One Pot Mexican Rice and Sausages
on May 16, 2019, Updated Aug 23, 2020
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This One Pot Mexican Rice and Sausages was a happy accident one night when I didn’t know what to make for dinner. Its spicy, smokey and hits all the right notes. The best part is you don’t need a ton of dishes and everything gets cooked together in one pan.
I definitely feel that a lot of amazing recipes are a result of happy accidents, when you dump things in a pot and wait for the magic to happen. Which is exactly what happened with us one night when we we got home late and couldn’t figure out what to cook for dinner.
I found a half pack of Pork sausages, some slightly old bell peppers and tomato paste. The good thing is my spice rack is always well stocked. About 30 minutes later, we were wiping the pan clean.
This one pot mexican rice and sausages with bell peppers is now on our dinner table once every 2-3 weeks and we haven’t got bored of it yet!
Sausages you can use for Mexican Rice
I believe substitutes can definitely work for this recipe. You can use vegetarian, chicken, pork or beef sausages here. I wouldn’t recommend using Italian sausages because they are packed with spices and we are already adding quite a few when we cook this dish. You can also use chicken breast, paneer (or cottage cheese) or beans instead of sausages if that’s what you have on hand.
Short Grain vs Long Grain rice for Mexican Rice
I’ve tried making this recipe multiple times with both. I basically use whatever I have on hand. In the pictures above, I’ve used short grain rice, but in the video below, you’ll see that I made this with basmati rice. The cooking times will vary for both, so just keep that in mind.
Load this up with veggies
There have been times when I’ve added a lot of veggies to this. I’ve used broccoli, carrots, beans and even mushrooms and we’ve loved it every single time. If you want to make this 100% vegetarian, switch up the sausages with tofu, potatoes or paneer (Indian cottage cheese).
So get on with it! Brown some sausages, toss it up with onions, garlic, tomato paste and spices and dump the rice in. This is so easy that after the first time, you’ll be making this like a boss!
More Mexican Recipes:
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice with Corn and Peppers
- Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Mexican Prawn Avocado Taco Salad
- Tortilla Bean Soup
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
- Chicken Fajita Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
- Portobello Mushroom Fajita Tacos
Watch One Pot Mexican Rice and Sausages Recipe Video
One Pot Mexican Rice and Sausages
Ingredients
- 5-6 Pork Sausages, Dice them into ½ inch rounds.
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Chipotle Pepper Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 cup Long grain Rice or Basmati, soaked
- 2.5 cups Water
- 1 cup Bell Peppers, sliced
Instructions
- Heat butter in a pan and sauté the sausages till they are golden brown and crispy.
- Add onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add tomato paste oregano, paprika, chipotle pepper, cumin and salt and cook this for two more minutes.
- Add soaked, drained rice along with water, mix and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes till the rice is 90% cooked through.
- Top with bell peppers and cover again. This will help steam the bell peppers.
- Mix it all up and serve hot topped with sour cream.
Notes
- Pork Sausage Substitutions: You can use vegetarian, chicken, pork or beef sausages here. I wouldn't recommend using Italian sausages because they are packed with spices and we are already adding quite a few when we cook this dish.
- Variations: You can also use chicken breast, paneer (or cottage cheese) or beans instead of sausages if that's what you have on hand.
- Short Grain vs Long Grain rice: This recipe works for both. I basically use whatever I have on hand. The cooking times will vary for both, so just keep that in mind.
- If you want to make this 100% vegetarian, switch up the sausages with tofu, potatoes or paneer (Indian cottage cheese).
Excellent! It is a staple in our house.
I reduced the salt from one tablespoon to one teaspoon, otherwise it is too salty as the sausages are already quite salty…
Thank you for this great, easy recipe!
Hey Andy, I agree that it happens if the sausages are too salty, am so glad that you & your family loved the recipe.
FABULOUS! I am not a confident cook and I made this to take to a dinner club event. I used plant based (non-Italian) sausage and Gardein chickin’ strips. It was very easy and delicious. I used basmati rice and 3 very healthy size tablespoons of tomato paste and the spices as directed. Next time I will add peas and possibly mushrooms.
Really happy you liked it!
Easy to make and tasty. Thanks!
Can it be coocked in cooker?
Sure, pressure cook for 2 whistles. Then turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally before opening
This dish makes a regular appearance in my kitchen. My husband and I just love the flavour. It’s so easy to follow the recipe and make this delicious one pot recipe. I usually add boiled kidney beans to mine to increase the amount of protein and use a side of homemade guacamole or Greek yogurt dip on top. Thanks Richa! Keep it coming.
Hey Shruthi! Yes, we love Mexican rice too, especially because it’s such a flexible recipe. Thanks for writing to us, and happy cooking 🙂
Hi Richa,
Is the sour cream store bought or homemade? Please share the recipe for that as well if it’s homemade.
Hey Sharmila! We used store-bought sour cream in this Mexican rice recipe!
Hello Richa,
A very beautiful blog and very tempting recipes.
I’m planning to try this recipe and I wanted to know if there are any substitutions for tomato paste and Chipotle.
Thank you.
Hey! You can leave out the Chipotle if you don’t have it or add some roasted chillies instead. Instead of tomato paste, you can use 1/4 cup tomato puree