Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers has lots of sausage and peppers with a small amount of rice! This casserole that uses brown rice has only 14 net carbs per serving and 27 grams of protein; see the link to make a version using cauliflower rice for even fewer carbs!

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Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers shown with one serving on plate and baking dish in back

Sometimes I pull leftovers out of the fridge and come up with something that turns out so well I make the recipe again to take photos for the blog, and that’s exactly what happened with this Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers.

I had leftover brown rice and some turkey Italian sausage that I’d thawed out and never used. In the vegetable crisper I had green bell peppers that are so good this time of year. I cooked those things together into a tasty casserole topped with cheese and decided it was a keeper, so a few days later I made it again and took these photos.

And with only 1/4 cup cooked brown rice per serving, I’d consider this to be a pretty carb-conscious meal. But see the link below for a version of this made with cauliflower rice if you want even fewer carbs.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

Want a low-carb Sausage and Peppers Casserole?

With lots of sausage and peppers and not much rice, this tasty casserole only has 14 net carbs in a small serving. But check out Cauliflower Rice Sausage Casserole, which is a low-carb variation of this recipe. Both versions are delicious; I hope you give one of them a try!

What Italian Sausage did I use for the Brown Rice Casserole?

I’m a huge fan of hot turkey Italian Sausage, which is the kind I used for this recipe. But any mild or spicy pork or turkey Italian sausage that you enjoy will be fine.

What brown rice did I use for the Brown Rice Casserole?

I’m a fan of Ben’s Original Brown Rice (affiliate link) and that’s the brown rice I’d recommend for this casserole.

Want more ideas with tasty Italian Sausage?

Check out 40 Low-Carb and Keto Italian Sausage Recipes for more tasty ideas for using Italian Sausage.

Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers collage showing steps for the recipe

How to Make Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Finely chop a large onion and a green bell pepper.
  2. Saute the onion and bell pepper in some olive oil. When they’re almost done, mix in Italian Herb Seasoning and cook for a minute or two. You can also add a little ground fennel if you enjoy the fennel flavor like I do.
  3. Remove onions and green peppers, squeeze turkey Italian sausage out of the casing, and cook sausage in the same pan until it’s nicely browned, breaking apart with the turner.
  4. Mix the vegetables and cooked brown rice into the pan with the sausage and warm it for a few minutes.
  5. Put the mixture into a casserole dish that you’ve sprayed with olive oil or non-stick spray.
  6. Top with about 3/4 cup of cheese, or more cheese if you prefer.
  7. Bake about 25 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and the whole mixture is piping hot.
  8. Serve the brown rice casserole hot. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated, and they’ll also keep for several months in the freezer.

Square image for Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers shown with one serving on plate and baking dish in back.

Make it a Carb-Conscious Meal:

If you wanted a low-carb side dish I’d eat this Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers with something like Tomato Avocado Cucumber Salad, Stir-Fried Spinach with Garlic and Parmesan, or Lemon-Parmesan Kale Salad.

Tasty Low-Carb Casseroles to Try:

Weekend Food Prep:

This Brown Rice Casserole recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers
Yield: Makes 6 servings

Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

This Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers is delicious and it's a perfect way to use leftover brown rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 4 tsp. olive oil (divided)
  • 1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning (see notes)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground fennel (or more, optional)
  • 19.5 oz. pkg. turkey Italian sausage
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 3/4 cup cheese (or more to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
  2. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large heavy frying pan.
  3. Add the chopped onion and green bell pepper and saute until the vegetables are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link) and ground fennel (if using) and saute 1-2 minutes more.
  5. Remove the cooked vegetables to a bowl.
  6. Add 2 tsp. more oil to the frying pan.
  7. Squeeze the turkey Italian sausage out of the casing and cook until it’s fully cooked and nicely browned, breaking apart with a turner as it cooks.
  8. This will take about 5-6 minutes, but don’t rush the browning.
  9. When sausage is done put the cooked vegetables and brown rice into the pan and mix with the sausage.
  10. Cook this mixture a few minutes, until the rice is warmed through.
  11. Put the mixture into a casserole dish that you’ve sprayed with olive oil or non-stick spray.  (I used a dish that was 7″ x 9″ but a slightly larger size will work.)
  12. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
  13. Put the casserole into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the whole thing is piping hot, about 20-25 minutes.
  14. Serve hot.
  15. This kept well in the fridge and reheated well in the microwave, although the green pepper flavor was stronger after it was reheated.

Notes

The Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link) I used is a mix of dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.

This recipe created by Kalyn as a way to use leftover brown rice she had in the fridge.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 336Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 100mgSodium 778mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 27g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers shown on plate and in baking dish.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
The Brown Rice Casserole with Sausage and Peppers would be a great main dish for phase two or three of the original South Beach Diet, and it’s also gluten-free. There is definitely not much rice compared to the vegetable and protein ingredients so this has only 24 net carbs in a serving, but for low-carb and Keto diets you might prefer my Cauliflower Rice Sausage Casserole.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโ€™s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโ€™m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This casserole with brown rice, Italian sausage, and peppers was first posted in 2011! The recipe was last updated with more information in 2024.

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