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The Creole and Cajun rice dish known as jambalaya came out as one of the top picks for a meal that’s based on rice (cheap) but also includes protein. The dish also contains veggies, with celery, peppers, and onions as the typical base. Jambalaya traditionally includes Andouille sausage and seafood, which can both be pricey, but several posters pointed out that it still tastes pretty good with other types of smoky sausage and with cheaper meats like chicken thighs and frozen salad shrimp.
