Last updated on February 6th, 2020 at 05:52 am
Need an easy, filling, one-pot meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes? I know as a working mom I need all the help I can get in the kitchen. This one-pot Bahamian Peas and Rice dish combines smoked sausage, pigeon peas, rice, and veggies!
Being a mother of two boys is hard work. Throw in a husband that travels most days of the week, and I am just about frazzled every night. Trying to think of easy, yet hearty, recipes to keep my boys full is a job all by itself. This peas and rice pot with smoked sausage is a great one to add to your menu rotation!
My younger son is still in that pop tart, pretzel, plain pasta, canned soup, and chicken finger phase. I can’t get him to try anything new. My older son is really starting to spread his wings and try new things. One place I can get him to try new dishes is when we visit my grandfather’s old home in the Bahamas.
He was born, along with his four sisters, on the island of Green Turtle Cay, in the Abacos part of the Bahamas. It is a tiny island, but full of history. I had the privilege to spend my summers there as a child, visiting my grandparents and all their cousins, catching fresh fish, and making homemade coconut ice cream.
My grandfather Curtis and two of his sisters: Cynthia and Beverly. That’s me in the red![/caption]
Even though my grandparents have passed away, I still have aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins to visit. A few of the dishes that we eat while we are there include souse chicken, boiled fish, cracked conch, and “peas and rice.”
This souse chicken is made with potatoes, lime juice, allspice, and hot peppers and is standard breakfast in the islands.[/caption]
They have a macaroni and cheese that will blow your mind, but today I am going to share with you the “peas and rice” dish.
The peas in the “Peas and Rice” dish are pigeon peas or “gandules.” The rice is toasted in the pan with bacon and sweet peppers. Adding a bit of tomato paste adds some depth and a gorgeous red/orange color.
The peas are added along with the broth or water and some thyme for its floral notes and cooked like regular rice. Once the 20 minutes are up, you uncover this gorgeous pot of rice, peas, peppers, you are ready for a filling meal full of flavor!
Peas and rice is typically a side dish, but today I am adding some Hillshire Farm smoked sausage and making this a complete meal!
The bit of bacon you add in the beginning to soften the onion and peppers adds a hint of smokiness, but I wanted to accentuate that flavor and add some more protein to this dish to make it a full meal for other busy parents to enjoy.
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Look at how gorgeous that looks! Can you believe you can get this in less than 30 minutes?
Because the Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage that I picked up is already cooked, it shortens the cook time to the amount of time it takes to cook rice and saute the peppers and onions.
And it really adds a depth of flavor to the staple pigeon peas and rice.
Here are a few step-by-step photos of the process:
This Bahamian Peas and Rice with Smoked Sausage is a great dinner because it is 30 minutes and it is ONE POT! Check out my Butternut Squash soup for a great vegetarian one-pot meal that serves a lot of people for little money!
Smoked Sausage Peas and Rice Pot
Need an easy, filling, one-pot meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes? I know as a working mom I need all the help I can get in the kitchen. This easy recipe for a one-pot dish combines smoked sausage, pigeon peas, rice, and veggies with a hint of Bahamian flair!
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1 14 oz package of Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage (sliced)
- 1 14 oz can pigeon peas (drained) *gandules
- 1 medium bell pepper (diced) I use yellow because I am using tomato paste
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 tablespoons thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 slices bacon (uncooked, chopped small)
- 4 cups water or broth
Instructions
- Place your large pot on the stove and turn on medium heat.
- Add the olive oil to get it hot.
- Add the onion, pepper, bacon, and sausage to the pot.
- Cook until the bacon releases some of its fat and the peppers and onions are almost tender.
- Move all of this to one side of the pot.
- On the other side, add the rice and tomato paste.
- Stir the paste into the rice and coat it, keeping it separate from the sausage and veggies.
- Let cook for about 30 seconds and start to toast.
- Stir the rice, paste, and sausage mixture all together to combine.
- Add the pigeon peas and the thyme, making sure you rub the thyme in your hands to release the oils.
- Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce temperature to low and cover tightly.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Serve warm, by itself, or with a salad!
Notes
*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it with some stars. Thank you!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 514mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 14g
This nutrition information was generated via a third party, Nutritionix, and can not be held liable for any discrepancies in the information provided.
Making this dish at home reminds me of all the times I sat in my grandparent’s kitchen, smelling the rice toasting, and the fish frying next to it.
The fish we would have caught on the boat that day, and that night I would be enjoying the fruits of my labor with my sunburnt cheeks and some sand still between my toes.
This is a view from the porch of the house and the very sand that I played on as a kid. When we were done fishing, we could clean our fish right on the shore, and after dinner, we would sit on the shore and watch the stars. Not a bad way to grow up. It’s ok to express your jealousy…
I am very lucky to still be able to share these memories with my kids and let them make their own memories, right on this very beach.
In the meantime, back at home and in the middle of a busy week of school and tennis practice, I can make this Smoked Sausage Peas and Rice dish, we can talk about how many fish we are going to catch and which cousins they might be taller than when we go back next summer.
“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Hillshire Farm, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #nohasslesavorymeal http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”
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Barbara Karr says
My grandfather was born in Barbados. He ran away from home at 13 and signed onto a freighter. He worked his way into the kitchen and became a cook. He later settled in NY. That is the background. He made a dish we call split peas and rice. Sadly I never got the recipe. I have asked many people with Island backgrounds and none recognized the dish.Today I found you and your dish is the closest thing I’ve ever come across. His dish had no tomato. I remember yellow split peas, white rice.onion, and bacon. After reading your recipe I am wondering if his recipe is an American version of a similar dish. I am so happy to have found you! Would you please respond with any information you may have? I have been searching for this recipe for years. It fills the belly and the heart.I think we may share similar cultural backgrounds. And by the way I love your sausage addition. The peas and rice are rather bland but sausage will fix that. Thanks for reading and I’m hoping to hear from you. Best wishes! Barb
Jennifer says
The recipe I have is from my Grandfather on my mother’s side. He is Bahamian. He and his sisters were born on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas and I spent most of my summers growing up there. He married my grandmother here in the states when he was 21 and they retired over there in 1992. They both passed away almost 10 years ago but I still make this dish and it reminds me of them. I added the sausage as a one pot meal because, like you said, the pigeon peas and rice can be bland at times, which is why I eat them when I am sick, but I always add a few dashes of hot sauce or “Old Sour” which is fermented lime juice from the Cay. I have also seen a similar version from Jamaica but their spices were a little different and there was more bell peppers in it. I hope you like it and it brings back memories for you too. I will have to try the version with the yellow split peas too:)
Dawn says
This does sound good! How much water do I add? It’s not in the ingredient list…
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Dawn,
Thanks for letting me know I forgot to add it to the list. It is 4 cups of water or broth. I hope you love it as much as I do! Thanks for reading!
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom says
MMMmmmmm, this looks and sounds so fabulous. Healthy and fairly easy to make too! I have to whip this up for the family sometime soon.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely evening.
xoxo
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks for a great party!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
What a great one-pot dish! SO many flavors here and definitely good for those crazy weeknights (I have two little ones and I’m totally frazzled too most days!) Love the family history with this dish too 🙂
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
You might have some for lunch the next day!
Nicole says
This sounds like a delicious recipe idea. I love that it only takes 30 minutes too. With 5 boys and a girl (4 of them are all teenagers who workout in the gym 4-5 days a week) they sure can eat now!! How lucky you are to have a family home in the Bahamas, I’m sure you’re family will make many memories there. I am sharing this recipe with my viewers. Thank you so much for sharing on Inspire Me Monday. I hope you have a blessed week.
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks for a great party!
Helen Fern says
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing on the “What’s for Dinner” link up!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks for a great party!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
This looks like the best bowl of comfort food I could ask for right now! Love that it is made in one pot!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Makes clean up a whole lot easier!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I love sausage and rice, it’s not a common food in middle east and that’s why I love it so much it just seems like a perfect combination to me!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks! It is comforting!
amindfullmom says
Jennifer, this meal would be so pleasing to my entire family!!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Plus there is plenty for leftovers!
Sabrina says
This looks like a perfect bowl for a filling, delicious meal! Thanks for sharing!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks Sabrina!
Amanda | The Chunky Chef says
This looks so hearty and comforting! And yes, super jealous of your beach memories 😉
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks Amanda! I hope to get some fresh shots when I go back!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
Love the Bahamas story! Almost a year ago my husband and I spent our 10th anniversary in Exuma, it was so beautiful!
This recipe sounds great too, I love hearty meals like this!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
How wonderful that you have such great family memories that you’re able to share with your kids! Love it, and I’m sure they’ll remember their visits fondly! What a great way to make a tasty, filling meal (love the short prep time, too)! Bet the flavors combine so nicely together!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
The pigeon peas have a distinct flavor al their own which is great!
jane @ littlesugarsnaps says
What a fantastic post – childhood memories are the best – especially when they involve dear, dear Grandparents. I have to say I like this dish. It’s quick & simple, tempting to look at and substantial. My one request – do you have the recipe for the homemade coconut ice cream for our dessert? Pretty please!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
I will get it for you!
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake says
This dish looks sooooo good, adding smoked sausage just takes it from an awesome side dish to an even more awesome main! Yum!
And I love that photo of you with your grandfather and his sisters!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks! You can serve it as tapas for a large group or a whole meal for the family!
Emily says
One-Pot meals are the best! So great for busy weeknights, and this sausage and rice combo looks so flavorful and delicious!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Right?!? And there are leftovers for lunch the next day!
Tracy @ Served from Scratch says
What’s better than a one pot meal? Gosh especially for you, you busy mama! This looks delicious and like it would definitely quiet down your two boys for at least a couple of minutes while they eat 😉
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Just a few:)
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
Who doesn’t need an easy 30 minute meal? This one looks fantastic and so full of flavor!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks Alisa!
Julie at Hostess At Heart says
This looks like a hearty but not heavy dish and best of all, absolutely delicious!
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
Thanks Julie!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
See? I love this. That soup looks great, too. I was meant to live on an island, I think. Except I can’t handle the sun. Hmmm….maybe I just need to eat like I live on an island. Delish recipe, Jen.
chubcheeks@bellsouth.net says
You can certainly sit in front a great screen saver and eat this. Maybe a palm tree or two? I would love to take you with me next trip and make you some fresh conch salad!