Red Rice Casserole

Red Rice Casserole ~

This hearty Southern classic is an easy dinner that’s loaded with big and bold flavor!

Round out the meal with Easy Roasted Okra and Vegan Cornbread.

Southern Red Rice Casserole Recipe

If you’ve spent any time in the low-country coastal regions of South Carolina or Georgia, you may know this dish as Charleston Rice, Savannah Rice, or Gullah Rice. As far as I am aware, there is no significant difference and the proper name largely depends upon who you ask.

I like this dish because it’s easy to make and packs a serious flavor punch.

Red Rice Casserole is prepared on the stove and finished in the oven. It starts with the traditional Holy Trinity of Southern cooking, an aromatic trio of bell peppers, celery, and onion, and builds from there. I served this casserole for dinner last night and we were practically licking our plates clean. It’s that good. The flavor is a balance of smoky and spicy from the vegan sausage and Creole seasoning with just a touch of sweetness from the tomato-based rice.

Get ready to knock your family’s socks off with this one!

Ingredients for Red Rice Casserole

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 14 ounces Spicy Italian-style vegan sausage links, cut into ½-inch rounds
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 14 ounces petite diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Ingredient Notes

• Vegan Sausage – I use Beyond Sausage in Hot Italian flavor for this casserole. Never mind that this is not an Italian recipe; it totally works, I promise.
• Creole Seasoning – Tony Chachere’s Original is my go-to brand. Cajun seasoning has a similar flavor profile to Creole seasoning and can be substituted in an equal amount.

How to Make Red Rice Casserole

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

STEP TWO: Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the sausage, bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until sausage is browned. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

STEP THREE: Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until very lightly toasted. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.

STEP FOUR: Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Pour in the water, distributing it throughout the casserole. Cover tightly with foil.

STEP FIVE: Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.  

More Southern Vegan Recipes You’ll Love!

• Jambalaya
• Yellow Squash Casserole
• Southern Tomatoes and Rice
• Red Beans and Dirty Rice with Collard Greens
• White Pepper Gravy

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Red Rice Casserole

This hearty Southern classic is an easy dinner that's loaded with big and bold flavor!

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: comfort food, dairy free, Mardi Gras, vegan, vegan meat, vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 533kcal

Author: Holly Gray

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 14 ounces Spicy Italian-style vegan sausage links cut into ½-inch rounds
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup yellow onion diced
• 1/4 cup celery diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 14 ounces petite diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Into a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the sausage, bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until sausage is browned. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until very lightly toasted. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Pour in the water, distributing it throughout the casserole. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 797IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg

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