Sausage and peppers over yellow rice satisfies my husband’s and my appetite more than almost anything, which is what you should expect from southern cuisine.

Budget-Friendly Family Dinner

I always have the ingredients on hand for those times when I need to prepare a quick meal.

What I like about it is that it’s easy to cook. Just as important, he loves the flavor combination.

To top it off, this is a budget-friendly family dinner under $10. When I cook it for just the two of us, we always have leftovers.

A family of four could make this a complete meal. Or serve it with a side salad and bread if you’re really hungry.

This is one of those dishes that is easy to stretch by adding more peppers. So keep an extra bag of frozen peppers, in case you have an unexpected guest.

Serve this dish any time:

• When the family is hungry, and you need volume
• On nights when time is limited
• When company arrives, and you need something quick
• Those times when you’re craving a ton of flavor
• When you have a limited budget

There are other easy-to-make, budget-friendly dinners you’ll like, such as this hamburger Tater Tot casserole and this Italian chicken zucchini casserole.

Both of these are delicious and will quickly make their way to your dinner rotation.

Flexibility of Sausage and Peppers

First of all, you can use whatever sausage you happen to have on hand. We like smoked sausage or Italian sausage.

Even better is Italian smoked sausage. There’s something about the Italian seasonings and smoky flavors that will make your tastebuds sing!

Although we typically have this dish over yellow rice, there are other ways to serve it. My daughter serves sausage and peppers over noodles or in sandwich buns.

You can also scoop it over white rice, noodles, or nothing. No matter how you prepare it, this is southern food at its finest.

If you like sausage, you’ll also enjoy this sheet pan sausage and vegetable dinner. It’s easy to make and clean up afterward.

Another one you’ll enjoy is this Crockpot sausage and black beans dinner for two.

Start Rice Before Cooking the Sausage and Peppers

I follow the directions for preparing yellow rice in my rice cooker. The first time I used my rice cooker, the contents overflowed all over the countertop.

Something that you can do to keep it from overflowing is to spray the pot with nonstick cooking spray and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the water.

Saute the Sausage and Peppers

I used turkey smoked sausage for this recipe because that’s what I had on hand. I typically have a variety of sausages in my fridge and freezer.

Now it’s time to get cookin’! Add the olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat up to make it sizzle. Cut the sausage into bite-size pieces and brown it on all sides.

Add the pepper and onion mix. Cook it until the onions are translucent.

Season to Taste

I add my favorite brand of season salt, organic seasoning from Costco, and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. You can also use Mrs. Dash’s seasoning.

Stir well to coat all of the ingredients.

Cover the Pan

After browning all of the contents of the skillet, I pop a lid on top to finish cooking the vegetables. This also helps seal in the delicious flavors and allows them to blend.

Covering the pan speeds up the cooking time by steaming the ingredients.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Serve the Sausage and Peppers

After scooping the rice into bowls for each person, add the sausage and peppers. Serve this delicious dish with crusty bread slathered in butter.

It’s so tasty don’t be surprised if everyone asks for seconds.

What’s for Dessert

I don’t always want dessert, but when I do, it has to be extra special.

We’re ice cream lovers around here. So when we’re in the mood for a frozen treat, I make this no-churn cinnamon pecan ice cream. So delicious!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad is delicious! I use gluten-free pretzels, and no one can tell the difference. This is touted as a salad, but it’s sweet enough to have for dessert.

More Recipes

If you enjoy one-pan or one-pot dinners, you’ll love these dishes:

Mac and cheese with ham – This inexpensive but delicious dinner will satisfy your family’s cravings for comfort food.

Chicken pot pie – Make this delicious dinner with leftover chicken and either regular or gluten-free pie crust.

Italian chicken zucchini – This casserole is delicious enough to satisfy your need for flavorful food and a hearty appetite.

Sausage and kale bake – Nutritious, delicious, and budget friendly, your family will be amazed by how good it is.

Cheesy zucchini ham bake – This dinner is loaded with protein, vitamins, and minerals, all in one tasty dish.

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