A few fast dinner recipes like this easy spicy sausage fried rice in your repertoire are perfect for a bigger family. This simple, budget-friendly meal comes together quickly, making it an excellent option for busy weekdays! The hot Italian sausage infuses the whole dish with delicious flavor, while the peppers add a satisfying crunch. This adaptable fried rice recipe fuses Chinese cuisine with Italian influences, showcasing how home cooks can create a delightful mash-up of flavors everyone will love.
With its versatility, this dish can be varied in countless ways to suit your family’s preferences, making it an excellent stand-by that satisfies hungry appetites. Best of all, this fusion fried rice can be ready in under an hour!
This particular dish was the brainchild of one of my adult kids. We had fun tweaking it to have the right blend of spices and vegetables for a satisfying family dinner. Working with family in the kitchen is a great way to connect and have fun. Best of all, it helps young people learn how to cook, which I am always encouraging around here.
If you love simple dinners like this one, be sure to try our easy Shepherd’s Pie with frozen veggies. It’s a great economical dish for those who are stretching their food budget.

Why You Will Love This Spicy Sausage Rice Dish
Budget-Friendly: With simple, inexpensive ingredients, this dish allows you to feed your whole family without breaking the bank. You’ll appreciate how far your grocery dollars can stretch while enjoying a flavorful meal.
Customizable: This recipe is highly adaptable, whether you prefer it spicier or milder. You can easily adjust the spiciness level by adding more or fewer jalapeños, throwing in extra veggies like carrots or broccoli, or even swapping the ground sausage for chicken, tofu, or shrimp to suit your tastes and dietary needs.
Great for Meal Prep: Leftovers are not only delicious but also versatile! They reheat well in a frying pan for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week. Enjoy knowing you’ve created a meal that minimizes waste and keeps your taste buds happy!
A Quick Word About Rice:
When making fried rice, the type of rice can make a big difference in texture and flavor. Basmati rice is a great choice for a slightly nutty flavor with a light, fluffy texture. Jasmine rice has a subtle aroma and soft, slightly sticky grains that hold sauces well. Medium-grain or long-grain white rice is the classic choice for fried rice because it’s firm and non-sticky, which keeps each grain separate. Brown rice has a chewier texture, nutty taste, and extra fiber. Finally, leftover rice works best for fried rice since it’s drier, which helps avoid clumping.
Follow these steps for your whole spicy sausage fried rice.
To get started, cook your rice the day before for best results. Following the water-to-rice ratio on the package of rice is straightforward. I recommend adding a large bag of rice that reseals to your pantry. It’s a very budget-friendly carbohydrate to have on hand at dinner time. Rice also has the added benefit of a very long shelf life. In fact, stored correctly, it can last up to 30 years! The average home doesn’t need to worry about having rice that long, though.
So once you have cooked your rice, cool it and keep it covered in the fridge for the next day.
The next day, you will want to prep the vegetables. You want to cut the celery into small slices, the jalapeno into small pieces (the smaller the chunks, the less heat you will notice), the bell pepper into mid-size pieces, and the green onion also chopped up. It’s important to note that we are separating the white part of the green onion from its green stems here.


After you have chopped all of the veggies, you are ready to start cooking. We are adding olive oil to our pan with the ground sausage meat. You don’t need a lot of olive oil and can add more while cooking. Remember, we don’t want an overly greasy meal; the sausage will give off grease as it cooks. Break the sausage meat apart as it is cooking with a wooden spoon. You want a nice brown on the sausage before adding the frozen peas. Those peas need to have the ice melted before adding the jalapeno, which is why we add them now.
NOTE: If you can’t find ground sausage meat or it’s too expensive, you can easily make this dish by cutting open the sausage skins on a package of hot Italian sausages and using the ground meat from them.


The next step is to add the cooked rice and the jalapenos. I used six cups for this meal; you could add more if you have a bigger family. Reserve the extra white rice for another recipe or add it to the dinner as people like. Adding a bit to the meal when finished will reduce its overall heat, which is great for those with a more heat-sensitive palette.


You may notice things drying out after adding the rice and stirring it. Adding more oil is okay; we are frying the rice. But don’t overdo the oil. If you find it’s sticking too much, add a bit of water to help keep it from burning. Reduce the heat on the stove as well while cooking. If you use too high of a temperature on the element, it is guaranteed to spell disaster.
After cooking the jalapenos with rice for a minute, add the remaining ingredients. We want these veggies to soften but still be crisp, so watch for overcooking. At this stage, we add our spice and stir the mixture constantly to avoid sticking.
You will know when it’s done because the red bell pepper looks like it’s starting to cook. Serve the spicy sausage fried rice with the chopped green onion as a garnish. Enjoy your dinner, knowing you spent only a few dollars feeding your family.


You can easily use leftovers from this dinner, as they are great reheated in a frying pan with more oil! They also make a great hot lunch should you work in a place with a microwave. What’s better than a budget-friendly, tasty meal that can be reheated so none goes to waste?
Ingredients:
White Basmati Rice: Provides a fluffy, aromatic base that absorbs flavors and holds up well during frying.
Water: Used to cook the rice, ensuring the grains become tender and fluffy before being incorporated into the fried rice.
Ground Hot Italian Sausage Meat: Adds a savory kick and rich, meaty flavor, serving as the star protein in the dish.
Frozen Peas: Contribute sweet, tender morsels that add a pop of color and balance the heat from the sausage.
Jalapenos: Introduce zesty heat, with the seeds removed to control spiciness and make them more palatable.
Bell Peppers: Adds crunch and sweetness, enhancing the dish’s texture and flavor profile.
Green Onions: The white bulbs provide a mild onion flavor that complements the other ingredients. You can use the green stems for garnish.
Celery: Introduces a refreshing crunch and earthy notes to the vegetable medley, creating a satisfying mix of flavors and textures.
Seasoning Salt: Amplifies the flavors of this dish.
Garlic Powder: Infuses the dish with aromatic, savory notes, enhancing the overall depth of flavor.
Olive Oil: Helps sauté the sausage and vegetables, ensuring even cooking and adding a delicious layer of taste to the dish.

Substitution ideas for spicy sausage fried rice.
White Basmati Rice: If you don’t have white basmati rice on hand, other rice that would work for fried rice is jasmine, Japanese, or brown. Note that it’s essential to familiarize yourself with various kinds of rice, as not all rice is the same in texture, flavor, and cooking.
Water:-Remains-
Ground Hot Italian Sausage Meat: Switching the hot Italian sausage out for your favorite sausage meat is fine. However, if you still want dinner to be spicy, add some other hotter peppers instead of the jalapenos. Alternatively, you could also add a splash of hot sauce. In fact, while making this dish, my adult child threatened me with doing so. Uh, no thanks. I like spice, not burning your mouth hot.
Frozen Peas: We added classic peas to this fried rice; corn would also work instead, or another blend of frozen vegetables would also work.
Jalapenos: If you want more heat, you can switch up your hot peppers to Thai chili or habanero. Watch out, though, as Thai chili peppers are extremely hot.
Bell Peppers: These offer a sweet reprieve from the spice and a nice splash of color; however, a yellow or orange bell pepper would be just as yummy.
Green Onions: A regular cooking onion could also be tasty if sauteed with the sausage meat.
Celery: You can use fennel bulbs in much the same way as celery, and they have a very similar flavor profile.
Seasoning Salt: Switch this out for regular table salt if you don’t have it.
Garlic Powder: If you don’t have garlic powder or would like a more pronounced garlic flavor, use minced fresh garlic cloves.
Olive Oil: Any vegetable or canola oil will work for the fried rice.

Expert Tips, Serving, And Storing Suggestions For This Fried Rice:
Tip #1: Use Day-Old Rice: For best results, precooked rice chilled in the refrigerator for a day will have the best texture. This helps the grains firm up, making them less likely to become mushy during cooking.
Tip #2: Crumble Sausage Small. When cooking the sausage, break it into smaller pieces. This allows for even cooking and balances the ingredients visually.
Tip #3: High Heat Cooking: Cooking over medium-high heat or high heat will achieve the browning that is typical of fried rice. It also helps to create a slight crispiness on the rice.
To serve spicy sausage fried rice, scoop generous portions onto plates or into bowls, garnishing each serving with the reserved green onion stems for a fresh touch. Consider pairing the dish with a side of pickled vegetables.
Store leftover fried rice in the fridge for up to four days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the rice can break down and become mushy when reheated from frozen.
If you’ve had this tasty fried rice I would love to hear how you made it. Did you customize it in anyway? Please rate and comment below and as always Happy Cooking!

Easy Spicy Sausage Fried Rice
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Deep Saute Pan Or Wok
- Teaspoon
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
Rice
- 3 Cup White Basmati Rice
- 6 Cups Water
Spicy Sausage Fried Rice
- 1 Lbs Ground Hot Italian Sausage Meat
- 2 Cups Frozen Peas
- 6 Cups Cooked White Basmati Rice
- 2 Jalapenos Seeded and Diced
- 1 Bell Pepper Seeding and Cut Into Chunks
- 3 Green Onion Whites Separated From Green Stem
- 4 Stalks of Celery Sliced
- 1 Tsp Seasoned Salt
- ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
Cook the Basmati Rice
- Follow the directions on the package. And cook, cool and keep in fridge overnight.3 Cup White Basmati Rice, 6 Cups Water
Spicy Sausage Fried Rice
- Add the olive oil to your saute pan or wok. Add in the ground Italian sausage.3 Tbsp Olive Oil, 1 Lbs Ground Hot Italian Sausage Meat
- Break the sausage meat apart as it browns.
- Add in the frozen peas and let dethaw in sausage meat. Stir frequently.2 Cups Frozen Peas
- Add the diced jalapenos and cook for one minute.2 Jalapenos
- Measuring and add six cups of cooked rice. Less or more as desired.6 Cups Cooked White Basmati Rice
- Stir well before adding in the remaining veggies less the green onion stems.1 Bell Pepper, 3 Green Onion, 4 Stalks of Celery
- Mix the vegetables into the rice and sausage mixture. Be careful to keep stirring so it doesn't stick.
- Add more oil or a bit of water as desired to keep it from sticking.
- Let veggies cook in rice until red peppers start to soften.
- Add the seasoned salt and garlic powder while stirring the veggies and rice mixture.1 Tsp Seasoned Salt, ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
- Serve with garnish of green onions.
- Add remaining white rice to table for people to add in if they find the dish too spicy.