Creamy Cajun Sausage and Rice

Creamy Cajun Sausage and Rice- Sliced chicken sausages are smothered in a creamy cajun sauce then served over fragrant garlic rice.

April 21, 2022 by Nicole Collins

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Guys…

I’m starting to get a little worried about my herb and tomato garden this year.

It has been SOOOO cold and gloomy so far this spring, and I think my little baby plants are suffering because of it.

This is the first year I’ve ever tried growing tomatoes. You’ll remember that I’ve been a lifelog plant killer.

But during this quarantine period the past couple years, I’ve had the time to nurture my plants and successfully grow an herb garden for 2 years in a row.

That newfound confidence gave me the courage to try to grow tomatoes this year. But, they’re not looking so good. They were off to a great start, but now their leaves are starting to shrivel and dry out. And, I feel like that’s not a good sign.

If anyone knows how to save them, please send help!

We all know that I don’t do well in the cold doom and gloom either. And, this season has been dreadfully longer than usual. So, I’m still in “stick to your ribs” comfort food mode. And, that’s what we’re making today.

Today, we’re making Creamy Cajun Sausage and Rice!

We’re going all in with a rich and comforting meal today. We’re going to sear up some chicken sausages, mix them into a thick and creamy cajun seasoned sauce, then serve the whole thing over some super fragrant garlic rice.

Let’s start with the rice. This is garlic rice, so we’ll start with none other than garlic. We’ll add a little olive oil to a saucepan, let some chopped garlic saute for just about a minute until we smell its sweet perfume, then we’ll add in our jasmine rice to toast for a minute or two in that delicious garlic oil. From there, add in the water and a pinch of salt, and let the rice simmer away and do its thing. It couldn’t be easier.

While our rice is cooking, we can work on the sauce. I like to use andouille seasoned chicken sausages to lighten things up a bit, but traditional pork sausage works fine, as well. We’ll slice the sausages until smaller rounds, and let them saute in a little oil for a couple of minutes to caramelize and brown. Then, we’ll excuse them off to the side for a minute so we can finish up our sauce.

We’ll use the same pan to add some red pepper and onions, and we’ll let those cook for a couple minutes until they start to soften. We’re also going to add some beer to the party to deglaze the pan and get up all those crispy brown bits the sausage left behind, while infusing some extra malty flavor to our sauce. If you don’t have or don’t want to use beer, you could use some chicken stock or even water instead. We’ll finish the veggies with some more garlic. And then, it’s time for the creamy stuff.

To the veggies, we’ll add in some milk, heavy cream, cream cheese, and a healthy sprinkle of cajun seasoning. We’ll let those creamy flavors melt together until the sauce starts to thicken. Then, we’ll stir our sausage slices right back into the sauce. And that’s it! All the work is done!

To serve, we’ll give ourselves a big ol’ scoop of rice into a bowl. Then, we’ll smother the rice in that creamy, dreamy cajun sausage sauce. We’ll finish the bowl with some sliced green onions to add some freshness. And, it’s time to eat!

This meal is not on the lighter side of things. It’s rich and hearty and comforting and like a big warm hug for your belly. So, it’s definitely not something we could or should eat all the time. But as a special treat, it’s absolutely incredible. I’m completely obsessed with that sticky rice that’s perfectly kissed with the essence of garlic. The creamy sauce has just the perfect kick from the cajun seasoning without being overly spicy. And, that sausage is the best parts of juicy on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside.

If there’s any way to give comfort food season a proper send off, this is it. I’ve been waiting to say “good riddance” to the cold weather since it began, so it is definitely time!

Please enjoy! And, let’s eat!

Creamy Cajun Sausage and Rice

Serves: 2 Print

Ingredients:

For the Garlic Rice:

1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup jasmine rice
¾ cup water
¼ tsp salt
pinch pepper

For the Creamy Cajun Sausage:

1 ½ tbsp olive oil
2 andouille chicken sausages, sliced
½ small white onion, finely diced
½ red pepper, finely diced
¼ cup beer (I used Guinness Blonde)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk (I used 1%)
2 oz cream cheese (I used low fat)
1 tsp cajun seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1 green onion, minced (dark and light green parts only)

Directions:

Make the Garlic Rice: Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic, and cook 30 seconds- 1 min until fragrant. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add water, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 mins. Remove from heat, allow rice to sit for 5 mins, then fluff rice with a fork.
Meanwhile, make the Creamy Cajun Sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage slices, and cook for 3-4 per side until browned. Remove sausage from pan.
Add onions, peppers, and beer to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until most of the beer has evaporated and the veggies have softened, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, and saute about 30 seconds- 1 minute until fragrant.
Add heavy cream, milk, cream cheese, cajun seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Stir constantly until cream cheese is melted and incorporated. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer sauce for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly thickened. Add sausage back to the pan, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
To serve, divide rice between 2 bowls. Top with creamy cajun sausage, evenly divided. Top with green onions, if desired. Serve!