Dirty Rice with Kielbasa and Broccoli

What would life be without rice?! It comes in many different varieties and goes with just about everything.

I usually prefer to cook basmati rice as a side dish, but having a box of ready to cook mix is really helpful for weekday meals. When I purchase these boxed rices, I often get the bigger size so that we have left overs for lunch. Here’s a quick weeknight meal suggestion.

Ingredients:

  • Kielbasa (I usually get the low sodium), cut into 1/4″ inch rounds
  • 1 box Zatarain’s Dirty Rice
  • 1 head of broccoli, small pieces
  • Olive oil

Directions:

1. Large skillet heated on medium, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat the kielbasa for about 5 minutes to get some nice color and crispiness. Set aside cooked kielbasa.

2. Using same pan, cook Dirty Rice based on instructions.

3. During the last 5 minutes of cooking rice, add in the broccoli and kielbasa. Stir to mix together, replace lid and finish cooking last few minutes. Add about 1/4 cup water if needed, but there should be enough steam in the dish to cook the broccoli.

Veggie Notes:

  • You can omit the kielbasa all together, or add in veggie sausage.
  • In addition to broccoli, I like other veggies in this dish like diced bell peppers, white or yellow onion. Best to sauté first so the onion loses it’s bitterness. In my book, the more veggies the better!

Dish goes great with a leafy green salad too. Enjoy!

I’ll see you at the table!