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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice

    By Nancy Mock September 11, 2018 Updated August 19, 2021 20 Comments

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    Long Pinterest image of Kielbasa, Cheddar and Rice recipe

    A delicious and quick dinner that is an awesome weeknight meal! Melted, cheesy Cheddar blended with spices is delicious with kielbasa and rice.

    Image of Kiebasa, Cheddar sauce and rice recipe on a white plate
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    This post may contain affiliate links.

    When I plan ahead I don't mind spending time to make dinners: perhaps Sesame Noodles with Garlic Roasted Chicken, or a pan of Crack Mac N' Cheese! Inevitably though, an evening will come along where, despite my best intentions, I am short of time to get dinner ready.

    Whether due to late-afternoon meetings or errands to run, I sit down with a coffee after work and then can’t will myself back up again. Then I see my son make a move for the pantry, his hunger getting the better of him, and I realize I have to get cooking!

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    This Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice is a favorite of my family’s and a favorite of mine to pull together quickly.

    Why you'll love it

    This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for busy nights because the staples are easy to keep on hand. Jasmine rice cooks to tender in only fifteen minutes, and so is nice to have in the pantry for this and other recipes, like Mexican Chicken with Peppers & Rice or Bacon, Tomato and Basil Rice Salad.

    Blend of paprika and spices for Kielbasa Cheddar and Rice recipe on a cutting board.

    Kielbasa (or smoked sausage, which would also work well in this recipe) are often on sale and extras freeze well to use for a future meal, like Grilled Sausage, Peppers & Onions.

    Lastly, you'll love this recipe because it's really tasty! It's a savory and casual dinner dish that the whole family will dig into.

    Image of Kiebasa, Cheddar sauce and rice recipe on a white plate

    🔪 How to make Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice

    Step 1: Cook the rice

    Prepare the jasmine rice based on the package directions and hold the cooked rice aside.

    Step 2: Cook the kielbasa

    Cook kielbasa slices over medium heat in a skillet until they're browned around the edges and hot. Stir the cooked kielbasa slices through the cooked rice.

    Step 3: Make the Cheddar sauce

    Image of paprika spiced sauce for Kiebasa Cheddar and Rice Recipe

    Prepare a roux with butter, flour, and the seasonings. Add in milk and bring to a simmer. When the milk mixture is beginning to thicken, remove it from the heat and stir in the shredded Cheddar.

    Step 4: Serve!

    Place a serving of the kielbasa and rice on each plate and spoon Cheddar sauce over the tops.

    Image of Kiebasa, Cheddar sauce and rice recipe on a white plate

    This tasty dinner comes together in under thirty minutes, and most importantly it is delicious. Cheesy, savory and satisfying!

    The recipe for Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice is below. Need more dinner ideas? Here are some of my favorites!

    Savory Shredded Pork Sliders for a Crowd
    These tasty pork sliders are made with shredded, seasoned pork on slider rolls, and you can bake up a big batch to make everyone happy! 
    Take me there
    Shredded pork with cheese on slider rolls.
    Sesame Noodles with Garlic Roasted Chicken
    A recipe loaded with flavor! These Sesame Noodles and Garlic Roasted Chicken are perfect for dinner or as a make-ahead lunch to bring to work.
    Take me there
    Sliced chicken and scallions on top of sesame noodles.
    Chopped Taco Salad with Peppers, Beef & Corn
    A spicy, flavorful blend of fresh corn and peppers with seasoned beef and tangy dressing. It works as both an app and a meal!
    Take me there
    Image of Chopped Taco Salad in a glass bowl with Tortilla Chips

    💬 Have you tried this recipe? Click on the stars above to rate, and leave me a comment below.

    Image of Kiebasa, Cheddar sauce and rice recipe on a white plate

    Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice

    Nancy Mock
    A delicious and quick dinner that is an awesome weeknight meal! Melted, cheesy Cheddar blended with spices is delicious with kielbasa and rice.
    4.41 from 47 votes
    Print This Recipe Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dinner
    Servings 6 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1½ cups jasmine rice
    • 12 ounces polska kielbasa (or smoked sausage)
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, unbleached
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup 2% milk
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the rice according to the package directions.
    • Meanwhile, slice the kielbasa into thin slices. Heat the kielbasa slices in a small skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until the slices are sizzling and browned at the edges. Stir the kielbasa slices into the cooked rice. Hold this aside.
    • In a medium saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted. Quickly stir in the flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir this roux continuously over medium heat for 1 minute.
    • Quickly stir in the milk and whisk to combine it with the roux. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once simmering stir for 30 seconds to one minute until the mixture has slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the shredded cheese until it is melted.
    • Place portions of the rice and kielbasa on serving plates, and top each with the Cheddar cheese sauce. Serve immediately.
    • Makes 6 servings.

    Notes

    • Feel free to use a different variety of rice if you wish.
    • 10/2020: Based on reader feedback, I have decreased the amount of salt called for in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 496kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 18gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1023mgPotassium: 282mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 674IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 203mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment, tell me what you think!

    Originally published June 2013

    Long Pinterest image of Kielbasa, Cheddar and Rice recipe
    Long Pinterest image of Kielbasa, Cheddar and Rice recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CHRIS

      February 04, 2021 at 7:02 am

      Just a quick question, is the rice in receipe cooked or raw?

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        February 04, 2021 at 9:57 am

        Hi Chris! It’s 1-1/2 cups of raw jasmine rice, and in Step 1 you cook the rice according to the package directions.

        Reply
      • Anonymous

        July 20, 2021 at 7:38 pm

        I used regular white minute rice and thought it was good

        Reply
        • Nancy Mock

          July 21, 2021 at 8:54 pm

          Chris, I'm so happy to hear it. 🙂 Thanks for trying my recipe!

          Reply
    2. Sandy L Dibert

      October 30, 2020 at 10:27 pm

      Do ya think you could make this in a crock pot? Would it be okay to take skin off if possible?

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        November 01, 2020 at 12:34 pm

        Hi Sandy, you can definitely remove the skin from your kielbasa if that's your preference. As for making this recipe in a crock pot, I haven't tried it. I believe jasmine rice in a slow cooker would only need an hour or so to cook, and you could probably have the sliced kielbasa in there with the rice. I think you would still need to make the cheese sauce separately on the stovetop. Another option that may work better would be to make the entire recipe as directed and then keep it warm in a crock pot until you're ready to serve it. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    3. Reese

      October 20, 2020 at 8:48 pm

      Was a little on the salty side had to dull it a bit.. other than that was great .. next time I will opt out of the 3 tsp ( triple recipe) salt due to the salt in the cheese

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        October 21, 2020 at 8:06 pm

        Hi Reese, I appreciate this feedback and I have made an adjustment to this recipe based on your experience, and on hearing similar suggestions from other readers. I'm glad you liked the recipe overall, and I hope you'll come back to it often! Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Stacy

      May 28, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner tonight. YUM! It was super easy and quick. My 6 year old even liked it. I steamed some broccoli and used brown rice instead of jasmine. It's definitely a keeper for my family!

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        May 29, 2020 at 7:41 am

        Hi Stacy! Well, if it won over a six year old then I know I did something right! 😄 I’m so happy to hear that you and your family liked this recipe. Thank you for trying it and sharing this with me!

        Reply
    5. Joyce commo

      April 11, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      I bet it would be good with andouille sausage too.

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        April 11, 2020 at 9:28 pm

        Hi Joyce! Absolutely, if you like a spicy sausage like andouille you can definitely use that in this recipe. It will be tasty in combination with the smoky and Cheddary flavors. If you get to try this combination let me know what you think. Hope all's well with you and your family!

        Reply
    6. Camee

      October 28, 2019 at 2:53 pm

      Would this work with almond milk or coconut milk, do you think? That’s all I have on hand..,

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        October 28, 2019 at 4:33 pm

        Hi Camee, I believe the sauce will still work with one of these non-dairy milks. It’s just the flavor of the milks you will need to consider. Of these two I think I would try the almond milk (assuming it has no vanilla flavoring) with these ingredients… but that’s your call. Let me know how it goes. -Nancy

        Reply
      • Capri Davis

        April 12, 2020 at 3:28 pm

        5 stars
        This was such a great recipe! We had it for dinner! It is very filling!

        Reply
        • Nancy Mock

          April 12, 2020 at 5:29 pm

          Capri, I am so happy to hear you liked it! It’s a favorite dinner of ours, too. Thank you so much for trying it. 😍

          Reply
    7. Sarah

      September 20, 2019 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      Love it! I found it to be just a touch too salty (and I like my food salty) so next time I make this I'll probably reduce the salt by 1/4 or 1/2. The cheese and sausage add a lot of saltiness so for me the sauce doesn't need to be as salty.

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        September 21, 2019 at 11:40 am

        Hi Sarah, thank you for the rating and I'm glad to hear you like this recipe! Thanks too for your feedback on the saltiness, that's great for me to know. Have a wonderful day!

        Reply
    8. N. ONeill

      August 26, 2019 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Kids loved this! I added chopped bell pepper. Easy and quick.

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        September 01, 2019 at 10:34 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this dish! Great call adding the green pepper, that sounds like a delicious variation. Thanks for your comment - it made my day!

        Reply

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