If you are looking for a really easy one-pot meal that is big on flavor then you will love this easy sausage jambalaya recipe. The seasoning for this super easy jambalaya you probably already have on hand and the end result is a fluffy, flavorful, and delicious dinner that you can enjoy even during the busy work week.

One Pot Sausage Jambalaya recipe
I love one-pot meals that are big on flavor and easy to make. This easy sausage jambalaya recipe checks off all of those boxes.
Jambalaya is such a classic Southern recipe. It is as classic as peach cobbler, homemade biscuits, or Cajun gumbo. It can sometimes be a little time-consuming to make, especially with all of the traditional ingredients.
To keep it simple, I opted to use just andouille sausage and bacon for the meat portion of this jambalaya. You can add diced chicken to the recipe if you like to make it authentic.
I also added some diced yellow squash to boost the health benefits to make it a more complete meal because you really do not even notice it.
The final result is a giant pan of pure deliciousness!
Ingredients
There are not many ingredients you will need for this sausage jambalaya and many of these you may already have on hand. Here is what you will need:
- Andouille sausage (or cajun-style sausage). This type of sausage is going to give so much flavor to the jambalaya.
- Chicken stock. The chicken stock flavors the rice in this sausage jambalaya.
- Rice. I like to use long-grain rice like basmati. You can also use a shorter-grain rice.
- Onions.
- Garlic.
- Red and green peppers.
- Louisiana-style hot sauce (Crystal Hot sauce is what I use!) The hot sauce will give a little heat to the sausage jambalaya but not too much.
- Yellow squash (optional). I just like to add this in for extra veggies!
Traditional sausage jambalaya recipes include the Cajun holy trinity which is onion, green pepper, and celery. I am not a fan of celery so I omitted this from the recipe. You can add that in if you like!
This sausage jambalaya is so amazingly simple. You just need to sauté your ingredients first and then you add your chicken stock, hot sauce, and rice to it all and put a lid on it.
The Cajuns really know how to do one-pot meals well and this is definitely one of their easier ones.
How to make
- Sauté the bacon and aromatics (and any veggies that you do decide to add!) This is going to be part of the base flavor for the recipe.
I like to chop these aromatics and veggies finely so that they almost blend into the jambalaya. I only want the andouille sausage to really show when the dish is finished cooking.
- Add the cajun sausage and cook that under it begins to crisp up a bit. The bacon, and sausage in addition to the aromatics we cooked in the first step are going to be the flavor for this delicious and easy jambalaya.
By cooking the bacon and andouille sausage before we add the liquids, all of the amazing flavors from the two are allowed to render out into the pan. This makes for a delicious flavor base for the rice to soak up later.
- Now add the rice, stock and hot sauce. You just cook this like you would a pot of rice. So simple!
This is where the jambalaya really comes together. All the work (barely work) we did in the first couple of steps will really make the rice taste so amazing.
The hot sauce is of course the spicy element that you need in a jambalaya.
I told you this sausage jambalaya was simple! If you have time to make rice you can make this easy jambalaya.
If you want to make things even simpler, you can prep your vegetables and sausage ahead of time.
Just store in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
Tips/Substitutions
If I do not have Louisiana hot sauce can I use something else?
Absolutely. Many Cajuns just use this hot sauce to make a quick jambalaya but you can also use cajun seasoning.
You can find my homemade cajun seasoning recipe with my sausage and chicken gumbo post.
There are some items that are essential in making a proper jambalaya. Here are those essentials: Chicken stock or broth, rice, at least one meat, cajun seasoning, onions, garlic, and peppers.
You can substitute what meat you use and if you choose to add more vegetables to your jambalaya. A traditional jambalaya will have sausage and chicken.
If you only have chicken then use this and make sure to season it well with cajun spices. Remember, this is an easy jambalaya recipe so don't stress out about having every ingredient.
Try your best to have the essentials listed above and the rest will come together.
Serving Ideas
This sausage jambalaya recipe is really a meal on its own but you can certainly add more to it with the addition of some delicious side dishes. We like our spinach and mushroom salad or our chopped kale salad for a light side dish option.
We also really love serving a refreshing Switchel for a non-alcoholic drink or an Aperol sangria for a cocktail to compliment the dish.
More sausage recipes
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More Southern Classics
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Recipe Faqs
A jambalaya is a classic Cajun dish made up of rice, stock, and meats, usually, chicken and sausage. Seafood is often added to jambalaya as well. The most common seafood used is shrimp.
The Cajun holy trinity is made up of three ingredients (trinity meaning three), onions, celery, and green pepper.
Easy One Pot Sausage Jambalaya
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Equipment
- large heavy bottom pan with lid
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage cut into ½ inch thick pieces
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups basmati rice or any long grain rice
- 4 ounces bacon
- ½ green pepper diced diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced diced
- 2 cloves of garlic finely diced
- 1 large yellow squash diced optional
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Louisiana style hot sauce Plus more to taste. I prefer Crystal Louisiana hot sauce.
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat add your olive oil.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Now add your bacon and crisp up, about 5 minutes.4 ounces bacon
- Add your onions, peppers, squash and garlic and cook for a few minutes.½ green pepper diced, 1 red bell pepper diced, 1 small yellow onion diced, 1 large yellow squash diced, 2 cloves of garlic
- Now add your andouille sausage and cook for a couple minutes to sweat out some of the flavor from the sausage.12 ounces Andouille sausage
- Add your stock, salt and rice and mix it in well.4 cups chicken stock, 2 cups basmati rice, ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- Add 2 tablespoons of your hot sauce.2 tablespoon Louisiana style hot sauce
- Turn your heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Once it is boiling, reduce heat to low and place a tight fitting lid over the top.
- Cook for about 20 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Dylan says
This has become a staple in our house, thank you so much!
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Bryan says
Very easy and tasted amazing
Melissa says
Thank you JR!
Melissa says
I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Melissa says
I am so glad to hear!
Melissa says
Thank you 🙂
Soph says
So flavorful! definitely going to make this one again