Sausage Rice Casserole

Updated November 25, 2025

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Ready In
1½ hr
Rating
4(48)
Comments
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Flavor-packed country-style sausage and the holy trinity that is onion, bell pepper and celery, cozy up with rice and chicken stock to create a casserole that offers a big flavor payoff with minimal effort. Though the ingredients are simple, cooking everything in one skillet is key to building flavor. The stock is made silkier by the fat from the sausage as well as the starch from the uncooked rice, and nutmeg adds depth without overpowering the other seasonings. This casserole is also highly customizable. Consider swapping the pork sausage for chicken sausage or chorizo or even adding grated Cheddar to broil on top.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 2 pounds country-style pork sausage

  • 1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups) 

  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced

  • 2 celery ribs, diced

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 2 cups long-grain rice (uncooked)

  • 3½ cups chicken stock

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

63 grams carbs; 115 milligrams cholesterol; 761 calories; 16 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 42 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1335 milligrams sodium; 32 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange one rack in the middle of the oven and another rack 6 inches from the heat source. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter, then set aside. 

  2. Step 2

    Add the sausage to a large skillet, ideally 12 inches, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to break up and stir the meat, until it’s completely cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. Push the sausage to one side of the pan, then add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the other side. Let the veggies sit, untouched, for 2 minutes as they release their liquid, which will help the browned bits soften and release. Stir the meat and vegetables together and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. 

  3. Step 3

    Reduce the heat to medium, then add the salt, black pepper, paprika, nutmeg and crushed red pepper. Transfer the contents of the skillet into the baking dish. Sprinkle the rice evenly across the dish, then pour in the chicken stock. Use a whisk or wooden spoon to stir until evenly distributed. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake on the middle rack for 1 hour.

  4. Step 4

    After an hour has passed, take the dish out of the oven and remove the foil. The rice should be tender with little to no liquid left. Broil the casserole for 2 to 3 minutes, until the top crisps up. Let the casserole rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
48 user ratings
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Comments

Could make this with Mexican chorizo. Sub red for green bell pepper. Add corn. Use Mexican spices, chili powder, cumin, coriander and Mexican oregano. Cinnamon instead of nutmeg, or heck, use them both. And on and on…

@Bruce I just read the whole recipe. In the chefs recipe review it states: “The stock is made silkier by the fat from the sausage as well as the starch from the uncooked rice” - that’s a great descriptor ‘silkier’ & is why I’d up the butter & add a smidge of olive oil to the stock. It even says feel free to swap pork for chicken or chorizo or even add grated cheddar to broil on top. Yum!

@Bruce yes, it says so in the head notes.

Incredibly delicious. I used mushrooms instead of peppers and subbed cumin for nutmeg but otherwise followed the recipe as written. 10 out of 10. So much flavour. The rice tasted almost like fried rice - it was so tasty after an hour in the oven. I’ll be making this on repeat.

Slap a soft fried egg on top and sprinkle with goat cheese

Seems a lot like the oven-cooked dirty rice my mama used to make, but she always chopped up chicken livers and added that. Most people make it on top of the stove but she cooked it in the oven. It's an old Louisiana recipe she used.

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