Description
A cozy and comforting one-pot dinner featuring savory browned sausage, tender rice, and aromatic vegetables, finished with an optional creamy addition for extra richness. Perfect for quick weeknight meals using an Instant Pot with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sausage (hot, Italian, or breakfast sausage — all work great)
- 1 ½ cups finely diced onion
- 2 large celery ribs, finely diced
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth (or vegetable or beef broth)
- 1 ½ cups parboiled/converted rice (or substitute long-grain, jasmine, basmati, or brown rice — see notes)
- ½–1 teaspoon seasoning mix of your choice (Cajun seasoning, garlic salt, Old Bay, etc.)
Optional Creamy Additions
- 4 oz cream cheese or
- 1 cup sour cream or
- 1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
Instructions
- Sauté the sausage & aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (More). When hot, add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Add onions and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Add broth & deglaze: Pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add the rice: Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer. Gently press it into the liquid. Do not stir — this prevents burning.
- Pressure cook: Secure lid. Set to Pressure Cook (High) for 5 minutes if using parboiled rice. For other rice types, follow your rice/liquid chart accordingly: regular long-grain rice requires 4 minutes high pressure + 10 minutes natural release; brown rice requires 22 minutes + 10 minutes natural release. Let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then vent the rest.
- Stir & season: Fluff the rice and stir everything together. Taste and add ½–1 teaspoon of seasoning mix to preference.
- Make it creamy (optional): Stir in ONE of the following until melted and silky: cream cheese, sour cream, or cream of chicken soup. This transforms it into a rich, spoonable, ultra-comforting casserole.
- Serve: Dish into bowls and enjoy warm. Works beautifully as either a main dish or a hearty side.
Notes
- Parboiled rice creates fluffy, separated grains and avoids mushiness.
- If using regular long-grain rice, cook for 4 minutes high pressure and 10 minutes natural pressure release (NPR).
- If using brown rice, cook for 22 minutes plus 10 minutes NPR.
- Seasonings vary — Cajun is bold, Old Bay is savory, garlic salt is classic.
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable or beef broth based on preference or dietary needs.
- Optional creaminess adds richness but can be omitted for a lighter dish.