Looking for a one-pot, one-stop meal in a pot your whole family will love? You’ve found it – Cajun Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya!
I have extolled the virtues and my love of a rice cooker before, but not enough. Rice cookers, in a way, are the OG. Before Instant Pot, there was rice cookers, ready to throw out all kinds of goodies. They don’t do the same thing, obviously, one uses pressure one doesn’t, but the concept, that thing that people love about the Instant Pot – ease of making a meal at once, in one pot – rice cookers are down.
Obviously, rice cookers make rice and make it like nothing else, but most people don’t realize that rice cookers do waaaaayyyy more than that.
Rice cookers can cook eggs, pancakes, cakes, pasta, side dishes and one-pot meals. And I’m just talking about the cheap rice cookers, like I have, that you can get at Wal-Mart. When you start talking about those fancy, fuzzy logic rice cookers, they are the queens of rice cookers, but you will pay for that. Worth it though, depending on what you want and need.
I just have a cheapie though, and have had it for many, many years, could be even close to 20 years. The bottom of the pot is stained brown and it has scratches on the inside, but it still works and my wife uses it at least once a week to make a big pot of rice.
Most people I speak to, unless you’re Asian or Cajun, they don’t have one and if you fall into that category, you need one because you have to try this Cajun black eyed-pea jambalaya. You must!
It has everything you need, rice, meat, veggies and tons of flavor! Pair with a salad and you’ve got it all.
So if you don’t have a rice cooker, whip out your trusty Instant Pot and get this recipe done. You can thank me later.
Just one more thing, Colombo. In this recipe I brown my meat and veggies. If you have a cheap rice cooker, you’ll have to do that in another pan on the stove. If you have a fuzzy logic type, you can do it in the rice cooker. Browning is my preference. If you’re using an Instant Pot, brown right in the pot. I feel like browning gives a flavor pop, but you do not have to brown anything. If you’re feeling in a rush or just lazy, and I totally get that, you can just throw it all in the pot, stir and press the button.
Now go forth and make your belly happy!
Cajun Black-Eyed Pea Jambalaya
Ingredients
- ½ stick butter, melted
- ½ – 1 pound sausage of choice, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained
- 1 14-ounce can beef broth or beef consomme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1.5 cups rice, raw
Instructions
RICE COOKER:
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IF YOU'RE JUST TOSSING EVERYTHING INTO THE POT, SKIP TO STEP 2!
For those of you who want to engage in a little Maillard reaction, get a pan heated up over medium-high heat. Slice your sausage to whatever size you like. I like to diced some and slice some. It's up to you.
When the pan is hot, add in your sausage and brown for 3-5 minutes. Add in the onion and pepper, saute for another 3-5 minutes, or however long it takes you to get some brown loveliness on your sausage. While your sausage is doing its thing, melt the ½ stick of butter in the microwave.
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This is step 2, so everyone join in: Place the sausage and veg mixture in your rice cooker. Add in all the other ingredients. Stir about. Set your rice cooker to cook.
After the rice cooker finishes the cooking cycle, let it sit without opening it, for 10 minutes. This is important so don't get antsy. Once the 10 minutes has passed, open up, fluff up the rice and serve. Enjoy!
INSTANT POT:
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IF YOU'RE JUST TOSSING EVERYTHING IN THE POT, SKIP TO STEP 2!
For those of you who want to engage in a little Marillard reaction, turn your pressure cooker on to the browning/saute setting.
Slice your sausage to whatever size you like. I like to diced some and slice some. It's up to you.
When the pot is hot, add in your sausage and brown for 3-5 minutes. Add in the onion and pepper, saute for another 3-5 minutes, or however long it takes you to get some brown loveliness on your sausage. Turn the pot off. Push the veggies and sausage over to the sides and toss the stick of butter in the middle. Let the butter melt.
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Step 2: Add in the beef broth and deglaze, get the brown bits off the bottom. Make sure you get all that goodness off the bottom or you may not come to pressure. Add in all the remaining ingredients. Give it a stir. Add 2 tablespoons of water if you like a "wetter" rice. I like it without the extra water, but I'm used to rice cooker rice. You do you.
Set your pressure cooker to the rice setting. My Instant Pot cooks it on low pressure. Just use your rice setting and go with it. Once cook time is over, let it sit in the pot for 10 minutes. Don't peak. Have patience.
Release any remaining steam, open the lid and stir. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Just a couple of quick notes. Use regular rice. Don’t use instant rice in this or those bags of pre-cooked rice. It will not work.
Also, I like andouille or just smoked sausage in this, but you can use whatever sausage tickles your fancy.
Is it ok to use a instant pot instead of a rice cooker?
Absolutely! Since I’ve gotten asked this a few times already, I have included the instructions above. Thanks for the inquiry!