Instant Pot Spanish Sausage and Rice

Inspired by one of our favorite vacation spots, this Instant pot Spanish sausage and rice is a super fast, simple dish where smoky Cajun sausage and flavorful rice are the stars! Plus, it’s ready in just 30 minutes!

On the hunt for more Instant Pot recipes? You’ll want to save these super easy, super tasty posts for making later this week: Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos, Instant Pot Ground Beef Pasta, and Instant Pot Broccoli Beef.

up close rice with sausage and fork in bowl

This post is sponsored by Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Who is missing amusement parks as much as we are right now? I bet a lot of you are! We are missing Disneyland in particular, a place we used to visit as much as possible before we had kids and now even more with the kids. And not just the rides, we go there just as much for the atmosphere and yep, the food!

One of our favorite dinner spots is Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney where the most incredible jambalaya is served. We got the tip from our neighbors, an elderly couple who have been season passholders to the Disney parks for years. They said that this restaurant has the most authentic and delicious New Orleans-style cuisine they’ve ever found outside of the South. It didn’t take much convincing, we tried it once and have been hooked ever since. We haven’t been able to travel to the Park this year, so I’m bringing home the flavors of our favorite vacation spot every way I can.

This Instant Pot Spanish sausage and rice is inspired by Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen and is truly the next best thing. The original dish has chicken and shrimp added in, but to be honest we always find ourselves hunting through the dish for the goldmine of smoky sausage slices. To get that authentic flavor, Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage is an absolute must and even our kids agree that it’s what MAKES this dish. We’ll be devouring this on repeat till we can get back to Disney again! (And let’s be real, in between every future trip.)

Zatarain's smoked sausage uncooked and Zatarain's spanish rice box

Why this Recipe Works

Boxed rice — I have zero guilt about using boxed rice mixes whenever possible in my recipes. Zatarain’s Spanish Rice is delicious and it contains all the spices I’d add anyway, plus it’s super convenient to have on hand in my pantry and works great in the Instant Pot.

Smoked sausage — Easy to keep in the freezer or fridge, and easy to thaw and cook when ready, Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage is tasty, 100% pork and contains zero artificial colors or flavorings, no by-products, no MSG, and is also gluten-free. It’s my go-to every time.

Fast — Cooks up in a jiff using your Instant Pot. No Instant Pot? No problem, see below for alternate stovetop directions.

Fire roasted tomatoes — In my opinion, no ordinary diced tomatoes will do in this Spanish sausage and rice dish. I say get all the flavors where you can, when you can! But you can substitute regular diced tomatoes if you need to take the spice down a notch.

two images of uncooked and cooked sliced sausages

Here’s How you Make it

Set your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to “saute” and melt the butter in the pot.
Add the sausage and saute for about 2-3 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
Add the rice and stir for an additional minute.
Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, broth, and water and stir all together.
Add the lid, and turn the vent valve to the “sealed” position, then set the Instant Pot to “manual” or “pressure cook” for 8 minutes.
When the cook time is up, let the pot naturally release (this means do nothing) for 5 minutes, then, carefully turn the vent valve to release the remaining steam. When the steam is done releasing or the float valve drops, remove the lid.
Give everything a good stir to fluff the rice.
Add chopped parsley as a garnish and serve.

What Sides Go with this Recipe?

two images side by side showing sausage and rice in instant pot and in bowls

Is Smoked Sausage Already Cooked?

Yes, smoked sausage is generally always cooked ahead of time (that’s what the smoking process does) but you could, (if you really wanted to) eat it right out of the package. (Check the label though to be sure!) But I like to slice and brown mine in butter first to get a little crispness on the edges and warm them through.

Expert Tips

Saute the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Stir in the rice, liquids, and other ingredients.
Bring all ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.
Fluff with fork before garnishing and serving.

The perfect sausage is Zatarain’s. First off, Zatarain’s Smoked Sausage is easily accessible, available at Kroger, Sam’s Club, and select grocery stores across the country. Plus, if you’d rather try a spicier variety, they also make a Cajun Smoked Sausage which also works so well in this recipe and has a little bit of a kick to it. If you can handle the heat, I recommend swap the regular smoked andouille for the Cajun sausage!

Also, remember October is National Sausage Month! How exciting is that? Make a quick trip to your local Sam’s or Kroger grocery store to grab your Zatarain’s products and whip this up in your kitchen ASAP.

overhead view of Zatarain's sausage with two bowls of food

Best Sausage Recipes

Did you make this dish? Please rate the recipe below!

overhead view of hand holding wooden serving spoon with rice and sausage over instant pot

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Set pressure cooker to SAUTE. Melt butter in the pot.
Add sausage and saute 2-3 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Stir in the rice for 1 minute.
Stir in tomatoes, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, broth, and water.
Cover with lid, turn vent valve to SEALED position. Set to MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 8 minutes.
Once cook time is up, natural release (do nothing) for 5 minutes, then turn vent valve to release remaining pressure. Once float valve drops, remove the lid.
Give everything a good stir to fluff the rice. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve.

Stovetop method: Saute the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in rice, liquid, and other ingredients. Bring to a boi, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Fluff with fork before garnishing and serving.
The sausage: Zatarain’s also makes a Cajun Smoked Sausage which works beautifully in this recipe and has a little bit of a kick to it. If you can handle the heat, swap the regular smoked andouille for the Cajun sausage!

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