I love this recipe! It’s so versatile and is one of those amazing recipes that works with whatever you have in the fridge and pantry as long as you have a few staples like rice, sausage and paprika. This is an awesome dish to feed a large group or a family with some leftovers for the next day. This is a one pot meal, easy, quick and ready in about 30 minutes. If you are in a huge hurry after work to make dinner and you want it done asap, just have the veg. chopped ahead of time to make it quicker. You can use whatever sausage you like here, I used a simple turkey sausage this time but chorizo or andouille is ideal, farmers sausage or a nice spicy Italian even does the trick. You can add whatever veg. you like and beans are optional and can be switched out for a different look. Try Italian sausage with cannellini beans, add corn to the current recipe for more of a tex mex take, use brown rice, chick peas and tofu instead of sausage for a vegetarian option and a heartier meal or add some raw shrimp in the last five minutes of cooking for a high-end dinner party. Seriously, consider this a base recipe to be played with and have some fun.

Sausage and Rice

150g Yellow Onion, diced

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

260g Red, yellow, orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 Tsp. Chili Flakes

5g Smoked Paprika

1 Tsp Garlic, minced

350g Tomato Sauce, homemade if possible

15g Chicken Bouillon, better than bouillon brand

310g Chicken Stock

454g Sausage, Andouille or Chorizo, sliced

400g Rice (increase liquid by 60g if making whole grain rice)

350g Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped (sub basil or flatleaf parsley for Italian option)

In a very large pan heat oil on medium/low heat and add onion, cook stirring occasionally until soft, about 5-8 minutes, add peppers and any other raw veg. and cook another 3-5 minutes.

Add spices and garlic to the pan to wake them up and create a gorgeous aroma throughout your house, open the window so the neighbors envy your husband when he comes home. Add the rice and toast the rice over the dry/low heat for about 3-5 minutes, this will coat the rice in the oil and spices and add a nice nuttiness to the dish.

Add the cooked and cut sausage to the pan. Combine the tomato sauce, stock and bouillon together and stir or whisk to combine, add to the pan and keep the heat on low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and leave it alone for 20-25 minutes (no peeking). Remove lid and ensure all liquid was absorbed, if not, return the lid and keep cooking for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat but keep the lid on for another 5 minutes, lift the lid a ta da!

Use a couple of forks to fluff the rice and add the chopped fresh herbs. Place this in a very large dish and put it right in the centre of the table to serve family style. I like hot sauce with it; for a dinner party, serve a variety of hot sauces, they can be conversation starters and serve with a wedge of lime. A great rose wine would be really nice with this or a really nice hoppy beer.

Sausage and Rice