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Brazilian rice and beans with sausage is a simple-to-make recipe that is bursting with savory flavor! A one-dish meal is ready in about 40 minutes!
Featured with this recipe
- Brazilian Beans and Rice Ingredients
- Optional Additions and Substitutions
- Cooking Brazilian Rice and Beans
- Suggestions for Brazilian Rice and Beans
- Rave Reviews
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing and Reheating Brazilian Rice and Beans
- More Savory Sausage Recipes
- How to Make Brazilian Rice and Beans
- Brazilian Rice and Beans Recipe
Brazilian rice and beans with sausage is a meal I need to put back in regular rotation. It’s so easy to put together and yet it packs a powerful flavor punch. Everyone in my family gobbles it up. This is the perfect meal to whip up on a busy weeknight since you throw it all in one pan, and it’s done in half an hour!
This beans and rice dinner is the perfect combination of savory and comforting. It is full of flavor but also has all the nutrients you need in one meal cooked in one pot! Make this a complete meal alongside a simple green or fruit salad and our delicious Brazilian Cheese Bread. A quick and easy dinner for all ages!
Brazilian Beans and Rice Ingredients
Don’t underestimate the ingredient list! It doesn’t look like much but when combined and cooked together this recipe makes a ton of food! It can easily serve 6 to 8 people or 4 to 5 really hungry folks. This is a great family dinner and you can even have leftovers!
- Oil – Heat the oil to a medium-high heat to give the sausage a nice crisp outer skin with a tender and juicy inside. I prefer vegetable oil to olive oil for this recipe but either one will work.
- Smoked sausage – We used spicy chicken sausage in this recipe and it was wonderful! You can use any type of sausage you like. Andouille pork, mild turkey, or all beef sausage would all taste delicious!
- Green onion – Chop the onion into small pieces.
- Garlic – Everyone knows garlic is a MUST at dinner time! It is an easy ingredient that we all have in our pantry or refrigerator. Quickly add it in to boost the flavors together!
- Rice – Uncooked long grain rice will be sauteed with the other ingredients. The rice does not need to be cooked ahead of time. Basmati rice and Jasmine rice both work great.
- Chicken broth – Add in the liquid for flavor and to help the rice cook while simmering. You can sub for vegetable broth.
- Pinto beans – I used canned pinto beans for this recipe because that’s what I had on hand. But you could easily swap those for kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, or navy beans in this dish.
- Bay leaves – Add a couple of tops for flavor and appearance. When ready to serve, remove the bay leaves so no one will eat them. As the one-pot meal is simmering the bay leaves give an extra flavor boost.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – to taste
Optional Additions and Substitutions
- Ground Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Thyme
- Cayenne Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Fresh Cilantro
- Fresh Parsley
- Lime Juice
- White Onion
- Yellow Onion
- Diced Tomato
- Green Olives
- Bell Pepper
- Ham Hocks
- Bacon
Cooking Brazilian Rice and Beans
This one-pot meal is the perfect dinner for a busy weeknight or make-ahead meal planning. The rice and beans give it that authentic flavor with the smoked sausage bites. It is a filling and delicious dinner that everyone loves!
- Saute – In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage, green onion, and garlic, and saute until the onions become soft.
- Combine – Stir in rice, chicken broth, beans, salt and pepper, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer – Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done. Remove from heat and fluff rice with a fork.
Suggestions for Brazilian Rice and Beans
Making this one pot of Brazilian rice and beans with sausage recipe is simple and delicious! Make it more authentic with dry beans that are soaking overnight, change the rice to brown rice, or even make it in the instant pot. These suggestions and variations will only give you more of a traditional Brazilian rice recipe for dinner that you will love!
- Dry beans – True Brazilian rice and beans are a little more involved than this recipe, but I wanted something easy and quick. You can use dry brown or dry black beans by soaking them overnight, then cooking with some peppers, garlic, and onions in a slow cooker for 5-6 hours. Then add to the recipe and continue as directed below.
- Brown rice – For a healthier choice of rice use brown rice instead of white rice.
- Instant pot – Brazilian Rice and Beans can be made easily in the Instant Pot too! Use the saute setting for the sausage, onions, garlic, and peppers, then add the broth, seasonings, and rice and cook on high for a few minutes. Do a quick release and you’re done!
Rave Reviews
“I’ve made this recipe three times now. It’s so easy and even my 4 year old requests it. It makes plenty of food for my family of three, we always have leftovers. Even when I didn’t have a green pepper to add to it, I got about six large bowls of food from this.”
-T
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can use dried beans, but there is a bit more prep work and time involved. First wash the dried beans with cold water. Put them in a large bowl and double the water to the height of the beans. Refrigerate for 4 hours. To quick soak the beans, boil in a pot of water for one minute, turn off the heat and let them sit covered for an hour.
Yes!
Storing and Reheating Brazilian Rice and Beans
This is a favorite dish that we love to make and always plan on having leftovers. Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them for five to seven days long in the refrigerator. When ready to reheat, remove from fridge and place it in the microwave or on the stove top until it is warmed through. It is always nice to have a few meals leftover for lunch or a quick meal later on throughout the week. You can also freeze in the freezer for up to three months.
More Savory Sausage Recipes
We love cooking with sausage and have gathered a few of our very favorite recipes to share with you. Try some and find out which ones you love!
How to Make Brazilian Rice and Beans
Brazilian Rice and Beans
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage sliced
- 1/2 cup green onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup rice uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 14 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add sausage, green onion, and garlic and saute until onions become soft.
- Stir in rice, chicken broth, beans, salt and pepper, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done. Remove from heat and fluff rice with a fork.
Really simple, easy recipe. Quick and fast, tasted amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Tasty! This dish has become one of my family’s favorite dinners! The only modification I make is to double the sausage and beans.
Very tasty! I used half a bacon chopped up (instead of sausage). Then followed the recipe – using a blend of jasmine and wild rice. (Added a few pinches of cumin and a 1/2 cup of black lentils)
Will definitely be making this AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN etc
Great wholesome snack recipe. Very filling and solid nutritionally!!
Use whatever protein of thawed and in the fridge.
Just made a batch with salt pork and tossed in a chopped jalapeno to spice it up. Yummy!!!
I would like to try this, but in an instant pot. Do you have any suggestions for that?
We haven’t tried this in the instant pot yet! Let us know how it goes if you try it
I made this following the recipe exactly. I used homemade chicken broth from rotisserie chicken bones. It had a delicious flavor. I will be making this again for my family. It was a hit!
I have made this many times, and it’s a favorite in our household. It’s fast, inexpensive, filling and easy to modify.
Some of our modifications: andouille sausage rather than smoked, and I double the rice, beans and chicken stock because I feed hungry teens. I will use white or yellow onions, depending on what I have, and the type of bean is flexible as well (black or kidney if I’m out of pinto)
Thanks for a great foundational recipe!
I’ve made this twice in the past month. Both times were heavenly. Simple, hearty…and the flavor is just right.
My cousin shared this recipe with me and the taste was really good but the rice didn’t cook all the way through. I kept it on simmer, once it boiled, but it took forever and then got almost mushy. Any suggestions?
Oh shoot, we haven’t had that happen when we’ve made it. Did you keep the pan covered while you simmered it?
To linda, This isn’t in regard to this particular recipe, but i’ve had a similar experience and it turned out that my rice was old and did need a lot more time. And like your experience turned out mushy. Although rice keeps forever, it also is not at its best forever, unfortunately. I’ve had a similar experience using old dried beans.