grease, drain most of it off, and then add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about an additional 5 minutes.
    • Add the rice, white beans, tomatoes, seasonings and water and stir to combine. Cover and allow to simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is nearly tender and the water has mostly evaporated.
    • Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, allowing it to wilt. Cover and allow the rice to finish cooking and then remove from heat.
    • Serve warm.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Rewarm in the microwave with an extra splash of water if needed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3310IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    More One Pot Meals!

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      One Pot Turkey Chili
    • Ground Beef and Broccoli
    • Top view of breakfast fried rice in a bowl topped with onions and sriracha.
      Breakfast Fried Rice
    • Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet
    « Lava Cakes
    Homemade Oreos »

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Cam

      June 27, 2022 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      this meal was perfect for a busy weeknight throw together! even easier that it is all made in one pot. It turned out so delicious, I can't wait to make it again!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 10:28 am

        I'm glad you liked this recipe, Cam! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    2. Michelle

      June 27, 2022 at 11:02 am

      5 stars
      The perfect one pot dish -- super flavourful and came together really quickly! Will make it again soon!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 12:07 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Michelle!

        Reply
    3. Shweta

      June 27, 2022 at 11:17 am

      5 stars
      So easy to put together and absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 12:07 pm

        Thank you for your kind review!

        Reply
    4. Tayler

      June 27, 2022 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      We had this rice skillet for dinner last night and it was amazing! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 12:08 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tayler!

        Reply
    5. Toni

      June 27, 2022 at 11:49 am

      5 stars
      This is seriously amazing!! Such a really comforting meal! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 12:08 pm

        Thank you!!

        Reply
    6. Allison

      September 07, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      This is a delicious dish and so easy to make and love that I can freeze some for later too!!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        September 07, 2022 at 6:03 pm

        Thank you for your kind review, Allison!

        Reply
    7. Christina

      January 22, 2023 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone loved it and it was so easy.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        January 22, 2023 at 8:46 pm

        I'm glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for your kind review, Christina.

        Reply
    8. John Rhoads

      April 03, 2023 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      Was looking for something to cook for the family and luckily had all the ingredients except the beans. Came out great! Thanks for this excellent recipe!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        April 04, 2023 at 11:52 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, John! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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