One Pot Cheesy Sausage and Rice
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This One Pot Cheesy Sausage and Rice is the ultimate kielbasa and rice skillet! A cheesy rice skillet packed with peppers and onion, it’s giving easy weeknight dinner vibes. One skillet meal, quick dinner recipe, and total comfort food your whole crew will love.
If you’re craving comfort food but don’t want a sink full of dishes afterward, one pot cheesy sausage and rice is about to become your new weeknight hero. It’s smoky kielbasa, tender rice, sweet bell peppers, and onions—all cooked in one skillet—then finished with melty cheddar that turns everything into a cozy, cheesy rice skillet you’ll want to make on repeat.
If you love meals like Quick and Easy Red Beans and Rice or other one-pan comfort dinners, this one will feel right at home in your rotation.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shredded cheddar cheese – The melty magic that turns this into a cheesy sausage and rice dinner. Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or a cheddar blend also work.
- Polska kielbasa – This gives the dish that smoky, savory backbone. Swap with turkey kielbasa, smoked sausage, or even andouille if you want more heat.
- Green bell pepper – Adds a slightly bitter-sweet bite and a little crunch. Yellow or orange peppers work great if you prefer sweeter.
- Red bell pepper – Brings sweetness and color. You can use all one color of pepper if that’s what you have.
- Onion – Adds depth and that cozy “home-cooked” flavor. White, yellow, or sweet onion all work.
- Salt – Helps everything pop. If your broth is salty, you can reduce the added salt slightly.
- Rice – Long-grain white rice is the best match for the cooking time here. If using jasmine or basmati, watch liquid and don’t over-stir.
- Chicken broth – Builds flavor in the rice. Vegetable broth works fine if that’s what you have.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step1 – Brown the sausage. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced kielbasa and cook until lightly browned, about 5–7 minutes.
Pro tip: Don’t rush this part. Browning creates flavor and gives you those tasty bits on the bottom of the pan that season everything else.
Step 2 – Remove sausage, sauté veggies. Remove sausage and set it aside. Add the diced onion and bell peppers to the skillet. Cook until they begin to soften, about 2–3 minutes.
Step 3 – Add rice + broth, then simmer. Add salt, rice, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
Pro tip: Keep the lid on. Rice loves steady steam, every lid lift steals heat and can mess with texture.
Step 4 – Add sausage + cheese (don’t stir yet!). After 20 minutes, remove the lid and add the sausage back in. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Do not stir. Cover again and cook 5 more minutes.
Why no stirring? This lets the cheese melt into a gooey layer and keeps the rice from getting gummy.
Step 5 – Stir and serve. Remove the lid, stir everything together, and serve hot.
Variations & Customizations
Make it spicy – Turn this into a bolder kielbasa and rice skillet by adding a pinch of cayenne, red pepper flakes, diced jalapeño with the onions and peppers, or pepper Jack instead of cheddar
Add veggies – Some great add-ins are frozen peas (stir in at the end), corn (adds sweetness), baby spinach (wilts quickly after stirring), or diced tomatoes (drain a bit so you don’t water down the rice)
Swap the protein – Try smoked turkey sausage, leftover shredded chicken (stir in at the end), ground sausage (brown first, drain excess grease)
Change the cheese – Switch out the cheddar for Colby Jack, smoked cheddar, or Monterey Jack for mild creaminess
Storage & Reheating
Storage
- Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate in airtight containers.
- For best quality, enjoy within 3–4 days.
Reheating
- Reheat on the stovetop by placing in a saucepan or skillet with a couple of tablespoons of water. Heat over medium-high heat until steaming hot.
- Microwave tip: Add a splash of broth or water, cover loosely, and heat in bursts, stirring halfway through.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Not with the same timing. Brown rice needs longer cooking and often more liquid. If you want to use it, plan on extra broth and a longer simmer (and results can vary by brand).
Instant rice cooks too fast and can turn mushy. This recipe is best with regular long-grain white rice.
A few reasons this can happen: Heat was too low (some stoves run cooler), Lid wasn’t tight (steam escaped), Skillet was extra wide (more evaporation)
Fix: add a splash of broth (2–4 tablespoons), cover, and cook 3–5 more minutes.
Yes! It reheats well. The rice will thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating.
You can, but the texture of rice can change slightly after freezing (it may be softer). If you freeze it, cool completely first and store in airtight containers.
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One Pot Cheesy Sausage and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Polska Kielbasa, cut into slices
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Rice
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot add the sliced kielbasa and cook until slightly browned. Approximately 5-7 minutes.Remove meat from the skillet and set aside.
- Add diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook until they begin to soften, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add salt, rice, and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil then immediately cover with lid and turn heat to low. Continue to cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes remove the lid and add the sausage and cheese. Don’t stir. Place lid back on and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
- After 5 minutes remove the lid and stir everything together.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
