Staying Traditional

• Traditional jambalaya, also called red jambalaya, includes andouille sausage. This pork sausage is filled with spices to give your jambalaya a kick of heat. Quality andouille sausages are smoked twice to give them a rich, deep flavor. You can buy packaged andouille in the grocery store, but andouille made in specialty sausage kitchens often has more flavor and less filler.

Branching Out

• If you're veering away from tradition, you can use any fresh or smoked pork sausage that appeals to you. You can also use beef sausage, if you don't eat pork products. Smoked sausages, such as kielbasa or chorizo, combine well with the other ingredients of jambalaya and make a good substitute when you can't find andouille. Fresh sausages, such as Polish or Italian sausages, also stand up well in a jambalaya. Fresh sausages should be fully cooked before being added to the dish. Sausages that are poor choices for your batch of jambalaya are breakfast sausages, hot dogs and dried or cured sausages, such as salami.

Keeping Healthy

• If you're watching your waistline or your cholesterol levels, you may want to look for leaner sausages choices. Because jambalaya is a versatile dish and because sausage makers have expanded their product lines, finding a healthy substitute shouldn't be too difficult. Chicken and turkey sausages come in a variety of flavors and you may even be able to find an andouille- or kielbasa-style version for your jambalaya. You can also use vegetarian sausages. Whichever you choose, opt for smoked varieties with plenty of spice to mimic the flavor of andouille.

Trying Something New

• If chicken, soy, pork or beef sound too tame for you, there are plenty of more daring choices although they may not be as easy to find. As a Creole dish, alligator sausage could be just the thing to make your jambalaya distinctive. You can also ask a butcher or sausage kitchen to make a batch of andouille-style sausage from a variety of game meats such as venison or elk. If you know how and have the equipment, you could also make your own sausages from whatever combination of meats and spices you choose.