Jambalaya Fried Rice

This dish has been in my dinner rotation for years and is a family favorite. It has plenty of bold flavor and some heat, which you can adjust to your taste. I love that this is a one-pan dinner and comes together very quickly once all of the prep work is done.

Ingredient Notes:

For The Rice - To keep this easy, I like to use pre-cooked, frozen rice (like Trader Joe's). You can thaw it out in the fridge before cooking or just add it frozen...either way works fine. Leftover rice works great too, or you can cook some in advance and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it in this dish. I also like to use half rice, half cauliflower rice in this to lighten up the carbs. You can also use cooked brown rice or quinoa, or a combo of grains.

For The Shrimp - I like pink Argentinian shrimp (sold at Trader Joe's and Costco). I find them to be the sweetest and least fishy shrimp that I can buy locally. They thaw very quickly with a quick rinse of cool water. They are a medium size, and I cut them in half lengthwise to get smaller bites (which you can do while they are still partially frozen). I set them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the moisture while I prep the veggies and sausage, and that gives them a little time to thaw enough to cook.

For The Peppers - I am NOT a fan of green bell peppers, so I use a poblano or pasilla along with a red bell pepper. Use whatever combo of peppers you like.

For The Sausage - Any type of kielbasa or smoked sausage will work (pork, beef, or turkey). Andouille is also a great option for more spice and flavor. I like to use Pederson's Natural Farms Uncured Kielbasa, Niman Ranch smoked sausage, or Teton Waters Ranch sausages (which you can find at Costco locally).

For The Heat - When you are adding the cayenne and the Tabasco, start with less and then add more at the end of cooking if you want more heat. I usually use about 1/4 of a teaspoon of cayenne and several shakes of Tabasco for medium to low heat.

Equipment: This recipe yields a lot...you will need a large, non-stick frying pan to accommodate it (like a paella pan). I have this 14-inch non-stick HexClad pan that I use, and it is perfect. It is non-toxic, and the ceramic coating has held up well. Here is a less expensive option that gets great reviews and is made the same way as the HexClad pan. If you prefer a traditional non-stick pan, this one is a great option. Or, if you don't have a bunch of hungry eaters at your table, cut the recipe in half!

Niman Ranch Andouille Sausage

Teton Grass Fed Beef Smoked Sausage

Pederson's Uncured Kielbasa

Favorite Smoked Sausages

Jambalaya Fried Rice

Makes 6 hearty servings

Ingredients

• 10 - 14 ounces Smoked Sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces such as Kielbasa or andouille. You can use any fully cooked beef, pork, or turkey sausage.

• 1 pound shrimp, rinsed, patted dry, and halved lengthwise

• 2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 2Ttbsp butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped small

• 1 poblano or green bell pepper, chopped small

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste (I always have a tube in my fridge for recipes like this!)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

• 1-2 tsp Tabasco (to taste)

• 6 cups cooked rice - I use one box of Trader Joe's frozen organic jasmine rice (either thaw ahead in the refrigerator or add frozen.

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped

  
  

Instructions

1. In a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat, brown your smoked sausage. Depending on the fat content in your sausage, you may need to start with some olive oil in the pan. With a pork sausage, you usually don't need to add the oil first. Once the sausage has browned, crisped up, and rendered most of the fat (this should take about 5-10 minutes), remove it from the pan and set aside for later. Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pan.

2. If you have enough oil from your sausage left in the pan, no need to add any. If you don't, add a little olive oil and then add the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until cooked through, then remove from the pan and set aside for later.

3. Check again to see if you need to add a little oil to the pan and do so if there isn't much left. Add the butter and heat until melted, then add the onion, celery, and peppers and sauté until the veggies are tender. Add some salt and pepper while the veggies are cooking (about a teaspoon of salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper). Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the tomato paste, thyme, oregano, paprika, and Worcestershire and mix well to incorporate all of the tomato paste. Next, add your Tabasco and cayenne pepper to taste and mix well. Start with less…you can add more later.

4. Add all of the rice to the pan with the veggies and stir to combine all of the ingredients. Season with a little more salt and pepper to taste and cook until the rice is heated through. Remember that your sausage will add some saltiness to the dish so don't over-salt…you can always add more at the end. Add the cooked sausage and shrimp back to the pan and the chopped green onions and parsley (save a little to garnish after serving) and mix well to incorporate everything together. Taste for seasoning then serve with more Tabasco for the heat lovers.