Sausage Risotto with Cauliflower Rice

If creamy, cheesy risotto and a cozy Fall night had a baby…it would be this Sausage Risotto with Cauliflower Rice! My spin on the Italian classic is made with bone broth and sweet italian chicken sausage, fresh sage & thyme, two types of cheese and a combination of arborio rice & cauliflower rice. The cauliflower blends right in, the sausage makes it extra satisfying and the sharp cheddar adds that perfect punch of rich, Fall flavor.

Servings people

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 50

Total Time 55

Equipment

cutting board
knife
cheese grater
medium bowl
medium pot
ladle
medium pan
spatula

Ingredients

4 cups chicken bone broth (or normal chicken broth/stock)
1 lb sweet italian chicken sausage casings removed*
1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large shallot diced
3 large garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups frozen cauliflower rice (about 7-8oz)
¾ cup freshly & finely grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1.8oz)
½ cup freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese (about 1.2oz)
kosher salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a medium pan up to medium-high heat. Once hot, add a bit of oil to coat the pan (can omit if using pork sausage instead of chicken). Then, add chicken sausage and cook, breaking apart with a spatula, until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
1 lb sweet italian chicken sausage
Allow the pan to cool down for a bit while you add broth to a medium pot and bring up to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and keep it at a simmer.
4 cups chicken bone broth
Return pan to the burner and bring it up to medium-low heat. Add butter and oil. Once butter has melted, add shallot, season with kosher salt, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage & thyme and sauté for 30 more seconds. Add in arborio rice and let it toast, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
1 tbsp avocado oil, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 large shallot, 3 large garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh chopped sage, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 cup arborio rice
Using a ladle, add warm chicken bone broth to the pan in 1/2 cup increments, allowing it to absorb fully after each addition, which should take about 3-5 minutes. If the broth is sizzling rapidly when you add it to the pan or evaporating too quickly, reduce the heat. You don't need to stir constantly, every 1-2 minutes is plenty.
After about 25 minutes, stir in the frozen cauliflower rice. At this point, you may need to increase the heat slightly to accommodate for the cold cauliflower and increased volume. Continue adding chicken bone broth in increments.
2 cups frozen cauliflower rice
Once the rice is al-dente, stir in the cheddar, parmesan and remaining broth (I typically have about 1/2 cup left at this point) until melted and smooth. Finally, add in the cooked chicken sausage, season with kosher salt & black pepper to taste, and let cook for a few more minutes until sausage is warmed through.
¾ cup freshly & finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup freshly & finely grated parmesan cheese, kosher salt & black pepper
Garnish with more grated parmesan, fresh thyme leaves & black pepper. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*NOTE: You want raw chicken sausage that comes in links or in a brick, NOT fully cooked chicken sausage links. Remove the casings and continue with the recipe as listed. You may also use sweet italian pork sausage instead, just omit the additional oil in the pan and drain off any excess oil as needed.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: The nutrition information listed below is an estimate per serving, assuming that you get 4 servings out of this and use chicken sausage and bone broth. Depending on your appetite, this could likely stretch to 5 servings, too!

Calories: 509kcal

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: Bone Broth, Cauliflower Rice, Cheddar, Chicken Sausage, Fall Recipe, Gluten Free, Hidden Veggies, One Pot, Parmesan, Rice, Risotto

Nutrition