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Sausage and Rice Casserole

In this post I’m sharing my version of a Sausage and Rice Casserole.

Y’all, go ahead and file this under delicious! It’s a great casserole as a meal or a side dish for larger dinners, like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The first time that I made a sausage and rice casserole, it was a recipe from a fellow blogger, Mandy, and was in her latest cookbook that had just been released. 

We all enjoyed the dish very much but it has been three years since I’ve had it. Sigh. That is one of the things about being a food blogger is that meals don’t come back into rotation often enough. 

Last week the craziest thing happened….all of the sudden I was seeing recipes for sausage and rice casseroles pop up everywhere in my news feeds. I took that as a sign from above that I needed to make one again and this time thought I’d give it my own twist and share with y’all.

 

Sausage and Rice Dressing

Thanksgiving Rice Dressing

Just look at that moist, creamy and delicious casserole! Yes, it is also sometimes referred to as dressing as well. 

We enjoyed this sausage casserole for dinner the evening that I made it and I had it again for lunch the next day. I may or may not have had bigger than should be allowed portions too. 

I would like to offer a couple of tips when making this casserole:

  • Grease the casserole dish well with some softened butter to prevent sticking.
  • About halfway through baking, carefully pull out the oven rack so you can gently turn the casserole…this ensures you don’t get a lot of crunchy rice bits on top. This also helps to incorporate that nice crispy bits from the sides throughout the casserole so everyone gets some.

Easy Casserole Dinner Recipe

Thanksgiving Rice Dressing with Sausage

What is the difference between rice dressing and dirty rice? Quite a bit actually. Dirty rice is more of a skillet dish that contains beef, pork and chicken livers. Rice Dressing is made using only pork breakfast sausage and baked with a few other ingredients. They taste nothing alike.

Do I have to use creamed soups in this recipe? Yes! Creamed soups are an essential part of many casserole recipes and keep it moist and add flavor. 

I cook nearly every day of the year and out of 365 days, I might use creamed soups 5 of those days. Moderation is the key to all food choices.

Sausage and Rice casserole side dish recipe in a glass Pioneer Woman baking dish

The spicy breakfast sausage works really well in this recipe. If you’re sensitive to spicier foods then you could opt for a mild sausage instead. 

Plate of sausage and rice casserole, a Southern recipe

Below you’ll find the step by step instructions for preparing this dish in the printable recipe card.

Yield: 1- 13 x 9 Casserole

Sausage and Rice Casserole

Amazing recipe for sausage and rice casserole

A delicious, creamy and savory sausage and rice casserole that is perfect as the main meal or as a side dish.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Hot Breakfast Sausage
  • 1 tbs Butter, softened (to grease the casserole dish)
  • 10.5 oz Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 10.5 oz Canned Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 Yellow Onion, diced
  • 1/2 c Celery, diced
  • 1 c White Long Grain Rice
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 c Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
  • Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet, crumble and drain well.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F ( 176°C )
  3. Grease a rectangle baking dish well with a tablespoon of softened butter.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients together. NOTE: Do not dilute the creamed soups.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  6. Bake 1 ½ Hours.
  7. Halfway through baking, carefully pull the oven rack out and gently turn (stir) the casserole mixture.

Notes

** Read the full post for more tips in preparing this casserole. Turning or stirring that top layer half way through cooking is necessary so the top doesn't get too crunchy. You may use foil if you wish to keep the casserole moist and remove duing the last few minutes of cooking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 589mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g

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Thanks for stopping by! I know you’re gonna love this dish. 

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This recipe has been proudly shared at Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday.

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Author of Julia's Simply Southern

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Abbey

Sunday 20th of August 2023

Well, mine doesn’t look anything like the picture, but it sure tastes good! I used mild deer sausage, 2 cans of cream of mushroom, and left out the celery. (Just trying to save a trip to the grocery store.) I chose to cover with foil, stirred halfway, then removed the foil and baked for an additional 10 minutes. Stirring is so important because it gets the slightly crunchy bits mixed in. I’ll definitely make this again!

Julia Jordan

Monday 21st of August 2023

Hi Abbey! I am so glad that you enjoyed using this recipe.

Karen

Saturday 4th of February 2023

Where does the cheese come in at ?

Julia Jordan

Sunday 5th of February 2023

Hi Karen, In the recipe card, step 4, combine all of the ingredients together would include the cheese. The cheese is mixed in with the casserole mixture. ~Julia

Donna

Wednesday 25th of January 2023

Can this dish be frozen? Thanks, Donna

Julia Jordan

Thursday 26th of January 2023

Hi Donna! Yes the casserole can be frozen, however, I've never frozen one myself so can't tell you the reheating instructions. ~Julia

Beverly

Wednesday 18th of January 2023

This is a delicious Sausage and Rice Casserole. I made it exactly by the recipe the first time and we really liked it. The second time I added sliced mushrooms. That was a hit with everyone. Tonight I only had a green bell pepper so I used it and added a jar of pimentos. This recipe is a keeper. It's going in my regular rotation of meals!

Julia Jordan

Thursday 19th of January 2023

Beverly, I am so happy that you have enjoyed this recipe and have made it your own with delicious additions. Thanks for stopping by to let me know. You made my day! ~Julia

Nancy

Saturday 7th of January 2023

Great recipe

Julia Jordan

Sunday 8th of January 2023

Thank you so much, Nancy! I am so glad you enjoyed it. ~Julia

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