Sizzling Cajun Rice Cooker Jambalaya

Jambalaya with Sausage (Rice Cooker Recipe)

🕒 Cook Time: 1 hour
🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
🍽 Servings: 6

Description:

This Rice Cooker version of Jambalaya has been lovingly adapted from a recipe found in “The 100 Greatest Dishes of Louisiana Cookery”. While staying true to the essence of this classic dish, I’ve made several tweaks to suit my family’s palate, ingredient availability, and the convenience of cooking it in a rice cooker. The result? A hearty, flavorful Jambalaya that’s perfect for weeknight dinners, potluck gatherings, or any occasion where you crave a taste of Creole comfort.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion
• 1 smoked sausage
• 1 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can mild salsa
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 package frozen vegetables

Instructions:

1. Prepare Ingredients: Begin by finely chopping the onion, slicing the smoked sausage into rounds, dicing the bell pepper, mincing the garlic, and gathering the bay leaves and thyme.

2. Sauté Onion, Sausage, and Bell Pepper: In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced sausage, and diced bell pepper. Sauté until the sausage is cooked through and the onion and pepper are tender.

3. Add Tomato and Garlic: Once the onion and pepper are soft and the sausage is cooked, add the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes to the pan. Continue to sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes have cooked down slightly.

4. Prepare Rice Cooker: In the rice cooker pot, add 3 cups of rice using the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker. Pour enough water to reach the desired rice level indicated on your rice cooker. For a standard rice cooker, this is typically the “Sweet” rice level.

5. Combine Ingredients: To the rice cooker pot, add the cooked sausage and vegetables mixture, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, black pepper, and mild salsa. For an extra kick of flavor, you can adjust the amount of salsa according to your taste preferences.

6. Cook in Rice Cooker: Follow the instructions on your rice cooker to select the appropriate setting for cooking rice. Press the start button and let the rice cooker work its magic, allowing all the flavors to meld together while the rice cooks to perfection.

7. Alternative Skillet Method: If you prefer to cook the Jambalaya on the stovetop instead of using a rice cooker, simply follow these steps:

   • After sautéing the vegetables and sausage, add the diced tomatoes, spices, and 1 1/2 quarts of water or stock to the skillet.
   • Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the rice.
   • Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the skillet, and let it cook for about 25-35 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender but not sticky.

8. Serve and Enjoy: Once the Jambalaya is cooked to perfection, fluff the rice with a fork and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired, and enjoy the delightful flavors of this comforting Creole dish!

Nutritional Information (Per Serving):

• Calories: 906.2
• Total Fat: 51g
  • Saturated Fat: 13.9g
• Cholesterol: 69.4mg
• Sodium: 965.9mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 87.8g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.2g
  • Sugar: 2.6g
• Protein: 22.2g

Keywords:

Pork, Rice, Meat, Creole, Potluck, Weeknight, Oven, < 4 Hours, Inexpensive