Crockpot Sausage and Rice

Name: Crockpot Sausage and Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into half-inch rounds; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1.5 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed; 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice; 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

By Iren Pavlenko · Last updated: 9 Nov 2026

Crockpot sausage and rice is a one-pot dinner with smoky sausage, peppers and long-grain rice that cooks right in the broth. You brown nothing but the sausage, and the slow cooker does the rest.

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Crockpot Sausage and Rice

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Smoked sausage, peppers and long-grain rice simmered together in broth. A hearty dinner with almost no cleanup.

Ingredients

1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into half-inch rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden.
Move the sausage to a 6-quart slow cooker and leave the drippings in the pan.
Cook the onion and both peppers in the drippings for 4 minutes. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
Tip the vegetables into the slow cooker. Add the rinsed rice, broth, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme and salt.
Stir well and press the rice below the liquid. Rice stuck on top will stay hard.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first 90 minutes.
Check the rice at the minimum time. It should be tender with no firm center and most of the liquid absorbed.
If the rice is still firm, cover again and cook 20 more minutes. If it looks soupy, leave the lid off for 15 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Top with green onions and serve hot.

Notes

Use chicken sausage for a lighter version, but check that it reaches 165°F. Add a cup of frozen okra or corn in the last hour. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days and reheat with a spoonful of water. Do not freeze for long, since the rice gets mushy. Serve with a green salad or buttered cornbread.

Why sausage and rice suits the slow cooker

Smoked sausage is already cooked, so the slow cooker only has to bring out its flavor and let the rice drink up the broth. Everything simmers together for three to four hours on LOW, and the rice picks up smoke, paprika and pepper along the way. A skillet version needs constant stirring. This one needs a lid and some patience.

The tricky part with rice in a crock is texture. Too much liquid and you get mush, too little and the edges turn hard. This ratio of one and a half cups of rice to three cups of broth, plus the tomato juice, lands tender and separate. Because the rice and sausage share one pot, the sausage fat seasons every grain. Choose a sausage that is not overly fatty, or drain the rounds on paper towels after browning.

Ingredient notes

Smoked sausage: Andouille gives the most heat, but a plain smoked sausage works fine for a family table. Slice it in half-inch rounds so each bite has some browned edge.

Long-grain white rice: Rinse it until the water runs mostly clear. That removes surface starch and keeps the rice from clumping. Skip instant and parboiled rice, which cook on different schedules.

Bell peppers: Red and green together give color and a little sweetness. Dice them fairly large so they do not vanish.

Cajun seasoning: Brands vary a lot in salt. Taste yours first, and add the extra teaspoon of salt only if it is mild.

Diced tomatoes: Keep the juice. It is part of the cooking liquid and adds a gentle tang.

Tips for the best result

Brown the sausage first: Two or three minutes in a skillet with the onion and peppers gives you a deeper, smokier base. You can skip it on a busy day, but you lose some flavor.

Do not lift the lid early: The most common mistake with this dish is peeking. Every look lets out steam and adds twenty minutes. Leave it closed for the first ninety minutes.

Stop when the rice is tender: Rice keeps cooking on KEEP WARM. Check at three hours on LOW, fluff with a fork, and serve as soon as the grains are soft. Rinse the rice well: Unrinsed rice releases extra starch, which is what makes the bottom layer gluey. A minute under cold water in a strainer fixes it.

Swaps and variations

Use chicken thighs cut in chunks instead of sausage, and add a half teaspoon more seasoning. Brown rice works too, but it needs about an extra cup of broth and five to six hours on LOW. Add a cup of frozen okra for a Southern feel, or a pinch of cayenne for more heat.

Do not swap in quick-cook rice or cauliflower rice. The first turns to paste and the second cannot hold up to hours of heat.

What to serve with sausage and rice

This is a one-pot dinner, so keep the sides light. Steamed green beans, a vinegary coleslaw or a plate of sliced cucumbers cut through the richness. Warm cornbread is a good choice if you want something to soak up the juices. Put hot sauce on the table for anyone who wants more kick. Add a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of pickled peppers on top just before serving. A little acid wakes up a pot of rice that has simmered for hours.

Storing, freezing and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to four days. Rice firms up in the cold, so add a splash of broth or water before reheating. Microwave covered for two to three minutes, stirring halfway.

The dish freezes for up to three months in flat freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a skillet with a little broth until the rice softens again.

Crockpot Sausage and Rice at a glance

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients: 14, led by smoked sausage, olive oil, yellow onion, green bell pepper

Tips for Crockpot Sausage and Rice

Crockpot Sausage and Rice FAQ

How long does Crockpot Sausage and Rice take?

Crockpot Sausage and Rice takes 3 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.

How many people does Crockpot Sausage and Rice serve?

This recipe makes 6 servings.

What do I need to make Crockpot Sausage and Rice?

14 ingredients, led by smoked sausage, olive oil, yellow onion, green bell pepper. Amounts are in the recipe card above.

Iren Pavlenko

Hi, I'm Iren Pavlenko. I read the top-ranked slow cooker recipes for a dish side by side and write down what they disagree on and what they all leave out — the cut, the pot size, and both the LOW and HIGH times. I write these guides so your weeknight dinner doesn't turn into a dry roast because a recipe never said which of those four things mattered.