Sticky Honey Garlic Smoked Sausage and Rice

Browned smoked sausage, honey, soy sauce, and garlic bring sweet-savory flavor to this covered rice skillet. Peas and carrots cook with the rice, and a short covered rest finishes the dish without another pan.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The sausage browns before the liquid goes in.
• Rice and frozen vegetables cook together in the covered skillet.
• The covered rest gives the grains time to finish absorbing moisture.

Key Ingredients

• Smoked sausage: Use the fully cooked smoked sausage called for here, sliced evenly so the pieces brown at the same rate.
• Jasmine rice: Measure it dry. Brown rice and instant rice need different liquid and cooking times and are not direct swaps.
• Honey and soy sauce: They make the sticky sweet-savory coating. Keep the heat controlled so the honey does not scorch before the broth is added.
• Garlic and black pepper: Garlic needs only a short cook after the sausage browns. Optional red pepper flakes add heat.
• Chicken broth and frozen peas and carrots: The broth cooks the rice; add the vegetables as written rather than increasing the liquid to cover them separately.

Useful Tools

Use a roomy skillet or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the lid nearby before adding the broth so you can promptly reduce the heat and cover.

The first three products below are from my shop. I earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through the Amazon links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Chef Knife: Prepare the vegetables and aromatics on a stable cutting board.
• SnG Food Thermometer: Check safe doneness and reheat leftovers to 165°F.
• AB’s Premium Garlic Press: Prepare the fresh garlic for even distribution through the sauce or seasoning.
• Spring Chef Measuring Cups and Spoons (paid link): Measure the card ingredients before you start cooking.
• Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls (paid link): Organize prepared ingredients and keep raw-poultry or raw-meat utensils separate from ready-to-eat food.

How to Make Sticky Honey Garlic Smoked Sausage and Rice

1. Prepare before heating

Slice the sausage evenly, mince the garlic, and measure the rice, sauce ingredients, and broth from the card. This keeps the garlic and honey from waiting over heat while you hunt for ingredients.

2. Brown the sausage

Warm olive oil over medium heat and brown the sausage for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly and lowering the heat if it starts to darken too quickly.

3. Coat with sauce

Stir honey, soy sauce, pepper, salt, and optional red pepper flakes together in a bowl. Pour over the sausage and stir to coat. Add the dry jasmine rice and frozen peas and carrots, then stir in the broth.

4. Simmer covered

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover tightly. Simmer 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Keep the simmer gentle to avoid burning the honey on the bottom.

5. Rest and fluff

Take the skillet off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then gently distribute the sausage and vegetables through the rice. If your sausage label gives additional heating instructions, follow them before serving.

Pro Tips

• Use jasmine or comparable long-grain white rice, not instant or brown rice with the same timing.
• Keep the skillet at a low simmer once covered so the honey does not scorch.
• Rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing the rice.

Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days. Do not leave a pot or skillet on the counter until completely cold. Cool rice promptly in shallow portions; cooked rice needs the same timely refrigeration as the meat.

Freeze cooled portions for longer storage and thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat covered to 165°F throughout, stirring carefully and adding a little broth or water to loosen the rice.

What to Serve With This Recipe

Choose a vegetable or bread to round out the meal; for a larger gathering, add a second side.

• Southern Cornbread: savory bread for catching the pan juices.
• Green Beans and Bacon: a savory green vegetable side.
• Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts: roasted vegetables with a sweet-tangy finish.
• Southern Fried Cabbage: a simpler cabbage side.

Variations and Other Dinner Ideas

Leave out the optional pepper flakes for less heat. Choose a milder fully cooked smoked sausage if that suits your table, and check its label for salt and allergens. These are alternate dinners with their own rice and liquid ratios, rather than direct substitutions for this skillet.

• Shrimp and Sausage Rice Skillet: a seafood-and-sausage dinner built around rice.
• Louisiana-Style Red Beans and Rice: a hearty bean-and-andouille meal.
• Fried Cabbage with Smoked Sausage and Shrimp: a cabbage dinner with seafood and smoked sausage.
• Dirty Green Beans and Potatoes: a Cajun-style vegetable and meat skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use cooked leftover rice?

This method is designed around dry rice absorbing the measured broth. Leftover rice would need a different liquid amount and cooking method, so use the dry rice in the card.

What if the bottom starts sticking?

A heavy pan and low heat help. Avoid scraping a scorched layer into the finished rice; move the unburned food to a clean serving dish and check your burner setting next time.

More AB Recipes

More Sides for a Family Table

• Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls: soft bread for the dinner table.
• Sweet Potato Cornbread: a warmly spiced bread option.
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese: a creamy side for a larger comfort-food spread.
• Creole Cornbread: a cheesy cornbread alternative.
• Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese: another complete baked macaroni recipe.

More Comfort-Food Dinners

• Dirty Cabbage: a beef-and-sausage cabbage dinner.
• Dirty Smothered Potatoes: a loaded potato skillet with sausage and ground meat.
• Southern Smothered Meatballs and Rice: a saucy ground-meat dinner.
• One Pan Smothered Chicken and Rice: a chicken dinner with rice cooked in the same pan.
• Southern Style Smothered Chicken: a chicken-centered comfort meal.

Dessert to Finish the Meal

• Chessmen Banana Pudding: a chilled dessert to make ahead.
• Holiday Peach Cobbler Two Ways: a warm fruit dessert after supper.

Save This Recipe

Save this recipe for the next time you want a hearty comfort-food dinner.