Jambalaya — the tried-and-true one-pot classic that brings community together.

No one knows exactly where the name ‘jambalaya’ originated, but the Oxford English Dictionary credits the Provencal word ‘jambalaia’, meaning a mish mash or mix-up.

Show us how the #FlavorSaysItAll on Instagram to be featured on our Community page.

Advice from the experts to build your best pot

Smoked sausage is essential to start any good jambalaya. Use Manda smoked pork sausage as the pinnacle of rich flavor for the best-tasting jambalaya.

From there, jambalaya is all about the mix of flavors. Every jambalaya is different, according to the preferences of the cook. We find the best way to bring out the most flavor is to keep it simple and cook it right. Don’t overload your jambalaya with so many flavors that one will overpower the rest. Take your time, don’t rush, and cook it right! That’s how you get your flavor!

Did you know jambalayas are cooked in two styles? Creole uses a tomato base while Cajun omits the tomatoes for a darker, richer pot.

Chef Patrick says the bigger the pot, the better!

Recipes: Let’s Get Cooking!

PICK YOUR SERVING SIZE

Ingredients
  • 1 pound Manda Sausage
  • 2 pounds pork or chicken
  • 3 cups rice
  • 2 onions
  • 1/2 bell pepper
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 hours cooking time
  • 5 pounds Manda Sausage
  • 10-15 pounds pork or chicken
  • 5 pounds rice
  • 5 pounds onion
  • 4 bell peppers
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 gallon water
  • 3 hours cooking time
  • 10 pounds Manda Sausage
  • 15-20 pounds pork or chicken
  • 10 pounds rice
  • 10 pounds onion
  • 6 bell peppers
  • 4 celery stalks
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 gallons water (or 12 pounds rice and 2.5 gallons water)
  • 4 hours cooking time
  • 15 pounds Manda Sausage
  • 25-30 pounds pork or chicken
  • 15 pounds rice
  • 15 pounds onion
  • 6 bell peppers
  • 5 celery stalks
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 3 gallons water (or 17 pounds rice and 3.5 gallons water)
  • 4 hours cooking time
  • 25 pounds Manda Sausage
  • 30-35 pounds pork or chicken
  • 25 pounds rice
  • 20 pounds onion
  • 8 bell peppers
  • 6 celery stalks
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 5 gallons water
  • 4 hours cooking time
  • 35 pounds Manda Sausage
  • 50 pounds pork or chicken
  • 35 pounds rice
  • 30 pounds onion
  • 12 bell peppers
  • 10 celery stalks
  • 4 bouillon cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 7 gallons water (or 40 pounds rice and 8 gallons water)
  • 5 hours cooking time

Cooking Instructions

  • 1

    Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and the celery.
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, which will be about 1 minute for a stovetop pot. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
  • 8

    Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and stir the pot; then put the cover with the lid and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!
  • 1

    Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and the celery.
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, approximately 10 minutes. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat.

    After cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the entire pot one time (known as "rolling the rice"). Or, remove the top and run the paddle down the side of the pot and back up (repeat until you go around the whole pot) so that excess water will make its way down to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat. (30 minutes cooking time total)

    + Flavor Tip
    Either option for stirring the rice works well; although some cooks swear by one method over the other.
  • 8

    After the rice is cooked, turn the heat off, remove the top, stir the pot, put the top back on, and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!
  • 1

    Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and the celery.
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, approximately 10 minutes. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat.

    After cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the entire pot one time (known as "rolling the rice"). Or, remove the top and run the paddle down the side of the pot and back up (repeat until you go around the whole pot) so that excess water will make its way down to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat. (30 minutes cooking time total)

    + Flavor Tip
    Either option for stirring the rice works well; although some cooks swear by one method over the other.
  • 8

    After the rice is cooked, turn the heat off, remove the top, stir the pot, put the top back on, and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!
  • 1

    Preparing the Ingredients
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, approximately 10 minutes. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat.

    After cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the entire pot one time (known as "rolling the rice"). Or, remove the top and run the paddle down the side of the pot and back up (repeat until you go around the whole pot) so that excess water will make its way down to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat. (30 minutes cooking time total)

    + Flavor Tip
    Either option for stirring the rice works well; although some cooks swear by one method over the other.
  • 8

    After the rice is cooked, turn the heat off, remove the top, stir the pot, put the top back on, and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!
  • 1

    Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and the celery.
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, approximately 10 minutes. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat.

    After cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the entire pot one time (known as "rolling the rice"). Or, remove the top and run the paddle down the side of the pot and back up (repeat until you go around the whole pot) so that excess water will make its way down to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat. (30 minutes cooking time total)

    + Flavor Tip
    Either option for stirring the rice works well; although some cooks swear by one method over the other.
  • 8

    After the rice is cooked, turn the heat off, remove the top, stir the pot, put the top back on, and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!
  • 1

    Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onions, bell peppers, and the celery.
  • 2

    Cook the sausage over medium-high heat until it browns (meaning it turns a nice brown or black color). Be sure to stir the pot every couple of minutes to prevent the sausage at the bottom of the pot from burning. Do not cover the pot while the sausage is browning, you do not want to steam the sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside.

    + Flavor Tip
    You should not have too much oil left in the bottom of the pot. As the sausage cooks, the oil will brown onto the sausage. If the sausage does not cook long enough or at a high enough heat, the oil will not brown onto the sausage and you may end up with extra oil at the bottom of the pot. If you feel that there’s too much oil left in the pot, remove some, but remember to always keep a little in there to help the meat brown in the next step.
  • 3

    Add your pork or chicken to the pot and season it. Cover the pot, leaving a small gap open so steam/water can escape. As it cooks, water will pull out from the meat and will give you a lot of excess water in the pot. If using pork, cook the pork until all the water is gone. If your heat stays high, the water will cook down and form a gravy around the meat. There will be no more water in the pot. Once this happens, the pork is ready. Pull out the meat and set it aside.

    If using chicken, you may cook the chicken until all the water is gone just like the pork, however the chicken will more than likely shred. If you don’t want the chicken to shred, remove the chicken from the pot before all the water is gone, but save the water and use it in place of the water in the recipe.
  • 4

    Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season the vegetables. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables brown, stirring frequently, but don’t stop there…

    After the vegetables brown, they will caramelize, turning a caramel (dark brown) color. You will eventually reach a point where they do not cook anymore and remain the same color and texture; this is when you know they are caramelized. Be sure to stir frequently or the vegetables will burn.
  • 5

    Put the sausage and meat back into the pot with the caramelized vegetables; then add the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic. The pot will now contain the browned sausage, browned meat, caramelized vegetables, bouillon cubes, garlic, and the right amount of water.
  • 6

    Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, either reduce to low heat and cover the pot or turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. There is no need to boil it for long since the meat is already tender from browning. The water will stay hot with the lid on. Excess boiling will cause some water to evaporate, which can lead to not enough water for the rice.

    Now it’s time to get the seasoning right! You must taste the water to determine the right amount of seasoning. Pull a little water out with a spoon or a cup, let it cool, and taste it. The water should taste slightly over-seasoned. (The rice will take away the slightly over-seasoned taste.) If the water needs more seasoning, add it, stir the pot well and taste it again until it tastes right.
  • 7

    After the mixture sits for 15 minutes and the seasoning is right, bring it back to a boil over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice.

    Keep the heat high and stir constantly until the rice starts to soak up the water, approximately 10 minutes. Then cover with the lid and cook on low heat.

    After cooking over low heat for 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the entire pot one time (known as "rolling the rice"). Or, remove the top and run the paddle down the side of the pot and back up (repeat until you go around the whole pot) so that excess water will make its way down to the bottom of the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat. (30 minutes cooking time total)

    + Flavor Tip
    Either option for stirring the rice works well; although some cooks swear by one method over the other.
  • 8

    After the rice is cooked, turn the heat off, remove the top, stir the pot, put the top back on, and let the jambalaya sit for 10 minutes so the rice can get as tender as possible. You now have a pot of jambalaya ready to eat. Invite Some Friends and Enjoy!