Easy Tomato Rice with Sausage, Mushrooms & Kale (GF, V Optional)
My kids loved the tomato rice from the paella in this meal plan, which inspired this variation with different flavors and additions. This recipe is built for leftovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 14 oz (340g) mild Italian sausages (or vegan alternative)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 10 oz (243g) shiitake mushrooms (or preferred variety), stemmed and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 14 oz can (419g) pureed or strained tomato
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water
- 1/4 tsp fresh or dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp fresh or dried rosemary
- 1/4 tsp fresh or dried oregano
- 1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced into ribbons
Optional Garnish
- Smoked paprika powder
- Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- Parsley leaves, minced
Instructions
- Start by adding the sausages to a 12-inch cast iron skillet with a splash of water. Cover and cook over medium heat until the sausages are browned and fully cooked through. Transfer them to a cutting board, allow them to cool slightly, then cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium. Add the finely diced red onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until tender and slightly translucent. Then, add the mushrooms and sauté until they are browned, allowing the liquid to evaporate.
- Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. Add the Arborio rice, broth (or water), and pureed tomato. Spread the rice mixture evenly in the pan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid without stirring.
- After 25 minutes, uncover the pan and stir in the cooked sausage pieces and sliced kale. Cover again and let the kale wilt and turn bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the kale.
- Serve the tomato rice warm, garnished with smoked paprika, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and minced parsley if desired.
Notes
Plan ahead:
- Prepare the onion, shiitakes, and parsley up to 2 days in advance, and refrigerate in separate airtight containers.
- Prepare the kale up to 1 week ahead and refrigerate in a ziplock bag. To prepare kale, strip the leaves off the stems and stack them together. Roll them like a burrito and slice into ribbons.
Component cooking: Serve the rice and sausage separately (pick out mushrooms if necessary, but cook the rice with them for extra flavor and nutrition). You can steam or sauté the greens and serve separately.
Shortcuts: Frozen, sliced mushrooms – allow extra time for the liquid to evaporate. Pre-cooked chicken.
Trades & Add-Ons:
- Veg: Swap red onion for yellow, or garlic for 1.5 tsp garlic powder. You can use any mushrooms desired, included pre-cut frozen mushrooms. Some mushrooms – like cremini and frozen – will put out a lot more water. Allow for extra time to evaporate the liquid and allowing the mushrooms to brown. You can swap kale for spinach or chard. If using chard, you can cook the stems! Separate and dice them, and cook them with the onions. 1 bunch of kale or chard equals about 4 cups spinach.
- Pureed tomato: My favorite brand for flavor and quality is Pomi, which comes in cartons.
- Sausages: You can use your favorite sausages here – even hot dogs! I’ve made this with bratwurst, and pre-cooked chicken and apple sausages (which is a nice shortcut).
- Vegan: Choose a vegan sausage alternative, or simply bump up the mushroom quantity.
Find it online: https://emmafrisch.com/tomato-rice-sausage-mushrooms-kale/
