Zatarain's Jambalaya Rice Mix - 8oz

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Confession time. I've never had jambalaya before. When I was offered a Bzzagent campaign for a free sample of this dinner mix, I jumped at the chance to try something new (thanks, Buzzagent and Zatarain's!) This is a super easy dinner to throw together. You only need to mix the ingredients (the included mix, water, and a "meat" of your choice), boil, simmer for 25 minutes, and let it sit for five minutes before eating. This is a convenient meal for busy families, as the prep time is minimal and you can do other things while letting it simmer on the stove. It makes a good amount of food - plenty for the two adults and three kids in my home. I decided to use smoked sausage in mine. My thoughts on the finished product? I liked the flavor. It had a little bit of heat/spice, which kept it from tasting too bland. Using the 3 3/4 cups of water resulted in there being some extra liquid, so I would probably cut down on that just a bit - perhaps 3 1/2 cups - although it will likely absorb in the leftovers. The photo on the box is a little deceiving, as there is very little color in the mix. I had just a couple green specks. This was mostly rice, meat (not included in mix), and some spice flavor. It felt like cozy comfort food. I would make this again, but I would add my own peppers and onion to fill out the dish. I would also pan fry the meat a little first to get a little more flavor. This mix could be eaten as is, but it is also versatile enough that you could use it as a base and make it your own with some extra add-ins.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I followed the package instructions for stovetop preparation and added grilled tofu and steamed peas as my protein during the last 5 minutes of cooking. The resulting dish was flavorful and appetizing, albeit so salty that I had to dilute the rice mixture with some of my own rice from my rice cooker. The sample I received was the full sodium version, but the reduced sodium version would probably still have been too salty for me. I would be open to trying the reduced sodium version of the Zatarain's® Family Size Jambalaya Rice Dinner Mix and keeping a box in my pantry as a backup in case of a dinner emergency, but I wouldn't eat it every week due to the high sodium content and the fact that seasoned rice is something I could make myself with a fraction of the salt and for a fraction of the MSRP of this product.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This was an easy and quick dinner to make. The best part is my kids ate it with no complaints! I added sausage and beans.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received this product as part of a free sample. My family and I loved the ease of making the meal. We added kielbasa and made a whole meal out of it. The flavors were great. Not too spicy and not too bland.

Used to be a weekly staple in our house. Don't know what changed but I couldn't even swallow the bite I took, and spit it out.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was skeptical about trying this, especially with not being able to cook well. This was easy and delicious enough that nothing extra needed to be added besides meat! I'm very excited to try this again.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was surprised at how easy it was to make this meal. It taste good on its own, however, it's also easy to add a protein to the meal to make it even more filling and help it stretch. I would recommend it.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The zatarians family size jambalaya mix is so good it tastes like if heaven came to earth. You can taste every seasoning and vegetable. Jambalaya in New Orleans compared to this box jambalaya is like no difference it's absolutely going to be a favorite for the rest of my life

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Easy meal to make for myself and my roommate. It was a low effort meal that was delicious. The directions were easy to follow and the amount of food it made was enough for dinner for us and a lunch the next day. Overall, I'd recommend this to others as it was easy to make, filling and delicious.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] If you like southern cooking, and want something easy to make for the entire family, this the produ t for you. I picked up a round of kielbasa, brown that lightly then added to the rice at the end. I would definitely eat again!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] One of our favorites! It's flavorful, easy to make, and the family size is perfect for dinner with some leftovers. We added sausage and it came out so great. It's an easy meal we will definitely keep coming back to!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I received this to try out for my review. I really enjoyed this mix a lot more than I was expecting. It was quick to make and considering I look for quick meals this was perfect.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This was so tasty and delicious.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] One of those meals you make on a lazy day when you have a whole family to feed, but you really don't feel like cooking. Quick, simple, and all in ONE pot! I added chicken along with the sausage, and it turned out so good! Definitely an easy meal I'll be making again.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This rice made dinner so easy! I added our favourite sausage and a few vegetables, and everything came together quickly. The rice had a nice flavor and just the right amount of seasoning for my family. I also liked that the family-size box made enough for leftovers. Definitely a convenient option for a quick weeknight meal.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Not my best Zatarain's dinner mix, it was missing a lot of flavor and brightness to the rice . I would to make sure you add a lot of you own seasonings to the rice mix before serving it to your family .

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I thought the product was amazing, with great flavor amd just the right zing. My wife and daughter thought it was a little.on the hotter side so I would keep that in mind but overall amazing

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] My husband and kids all liked this with grilled chicken and beans. It wasn't too spicy for the little ones at all. I also was able to just mix it up in a rice cooker with veggies and it came out perfectly cooked with no effort.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This is a really easy and tasty meal that I really enjoyed making! I did add peppers and sausage to the rice which did elevate it a lot. The rice itself tasted well-seasoned and my family really liked the overall flavor. I would be interested in making this again and also trying other flavors of rice from this brand.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] The flavors and everything made this side dish a perfect complement to my meal, my family loved it. I would definitely purchase and cook again for my family and possibly add meat to the rice to add some protein