One Pan Smoked Sausage Jambalaya
This smoked sausage jambalaya recipe comes together in under an hour. Bonus: it uses just one pan, which means fewer dishes to clean!
Creating This Sausage Jambalaya
Summer is almost over. I seriously cannot believe it. The time just went by way too fast this summer.
Now that it is August, back to school and all that is required to get ready for the new school year (and the start of a new soccer season) has been on my mind. And the fact that Logan is going to be in 4th grade this year. I don’t know how that happened!
Back to school and the start of a new fall soccer season always have me looking for simple, one pan dinner recipes. I really like one pan recipes for busy days when I don’t want to deal with a lot of dirty dishes or a huge messy kitchen. And they’re great because I can assemble everything earlier in the day and stash it in the fridge until it is time to throw it on the stove.
I recently visited my brother and his girlfriend, Erin, in Louisiana. We spent the weekend in New Orleans eating good food, enjoying some shopping and visiting the National WWII Museum (I highly recommend). Ever since that trip I’ve wanted to make some Jambalaya at home.
This One Pan Sausage Jambalaya satisfied that craving and makes a great dinner for a busy day. None of the ingredients are super complicated, and most are usually already on hand in the freezer or in the pantry.
I like to keep a stash of smoked sausage, in the freezer because it comes in handy for quick dinners. Turkey sausage has a lot of flavor to offer.
★★★★★
Reader says –
“Thanks for this recipe. I used 1 package sausage, added 1 can drained and rinsed red beans and less Cajun seasoning (due to salt). Delicious! Loved that it was all in one pan.” – Kim”
During our weekend trip to New Orleans, we had a sampler dinner of Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, and Gumbo along with crab cakes, BBQ shrimp in a delicious garlic butter sauce, and hush puppies. Everything was delicious, but I realized at the end of the meal that I felt like I didn’t eat any vegetables.
Erin said, “Welcome to Louisiana.”
I’ve packed this One Pan Easy Sausage Jambalaya with a few more vegetables than what we ate in New Orleans so it can easily be a full meal by itself. The Smoked Sausage gives you plenty of protein to go along with the rice and vegetables.
However, if you would like a little more to this meal and have a little extra time, a simple side salad goes along nicely.
What is Jambalaya?
If you’ve never tried jambalaya before, you’re missing out! Essentially, it’s the Southern take on Spanish paella. It’s packed with rice, meat (usually chicken or smoked sausage), lots of spices, and tomatoes.
Jambalaya is incredibly easy to make, and most of the cook time is hands off, meaning you can set the lid on the pot and walk away from the stove.
Is Jambalaya Spicy?
It can be! Taste your Creole seasoning first to see how spicy it is. If you want your sausage jambalaya to be extra spicy, add a little (just a little!) cayenne pepper to the mix.
Smoked Sausage Jambalaya Ingredients
This recipe uses several pantry basics along with sausage, some veggies, and seasonings. It’s incredible how such simple ingredients can create a dish with this much flavor! Here’s what you’ll need to add to your shopping list:
- Smoked sausage
- Yellow onion
- Celery
- Green and red bell peppers
- Fresh garlic
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Chicken broth
- White rice
- Spices and seasonings: Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s), dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
Can I Use Another Protein?
Yes, if you can’t find smoked sausage or prefer not to use it, you could make this jambalaya recipe with chicken instead. But smoked sausage will give you the most authentic homemade jambalaya!
You can also use a mix of chicken and sausage.
How to Make Jambalaya
This smoked sausage jambalaya recipe couldn’t be simpler to make, and it only takes 1 skillet to prepare. Here’s a quick overview of the process:
- Brown the sausage: heat olive oil in a large skillet, then add the sausage and Creole seasoning and cook until brown.
- Sauté the veggies: remove the sausage and cook the veggies in the same skillet with any drippings from the sausage.
- Add remaining ingredients: add the rest of the ingredients, stirring until combined.
- Cover and cook: place a lid on top of the pan and cook let the homemade jambalaya cook until the rice is tender.
See? I told you this was an easy jambalaya recipe!
The above is simply a quick summary of this sausage jambalaya. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making this Recipe
- Don’t skip browning the sausage. You’ll get a lot of extra flavor from the browned bits that remain on the bottom of the pan after browning the meat.
- Don’t drain the drippings from the sausage. Sautéing the veggies in the sausage drippings adds even more flavor to this simple one skillet meal.
- If you’re watching your salt intake, look for Tony Chachere’s no salt seasoning blend to use for the Creole seasoning.
More Smoked Sausage Recipes
This Sweet and Sour Sausage is an easy weeknight dinner recipe featuring sausage, peppers, pineapple, and a spicy sweet and sour sauce served over rice. My nieces go crazy for this!
Smoked Sausage and Lentil Soup is packed with lentils, hearty winter vegetables, smoked sausage, and spices. It’s a freezer-friendly recipe that’s great for meal prepping!
Black beans, onions, peppers, garlic, and smoky spices pair with sausage in this hearty, easy Black Bean Soup Recipe.
Dirty Rice with Beans and Sausage is super simple to prepare during busy weeknights. It is filling and pairs well with a side salad or roasted broccoli.
Creamy, flavorful Red Beans and Rice with Sausage in an easy recipe to prepare using dried beans. Pair with cornbread and a side salad for a hearty meal!
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
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What are your favorite easy one pan meals?
Smoked Sausage Jambalaya
This smoked sausage jambalaya recipe comes together in under an hour. Bonus: it uses just one pan, which means fewer dishes to clean!
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 3 packages Smoked Sausage, sliced approx. 1/4 inch thick*
- 4 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 – 14 ounce cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, undrained
- 1 – 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups white rice, uncooked
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large stainless steel skillet or cast iron pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Add the Butterball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage and 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning; cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and celery and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the pepper and garlic and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan along with the remaining ingredients.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally so rice does not burn or stick to the bottom.
Notes
*If you can't find smoked sausage or prefer not to use it, you could make this jambalaya recipe with chicken instead. But smoked sausage will give you the most authentic homemade jambalaya!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 5g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
KimS says
Thanks for this recipe. I used 1 package sausage, added 1 can drained and rinsed red beans and less Cajun seasoning (due to salt). Delicious! Loved that it was all in one pan.
Sarah says
Great flavor, family loved it
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says
Hi Katie,
I just love jambalaya so much and this one is just perfect to satisfy my constant craving for it. Don’t you just love fire roasted tomatoes! Have a wonderful week 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I love eating jambalaya but have strangely never cooked it before! You have definitely inspired me to recreate the delicious recipe, thanks for sharing it!
Allison says
I’ve never been to New Orleans but I hope to be able to visit there someday! This recipe looks delish. I’m always on the hunt for easy one pot meals – especially during the school year. Looking forward to trying this one.