andouille sausage jambalaya

hello, and welcome to the new era in which i attempt to be extremely frugal in life and meals because i have my heart set on vintage turkish rugs and completely unnecessary new dining chairs for a teeny tiny new apartment that my manpanion and i will call home in just a few weeks. our new place is adorable, tucked into a bustling corner of virginia, and i have a lot of hopes and dreams for this little place of ours. catch me in a deep etsy rabbit hole researching peel-and-stick wallpaper for our bedroom, because the heart wants what it wants, and once i get my mind to something, i’m not easily deterred.

i posed the idea of a $50 a week meal plan challenge in my small stamp on the internet, and people (hey, hiya you!) were into it! i’m a few days into week one, and aside from having gone $3.78 over budget, things are going swell. it’s a tough budget to stick to, but i’m bound and determined to prove that eating well can be done beautifully and deliciously on the cheap. enter, imitation jambalaya.

this is not a classic creole jambalaya, but more like a really good copycat that utilizes pantry staples in a super tasty way. jambalaya adjacent, if you will. we’re using bell peppers, onion, carrots, jalapeño, and garlic to create our base flavor, andouille sausage because it would be straight up sacrelig to not, and adding canned tomatoes and broth with our spices. easy, cheap. CHEAP CHEAP, and i’m all about it. it’s also made in one big pot and takes about a half hour - how great is that?

a few things before we get started:

- this is not an ultra-authentic jambalaya, rather, an interpretation of those flavors using what we have on hand and pinching pennies like we do
- if you’d like this to be more like the real-deal, toss in some shrimp! scavenge for okra! tuck some bay leaves in! these would all be awesome additions, but in the spirit of saving money, i eschewed traditon
- adjust the spice levels to your preference. this version is kicking, i assure you
- we love a one-pot-wonder, and this recipe pretty much does it’s thing with little to no assistance. chop chop, lots of spice, stir in crushed tomatoes and some broth and you’re pretty much home
- leftovers will keep in the fridge for a week!

andouille sausage jambalaya
makes: 4 servings
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 35-40 minutes

4 chicken andouille sausages, or one large coil andouille sausage, sliced at an angle into coins
2 bell peppers (I used one green and one red), diced
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
15oz. canned crushed tomatoes
4c broth or stock
1c cooked rice
2tsp salt
2tsp paprika
2tsp garlic powder
2tsp onion powder
2tsp oregano
1tsp cayenne (if you’re spice-averse, do 1/2tsp or omit completely)
1tsp thyme
1tsp black pepper
1tbsp olive oil

parsley or scallions for serving, optional

heat the oil over medium in a large pot. sear the sausage for 5 minutes until crisped and golden on both sides, then remove from the pot; set aside. add the peppers, onion, carrots, jalapeño, garlic, and spices to the pot, and saute for 5-7 minutes until they veggies start to break down and the onions become translucent.

lower the heat to medium-low, and add the cooked sausage, tomatoes, and broth to the pot. cover, and let bubble for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

after 20 minutes, remove the cover from the pot, add the cooked rice, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the jambalaya begins to thicken and the liquid reduces just a bit more.

top with fresh parsley, and tuck in!