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Instant Pot Jambalaya

30 Minute Meals· Allergy Friendly Recipes· Dairy-Free· Gluten-Free· Instant Pot· Main Courses· Poultry and Pork· Real Food

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Instant Pot Jambalaya is made in less than 30 minutes from start to finish this one pot meal will become a family dinner favorite! Spicy chicken sausage is the star of in this easy recipe for Cajun Jambalaya that sings with Creole flavors. 

Bowl of gluten free chicken jambalaya next to pressure cooker

I am excited to partner with al fresco all natural chicken sausage for this post. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own.

I am coming at you with another easy 3o Minute Family Meal today, because I know that you, like me, are running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off, just try to survive the daily grind. Am I right or am I right?!

Speaking of crazy schedules, let me tell you this past week has been a bit crazy. Between doctor appointments, track meets, an open house for a new school we are attending in the fall, and dance recitals, I am beat. And we have been eating lots of quick meals to avoid the drive-thru.

We had 15 Minute Black Bean Tacos after dance, slow cooker chicken chili after a day of clinic appointments, grilled panzanella at track practice, and this Instant Pot Jambalaya before open house.

Instant Pot Jambalaya

Bowl of Sausage Jambalaya on green and white towel with forks laying next to bowl

Friends, let me tell you this easy Cajun jambalaya was not only a life-saver for a busy night, it was SO delicious! Full of spice, juicy chicken sausage, and perfectly cooked rice, this simple recipe will seriously become a new go to at your house.

My son asked if he could trade out his favorite PB & J Oatmeal Muffin for this Jambalaya for his school lunch. And that is saying something!

Before you comment, I do know that this is not a traditional recipe for Jambalaya, nor is my stove-top Quinoa Jambalaya. But you know, I am not a traditional kind of gal when it comes to Jambalaya. My instant pot jambalaya recipe has no shrimp or chicken. BUT there is chicken sausage! And the smoked andouille chicken sausage from al fresco is the PERFECT compliment to Jambalaya, as it is the perfect compliment in Cajun Chicken Pasta. I seriously am in love with all the flavor packed into this sausage.

How To Make Cajun Jambalaya

Ingredients for Chicken Jambalaya Recipe

This jambalaya could not be any easier to throw together. Just a few ingredients and a short amount of time in the pressure cooker and dinner is done! The key to this fast jambalaya is of course the pressure cooker, but also flavorful ingredients in way of the sausage and Cajun Seasoning.

The only step that takes any amount of time waiting for the instant pot to come to pressure and to release. But even with that time accounted, this recipe only takes 30 minutes start to finish.

Steps to Making Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

  1. Saute the peppers and onions in a bit of oil on the saute function. Feel free to skip this step and just dump them in and cook on high pressure to make this recipe even easier.
  2. Add in chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits of food from bottom of the pan.
  3. Add in remaining ingredients and gently stir.
  4. Cook on high pressure.
  5. Allow to naturally release. It is really important to allow the pressure cooker to release pressure naturally when cooking rice, to be sure you have tender, fluffy rice. DON’T skip this step!

Learn how to use your instant pot

Tips on Easy Jambalaya

  • Be sure to RINSE your rice, as this will help it not stick to pressure cooker.
  • If you do want to add shrimp to this jambalaya recipe, you can add frozen shrimp to the right before sealing and cooking. Frozen shrimp takes about 4 minutes to cook, but because you are not doing a quick release, the shrimp will cook in 3 minutes.
  • If you have picky eaters, leave out the onions and/or peppers.
  • This Jambalaya will keep in the fridge for 3 days or it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  • If you don’t like the texture of diced tomatoes, use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes.
  • This recipe is written to cook on high pressure. Please DO NOT use the rice function on your pressure cooker.
  • Be sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free if you need this to be Gluten-Free Jambalaya.
  • Because I am using precooked, chicken sausage, I chose to use Jasmine rice, which only cooks in 3 minutes. You can use brown rice. Just increase cooking time to 25 minutes on high pressure.

Recipe for Sausage Jambalaya

4.54 from 15 votes
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Instant Pot Jambalaya

Spicy chicken sausage is the star of in this easy recipe for Cajun Jambalaya. Made in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Instant Pot Jambalaya
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Pressure Time 15 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 295 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Turn Instant Pot to saute mode on high and allow to heat up. 

  2. Once heated, add in oil, onions, and peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes until just beginning to soften up. 

  3. Add in chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits of on bottom of inner pot. 

  4. Add in garlic, Cajun seasoning, rice, sausage, and stir. Add in tomatoes, and gently stir. Put lid on Instant Pot. 

  5. Cancel saute function and set to high pressure on manual (or pressure cook function) and set timer for 3 minutes. 

  6. Let pressure release naturally and then stir in Worcestershire Sauce and hot sauce. 

Recipe Notes

  • Be sure to RINSE your rice, as this will help it not stick to pressure cooker.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Jambalaya
Amount Per Serving
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 115mg 5%
Potassium 207mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 42g 14%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 14g 28%
Vitamin A 23.9%
Vitamin C 32.7%
Calcium 2%
Iron 5.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

To Make Pressure Cooker Jambalaya You May Need

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Comments

    • Hi Angela!! In my tips I share how to add shrimp: If you do want to add shrimp to this jambalaya recipe, you can add frozen shrimp to the right before sealing and cooking. Frozen shrimp takes about 4 minutes to cook, but because you are not doing a quick release, the shrimp will cook in 3 minutes.
      Enjoy!

      Reply

    • Exactly Demeter! We all need easy recipes to make our lives easier on those busy weeks

      Reply

    • Great catch Jeremy! Sorry about that. It is 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Correcting that now.

      Reply

  8. I love jambalaya and any chance for me to use my crock pot!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply

    • Hey Jocelyn–so it can be tricky to cook rice in the instant pot. It can be done, but for this recipe, I would recommend cooking on the stove-top instead if you don’t have an Instant Pot.

      Reply


  11. quick and easy recipes this is what i am looking for thank you for sharing the post ,I am definitely going to try this!

    Reply


  12. This turned out delicious! I misread the ingredients and put in 1/4 C of stock instead of 1 1/4 C so I had to add more and cook a little longer. Still, great flavor and super easy.

    Reply

    • Despite you mistake, I am so so glad this turned out. We absolutely love it for it’s flavor and ease! Thanks for sharing your success.

      Reply


  13. This looks amazing! I love that you used chicken sausage, my family loves them. I can’t wait to try your recipe!

    Reply


  14. I love a great Instant Pot meal! This is a great jambalaya recipe. I am a huge fan of Al Fresco sauce. Great flavors without crazy calories. This has been added to my families dinner meal rotation.

    Reply

    • YAY!! Enjoy Eileen! I agree. Al Fresco Chicken Sausage is unbeatable in taste and quality!

      Reply

    • Hi Jim! I am sorry you had issues with the rice coming out tough. I will try this recipe again with brown rice to see how I can adjust it for the future. The liquid should have been more than enough, since there was also liquid in the diced tomatoes. It may have also been the brand of brown rice if it was older. Again, I am sorry you had issues.

      Reply

    • Hi Rhonda! Fresh shrimp cooks in only 1 minute. So while you can use fresh shrimp, it would be overcooked. You could also cook the Jambalaya as directed, then add shrimp and cook for 1 minute on high pressure longer. Hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Hi Kaz! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. To reheat, you have a couple options.
      You can defrost in fridge overnight and heat in microwave. (You can reheat from frozen as well, just takes longer!)
      Or you can place frozen contents in oven safe dish that fit in Instant Pot. Place trivet in pressure cooker and set dish on trivet. Cook on high pressure for 3-5 minutes depending on how much you have in your container 🙂

      Reply


  19. My instant pot kept giving me the burn alert during preheating for the pressure cooking. 🙁 it cooked and absorbed the liquid during that process anyways (getting ready to sit down and eat — it smells wonderful!!). Any ideas or suggestions to avoid this next time?

    Reply

    • Hi Noosheen, Sorry for your burn warnings. Did you remember to scrape the bottom of the instant pot after adding chicken stock? Sometimes after sauteing veggies, browned bits of food may cause a burn warning. I hope you were still able to enjoy dinner!

      Reply

      • I had the same issue – there was nothing burned to the bottom of the pot when I added the stock, but it seemed like the rice burned to the bottom when it was getting up to pressure.

        Reply

        • Hi Anna, I am so sorry for this issue–did you get an actual burn notice or just rice on the bottom after cook time? Can I ask what Instant Pot model you used and what type of rice you used? It may also help to rinse the rice before adding the pressure cooker. Let me know so I can further trouble shoot for everyone. Thanks!

          Reply

  20. This looks delicious! Just bought all the ingredients, but I’m wondering…you mentioned you used pre-cooked sausage in the instant pot. If we use uncooked sausage, would this recipe still work? If so, how long would we set the timer for? Thanks so much for your recipe and creativity!

    Reply

    • Hi there, if your sausage is raw ground sausage, you will want to use the saute function to brown the sausage, then pour in the remaining ingredients in the instant pot and cook as recipe is stated. Enjoy

      Reply


  21. Hi! We have a large family gathering. Can this recipe be doubled?or would I need to do it twice? More liquid? Time? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Tamara, you can double this recipe as long as it fits and doesn’t fill the inner pot past 2/3rds full. The timing will remain the same, but coming to pressure will take longer, as will natural release. Enjoy.

      Reply


  22. Okay, this was my first recipe ever! I look a little over 20 min to naturally depressurize and everything is mush. Any tips on what I could have done wrong? I followed your recipe completely.

    Reply

    • Oh I hate this was your first recipe Pamela and you did not have success. Can I ask what kind of rice you used? And 20 minutes seems like a LONG time for this amount to depressurize. The longest mine has taken is just over 12 minutes. Let me know and I can think on how to improve in future for you so you can enjoy a delicious (non-mushy) meal.

      Reply


  23. I just made this and I followed the recipe to a T and before the IP could even get up to pressure it gave me the burn code. Not sure what might have happened. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you

    Reply


  24. I loved the recipe it was fantastic, but noticed you put the total time as 8 mins something does not add up there.

    Reply

    • Hi Samantha! My recipe card states prep time, cook time, and pressure time too, but only calculates total time by adding cook time and prep time together-I wish pressure time would be added into total time, but unfortunately at the time it does not. Glad you enjoyed though 🙂

      Reply


  25. Kept getting burn notice. Ended with mushy rice. I did rinse the rice before cooking so im kinda sad. Tastes ok just bad consistency

    Reply

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