Name: Sausage and Rice Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish; 1 pound hot breakfast sausage; 1 yellow onion, diced; ½ cup diced celery; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 cup uncooked parboiled long-grain white rice; 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup; 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup; 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese; Cracked black pepper, to taste

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Creamy sausage and rice casserole with cheddar and softened vegetables in a white baking dish.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This sausage and rice casserole bakes hot breakfast sausage, uncooked parboiled rice, onion, celery, and red bell pepper in a creamy mixture of condensed soups and chicken broth. Sharp cheddar is stirred right into the filling, so every scoop gets a little cheese. It makes six servings for a hearty family supper.

The rice goes in uncooked, but the sausage gets browned and drained first. Use a 2½- to 3-quart baking dish, seal it tightly with foil, and plan for 80-90 minutes in a 350°F oven, with a stir after the first 45 minutes. This is a settle-in-and-let-it-bake dinner; tender rice matters more than the clock.

For a chicken version with a crisp cracker topping, try Old-Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole. This version gets its flavor from breakfast sausage and cheddar, with the vegetables mixed into the filling.

Breakfast sausage, rice, vegetables, cheddar, condensed soups, broth, pepper, and cooking spray arranged for the casserole.

Ingredients You'll Need

Cooking spray, for greasing the dish
Breakfast sausage
Yellow onion, diced
Celery, diced
Red bell pepper, diced
Uncooked parboiled long-grain white rice
Condensed cream of mushroom soup
Condensed cream of chicken soup
Low-sodium chicken broth
Sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Cracked black pepper

A Few Ingredient Details

Check the rice label. The tested rice is uncooked parboiled long-grain white rice. Parboiled doesn't mean ready to eat; instant and precooked rice need different liquid amounts and cooking times. Keep the measured broth in the mixture and use both condensed soups undiluted.

Keep the swaps simple. Mild breakfast sausage can replace the hot sausage. Monterey Jack or Colby can replace the sharp cheddar, and either condensed soup can be replaced with an equal amount of the other. Grate the cheese before mixing it into the filling.

Tools That Make It Easier

2½- to 3-quart baking dish
Large skillet
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Heat-resistant spatula or sturdy spoon
Chef knife
Cutting board
Measuring cups
Cheese grater
Aluminum foil, for a tight cover

How to Make Sausage and Rice Casserole

Whisk the creamy base, brown the sausage, then combine everything and bake tightly covered. Keep the rice and vegetables uncooked when you assemble the casserole.

1. Prepare the dish and soup mixture

Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 2½- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk both condensed soups with the chicken broth until evenly blended.

Condensed mushroom and chicken soups whisked with chicken broth in a clear glass bowl.

2. Brown and drain the sausage

Cook the hot breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 7-10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces until browned and cooked through. Drain the excess grease before adding it to the filling.

Browned breakfast sausage broken into small crumbles in a copper skillet with a red spatula.

3. Mix and cover

Stir the cooked sausage, diced onion, celery, red bell pepper, uncooked rice, grated cheddar, and black pepper into the soup mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread it evenly in the prepared dish and cover tightly with foil.

Unbaked sausage, rice, vegetables, and cheddar mixed into the creamy soup base in a white baking dish.

4. Bake, stir, and finish

Bake for 45 minutes, carefully uncover, stir from the edges toward the center, and cover tightly again. Bake another 35-45 minutes until the rice is tender and the casserole bubbles; if the rice is firm and the mixture looks dry, stir in ¼ cup hot broth, cover, and continue baking until tender, then rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Stirring the partly baked sausage and rice casserole with a red spatula before covering again.

Getting the Rice Tender

Tender grains in the middle of the dish are your best doneness check. A bubbling edge alone doesn't tell you whether the center rice has finished cooking. The halfway stir brings the edge mixture toward the center; reseal the foil afterward so the casserole keeps its moisture.

If the rice is still firm, check the moisture before adding anything. The tested correction is an extra ¼ cup hot broth when the mixture also looks dry, followed by more covered baking. Avoid switching rice varieties or leaving the foil loose to speed things along.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Refrigerate leftover casserole in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use it within 3-4 days. Reheat individual portions with a splash of broth, loosely covered, until hot throughout.

For the freezer: Cool promptly, divide into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add a little broth, and reheat covered at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F. The supplied freezing instructions are for the cooked casserole.

A gold spoon lifting creamy sausage and rice casserole from a white rectangular baking dish.

What to Serve with Sausage and Rice Casserole

A crisp salad or green vegetable gives this creamy supper some balance. Italian Side Salad brings crunchy greens and a vinegar-based dressing; Roasted Broccoli adds lemon, and Roasted Green Beans has a balsamic glaze.

Italian Side Salad

Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Green Beans

The vegetable recipes use a hotter oven, so plan to roast them separately rather than changing the casserole's tested 350°F baking temperature. A salad is the simplest pairing while the casserole bakes.

A Couple of Questions Before You Cook

Do I cook the onion, celery, and bell pepper first?

No. In this method, the diced vegetables go into the soup mixture uncooked along with the rice. Brown and drain the sausage separately, then stir it into the filling.

Is all the cheddar sprinkled over the top?

No. Stir the full cup of freshly grated sharp cheddar into the soup mixture with the sausage, rice, and vegetables. This recipe does not call for a separate cheese topping or a fresh herb garnish.

Get More Recipes Like This

If you loved this recipe, make sure you join my email list. I send out my best weeknight dinners, holiday favorites, and reader-requested recipes straight to your inbox.

I'll also send you My 5 Chef Secrets that instantly elevate your cooking-the exact techniques I use in my own kitchen.

Tell Me How It Turned Out

One of my favorite parts of sharing recipes is hearing how they turn out in other kitchens.

Leave a comment below and tell me what worked, what you changed, or who you made it for. I read every comment and genuinely enjoy seeing your variations and serving ideas.

If you made the recipe, please leave an honest rating and review. Your feedback helps other readers decide whether it is right for them.

More Recipes You Might Like

For another rice dinner with a different flavor profile, try Easy Cajun Dirty Rice. For more meal-planning ideas, browse Easy Fall Dinner Recipes.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

Creamy Swiss Chicken Casserole is an easy weeknight meal that comes together quickly and will wow your family or any guest!

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole combines juicy chicken, colorful bell peppers, corn tortillas, and Mexican spices in a bubbly, creamy, cheesy sauce. that's perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks.

Old-Fashioned Chicken and Rice Casserole

A creamy chicken dinner with parboiled rice and a crisp cracker topping.

Easy Cajun Dirty Rice

A Cajun rice dish with ground meats and bold seasoning.

Recipe

Sausage and Rice Casserole

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This sausage and rice casserole bakes hot breakfast sausage, uncooked parboiled rice, vegetables, and sharp cheddar in a creamy soup base for a hearty family supper.

Author: Jennifer Locklin
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish
1 pound hot breakfast sausage
1 yellow onion, diced
½ cup diced celery
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup uncooked parboiled long-grain white rice
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Cracked black pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 2½- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine both condensed soups and the chicken broth in a large bowl, whisking until evenly blended.
Place the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break it into small pieces as it cooks, about 7-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Drain the excess grease.
Add the cooked sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, uncooked rice, cheddar, and black pepper to the soup mixture. Stir thoroughly.
Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish. Cover tightly with foil to retain moisture while the rice cooks.
Bake for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the foil, stir the casserole from the edges toward the center, and cover tightly again.
Bake for another 35-45 minutes, until the rice is tender and the casserole is bubbling. If the rice remains firm and the mixture looks dry, stir in another ¼ cup hot broth, cover, and continue baking until tender.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Rice and liquid: Use parboiled rice labeled as uncooked; instant rice and precooked rice require different amounts of liquid and cooking times. The 1½ cups broth and tightly covered baking method are part of this supplied formula. Add another ¼ cup hot broth only if the rice remains firm and the mixture looks dry, then cover and continue baking until tender.
Substitutions: Use mild breakfast sausage in place of hot. Monterey Jack or Colby may replace cheddar. Either condensed soup may be replaced with an equal amount of the other.
Serve with a green salad, roasted broccoli, or green beans. A vinegar-based dressing balances the creamy casserole.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3-4 days. Reheat portions with a splash of broth, loosely covered, until hot throughout.
Freezing: Cool promptly, divide into freezer-safe containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add a little broth and reheat covered at 350°F until the center reaches 165°F.
Times are the tested estimates: 15 minutes prep, 1 hour 40 minutes cook, 1 hour 55 minutes total. Rice tenderness may require additional covered baking.

Sausage and Rice Casserole

Ingredients You'll Need

A Few Ingredient Details

Tools That Make It Easier