Sausage Rice Skillet
Freeze-dried sausage and instant rice. The pantry cleaned out in one pot.
- calories
- 1050
- weight
- 8.8 oz
- cal / oz
- 119
- protein
- 26 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 16 min
- water
- 300 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant rice | 1 cup | white or brown instant rice both work |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried sausage crumbles | ¼ cup | found in the camping section or with dehydrated foods |
| Sour cream powder | 1 Tbsp | prevents the rice from turning to mush |
| Butter powder | 1 Tbsp | |
| Shelf-stable parmesan cheese | 1 Tbsp | the green cans or packets work |
| Beef broth powder | 1 tsp | or one packet, low-sodium if available |
| Olive oil | 1 Tbsp | carry in a small dropper bottle |
Method
- Bring 1¼ cups of water and the oil to a boil in your pot.
- Pour in all the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Cover and remove from heat. Leave it for 15 minutes to hydrate.
- Fluff with a spoon and eat straight from the pot.
Freeze-dried sausage doesn’t get enough credit in trail cooking. It carries protein and fat without a cooler, and brings genuine salt and savory depth to a dish that would otherwise taste like hot cardboard. Instant rice alone is fuel. Rice with sausage, sour cream, butter, and cheese is dinner.
This is a one-pot meal designed to move: one boil, one stir, then you walk away for 15 minutes while the rice absorbs everything. The sour cream powder is the key—it prevents the rice from turning to mush and adds the tang that makes this taste like real food instead of trail subsistence.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients into a quart-sized freezer bag at home and seal well. Carry the oil separately in a dropper bottle.
Variations
- Add ¼ cup of freeze-dried vegetables (peas, corn, diced peppers) for bulk and color without extra weight.
- Use this as a freezer-bag meal: place everything in an insulated FBC cozy or wrap it in your quilt with boiled water for 15 minutes.
- A second Tbsp of butter powder helps in cold weather or if you're really hungry.
https://trailcooking.com/2025/02/10/new-recipe-sausage-rice