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Create a delicious one pot meal with this Italian Sausage and Rice dinner recipe. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make a delicious weeknight dinner recipe.

This is an easy recipe for when you want a tasty dinner in a short amount of time, and with not a lot of prep work. Then just pair it with your favorite sides, and you are good to go! 

Simple Italian Sausage and Rice dinner

Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!

I love that I can make this recipe start to finish in 30 minutes. I normally will have everything I need on hand and grab sausage for a quick dinner that is full of flavor, and I know my kids will eat! This is a go-to dinner recipe for us on busy weeknights.

Ingredients for Italian Sausage and Rice Dinner:

Italian Sausage and Rice dinner Ingredients
  • Oil: I keep it simple with just a little olive oil
  • Sausage: I like to use ground Italian sausage
  • Onion: Using a diced white onion or yellow onion adds so much flavor to the rice skillet
  • Seasoning: Just a little minced garlic is all you’ll need
  • Rice: Get a bag of the Knorr creamy chicken rice for the best results
  • Cooking liquid: All you need is water, but you could also use chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • Tomatoes: I use the Italian style petite diced tomatoes in this rice dish for a simple way to add Italian flavors
  • Cheese: Use a combination of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese

How to Make Italian Sausage and Rice Dinner:

Cook sausage:

  1. To a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil once hot add in the sausage, onion, and minced garlic break the sausage up with a spatula and cook it through. 
  2. Remove the sausage and onions to a bowl lined with paper towels.

​Cook rice:

Cook rice for sausage dinner
  1. To the same pan we cooked the sausage in add the rice and water, stir everything well. 
  2. Bring this up to a simmer then turn to low and let simmer covered for 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes:

  1. Once the rice is tender, add back in the cooked sausage and diced tomatoes.
  2. Stir together and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

​Add in cheese:

One pot Italian Sausage and Rice dinner
  1. Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan, let the cheese melt down, then serve on a dinner plate with your favorite sides!
Simple Italian Sausage and Rice dinner
5 from 1 vote

Italian Sausage & Rice Dinner

Italian Sausage and Rice dinner recipe made with a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make a delicious weeknight dinner recipe.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 5

Equipment

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Ingredients 

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1 tbs minced garlic
  • 5.7 oz bag Knorr creamy chicken rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 14 oz can Italian style petite diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions 

Cook sausage:

  • To a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil once hot add in the sausage, onion, and minced garlic break the sausage up with a spatula and cook it through.
  • Remove the sausage and onions to a bowl lined with paper towels.

​Cook rice:

  • To the same pan we cooked the sausage in add the rice and water, stir everything well.
  • Bring this up to a simmer then turn to low and let simmer covered for 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes:

  • Once the rice is tender, add back in the cooked sausage and diced tomatoes.
  • Stir together and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

​Add in cheese:

  • Stir in the mozzarella and parmesan, let the cheese melt down, then serve on a dinner plate with your favorite sides!

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 927mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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How to store the easy one-pot rice dinner:

Fridge: Put the leftover sausage and rice into an airtight container and put it in the fridge for up to 5 days, and use it for another easy dinner.

Tips and tricks for making this one-pot sausage and rice dinner:

Sausage to use:

For this recipe I like to use ground sausage for this Italian sausage recipe. You can pick your favorite kind, whether you want mild sausage, sweet sausage, or spicy sausage to go with this tender rice recipe.

Type of rice to use:

This recipe is specially geared towards the minute-cooked rice you can get in the bag, like Knorr’s. So, for the best results, it is best to use Knorr’s rice or something similar.

Add more flavor to the original recipe:

If you like to change things up and make them your own, feel free to add some diced bell peppers, cannellini beans, black beans, or zucchini to this recipe for extra flavor. 

You could also sprinkle in some more Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes to spice things up a little more.

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If you give these recipes a try, make sure to tag us on Instagram @julia.pacheco.cooking and let us know how much you liked the recipes!

About Julia Pacheco

Hello, I’m Julia Pacheco, and I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a published cookbook author with a passion for creating delicious, budget-friendly meals. My blog focuses on recipes that are accessible and enjoyable, because I truly believe in the power of food to heal, inspire, and bring people together. From early lessons in the kitchen with my mom to navigating life on WIC and food stamps, I’ve learned the value of making every meal count. Cooking has been my creative outlet, a way to connect with others, and it even helped me land my dream job.

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5 from 1 vote

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1 Comment

  1. Anne says:

    5 stars

    Made this last night and both of my kids told me to save the recipe. It was two thumbs up! I loved how easy and fast it was and will definitely be making this again.