Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

Brussels Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

The farmer’s market near our apartment here in Jersey City has the best chicken sausage....

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

The farmer’s market near our apartment here in Jersey City has the best chicken sausage. Every time we make our weekly trip (during the summer, of course), we make sure to open the sausage cooler and grab our favorite – Feta and Basil Chicken Sausage.

When people used to come over for their first Inspiralized meal, I’d make this, using that sausage. Always a crowd pleaser.

Crumbled sausage goes fabulously with pretty much everything.

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

Yup, I’m pretty sure you could stuff it into a Thin Mint and it would still taste good.

I’ve been buying rutabagas for about two months and have never used them. They’d go bad and then I’d buy another, only to not use it again.

A rutabaga is a root vegetable, like a turnip. This article from The Kitchn originally peaked my interest in rutabagas.

Then, one week, I was determined to make a rutabaga pasta. As I was experimenting, I found that the rutabaga noodles took too long to cook. Out of frustration, I riced them.

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

Rutabaga rice is not only low-calorie, it’s got a very subtle taste, so it absorbs the flavors of whatever you’re using in the dish. With this recipe, the flavors of the sausage and brussels sprouts worked so well.

The brussels sprouts offer that healthy green taste and the garlic and warm chicken broth simmers the rice to bring more savoriness and a tasty aroma.

The day I made this dish, Lu actually surprised me by coming home early from work. I was leaving a lunch date with a friend and he calls me, “Where are you?” and I said I was on my way home. When I got to the lobby of our building, he was there!

Of course, despite already having eaten lunch, he couldn’t help but try this rutabaga rice. He loved it – he said it tasted like brown rice. What a great taste tester he is.

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

Although we’re headed into spring, rutabagas will still be available in the grocery stores for a bit (look near the turnips!) One large rutabaga makes about 4 cups of rice, so store it in the refrigerator and use it in place of regular rice for the week.

Thanks to The Kitchn for the original inspiration.

 

Sausage and Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 medium rutabaga peeled, Blade C
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 1/2 cup sliced brussel sprouts
  • 2 chicken sausage links decased
  • 1/2 tsp oregano flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • freshly chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

  • Place your rutabaga noodles into a food processor and pulse until made into rice-like bits. You should be able to set aside two cups of "rice."
  • Place a large skillet over medium-low heat and add in the olive oil. Then, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and shallots. Cook for 30 seconds and then add in the brussel sprouts.
  • Cook the brussel sprouts for 2 minutes and then push to the side. Add in the sausage, crumbling with your hands as you place it in the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to continue to crumble it as it cooks. Let the sausage cook through so that it is no longer pink.
  • Then, combine the brussel sprouts and chicken sausage in the skillet. Add in the rutabaga rice, stir to combine and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the broth is reduced. Then, add in 1/2 cup more and let cook until reduced again. Taste and if the rutabaga is still crunchy, continue to cook for 6-8 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • When done, plate into bowls and garnish with parsley.

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

Brussel Sprout Rutabaga Rice with Chicken Sausage

with love, Ali

leave a comment

Recipe Rating




comments

  • Hi Ali I'am Chantal from Travelling Papilles, I like your yummy and healthy dish! Chantal
  • Do you know what the calories are on a serving?
  • Hubby says, 'Is there rice in this?' I'd say that's a success! Yummy!
  • would you be able to do this with sweet potato rice?
  • I'm aware this is a dummy comment, but could you clarify the servings? From my browser I can't tell if it is 4 or 1. Or, approximately how many pounds of sausage did you use? thank you so much and for all of your recipes, as well!
    • This makes four portions! So, four servings! There are 2 chicken sausages used! Hope this helps.
  • I'm so excited to find your IG feed an blog. I bought my spiralizer two years ago but I've only recently started to get more creative the dishes I make. You're blowing me out of the water with some of these. My interest is piqued with idea of "ricing" and wonder if you think you could chop your spirals down to a "rice" rather than dirtying the food processor. I'm very excited about some of these recipes!
  • Help Ali! I love this recipe but I live in Sydney, Australia and they don't sell rutabagas here. What should I use as a perfect substitute??!
    • Hi Emmeline, I live in NZ so similar problem, I use carrots to make faux-rice or even sweet potato, cauliflower too.
  • I love this idea! I love rutabagas. Growing up in the south, we ate them boiled. Boring, I know! And it takes forever to boil them, and then they're, well... boiled. So it's pretty cool that I can have rutabaga flavor without the wait, without the mess, and without the mush. And since it's riced and served with other stuff in it, the non-rutabaga eater in my house might not mind it so much.
  • Thank you for these wonderful recipes. You have given us all so many quality ways to create healthy, tasty veggie dishes that will be enjoyed by most. Great ways to sneak veggies into those who claim not to like them. I recently bought a specialized and just love the results. Love the sweet potato spaghetti, will try the turnip this week.
  • I had never tried Rutabaga, so this was a first for me! It was so good - within a week, my daughter asked me to make it again :) Thanks for all the great recipes, they are helping me eat healthier every day - down 40+ lbs since January, just by changing my eating habits - now to get inspired to exercise is my next step! Keep the great recipes coming - trying your Chayote with Crab recipe tonight - another new food for me!
  • Once I spiralize the rutabaga, can I freeze the spirals that I have not used. I have lots of rutabaga and want to spiralize a lot. Thanks
  • Delicious! The only issue was that it took awhile for the broth to reduce and the rutabaga to cook. But I will definitely be making this again!
  • I am brand new to spiralizing and I am loving it. And thanks to you I have many recipes to try. But I have a question - I bought a rutabaga and found it was VERY difficult to sprialize. In fact, I gave up half way through as the little "spikes" wouldn't hold onto the rutabaga because it is so hard. Is there a secret to doing this hard veggie? Thanks.
  • I too want to know how long you can keep cauliflower and rutabaga rice in freezer? Thanks! Rosaida
  • How many ounces of raw sausage per recipe? I have one lb packages so need to adjust. Thanks!
  • absolutely amazing!! Will definitely make this again!
  • I made rutabaga rice tonight and it tasted bitter. I'd peeled and spiralized it a few days ago, storing it in the fridge. Today I riced it and cooked it. I've roasted diced rutabaga before, and really enjoyed the flavor. Tonight's "rice" tasted different (bad) and I'm wondering if it's because I kept it raw in the fridge for a few days....any insights?