Rougail saucisse in Instant Pot
Main ingredients:
 | Basmati rice |
 | Smoked sausages (eg. Montbéliard or Saucisse de Toulouse) |
 | Tomatoes (or cans of whole-peeled tomatoes) |
 | White onion |
 | Olive oil |
 | (Optional) frozen spinach |
Spices, herbs and flavoring ingredients:
 | Beef stock or water |
 | Garlic powder or flakes |
 | Thyme |
 | Bay leaf |
 | Turmeric (saffron) |
 | Paprika |
 | Ginger |
 | (Optional) cayenne pepper |
 | Salt and pepper |
If you enjoy eating sausages (and who doesn’t really!), you will enjoy digging into a Rougail Saucisse. An easy recipe that is perfect for the Instant pot, this French main dish is one that the whole family will love.
The recipe comes from the La Réunion, which is an overseas French department in Indian Ocean near East Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius. The dish is prepared “à la créole” with plenty of spices and tomatoes. (As baffling as it is to anglophones, the dish is sometimes called Rougaille Saucisse, which is the feminine version of sausage rougail.
Whatever it is called, traditionally, the dish is usually served with plain rice. However, you can also add potatoes to this Instant Pot recipe, to make the dish heartier.
The type of sausages
The sausages used are usually thick pork sausages, like the Montbéliard, Diots de Savoie, or Saucisse de Toulouse.
Nearby Mauritius, which used to be a French territory in the 1700s, has a similar recipe which uses chicken sausages instead, made popular by the Indo-Mauritian population there.
There is also a fish version of the recipe called rougail morue which uses cod instead.
Cooking Shortcuts
Now, the traditional recipe for rougail saucisse involves cooking the rice separately. With the Instant Pot however, you can just cook everything all together.
In addition, I have included the fresh ingredients in the recipe below, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a few shortcuts. If you are short on time, I recommend using frozen onions that have already been sliced.
You can also use whole peeled tomatoes in a can or a tomato coulis, instead of fresh tomatoes. And if that sausage is frozen? No need to unfreeze it in advance, just toss it into the instant pot with the same timing, along with classic spices from a French pantry. The Instant pot’s warming up process will take it into account and cook it automatically.
Rougail Saucisse in Instant Pot Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 medium smoked sausages or 4 large smoked sausages eg. Montbéliard or Saucisse de Toulouse
- 4 large tomatoes or 3 cans of whole-peeled tomatoes
- 4 medium onions
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric or saffron
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed ginger
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 4 cups of basmati rice
- 6 cups of water or beef stock
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 10 oz frozen spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the onions and tomatoes.
- Cut the sausages into one-inch chunks. (If the sausages are frozen, put them in as is, and chop them after the Instant pot cooking process finishes.)
- Add the olive oil to the Instant pot and add the chopped onions and crushed garlic and ginger.
- Saute for a couple of minutes till fragrant and then add the chopped sausage.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and close the instant pot.
- Cook on Manual for 4 minutes.
- After the Instant Pot timer ends, quick release the steam.
- Stir the rougail saucisse stew and serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Sausage Rougail is traditionally served with rice, and you can also add a vegetable like green beans as a side dish. You can also serve it with red beans or potatoes in the dish, instead of rice, to make it more hearty.
What drinks to serve with it?
The rougail saucisse goes well with a light red wine like the Beaujolais Nouveau, Côtes du Provence, or Bandol Rouge. You can read more about French wine regions here.
How to store it?
Rougail saucisse is one of those dishes that can easily be kept in the fridge for a few days, and even in the freezer. Let it cool and put aside portions in an airtight container and put in the freezer.
