October 23, 2023
Review RecipeDirty Rice
This easy dirty rice is bursting with incredible flavor! For a tasty side dish or a one-pot meal, whip up this tasty dish for a busy weekngiht dinner.
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Dirty rice is Southern comfort food at its best. Made from white rice, it gets a dirty color from being cooked with pork, beef, chicken, or shrimp combined with fresh vegetables and spices.
Dirty Rice Ingredients
This recipe combines ground beef and pork sausage for a savory base, complemented by garlic, onion, green pepper, and celery for a flavorful crunch.
Seasoned with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, the long-grain rice absorbs the beef broth and thyme, resulting in a comforting and zesty dish.
You’ll need:
- ½ pound of ground beef
- ½ pound of ground pork sausage
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- 1 cup of diced yellow onion
- 1 cup of diced green bell pepper (1 pepper)
- 1 cup of diced celery (about 2 ribs)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon of creole seasoning
- 1½ cups of long-grain rice
- 3 cups of beef broth
- 1-2 sprigs of thyme
- Parsley for garnish
PRO TIP:
Be careful about adding too much salt. If you are using a seasoned ground sausage, regular-sodium beef broth, and a cajun/creole seasoning that includes salt, you probably will not need to add any salt.
Substitutions And Additions
SPICE: I love that for this dish, you can make this simple recipe spicier if that’s your thing.
Just add a little more seasoning and a few more onions if that’s how you like it.
MEAT: This dish has plenty of flexibility for the meat you use in this cajun rice recipe.
Ground meat such as ground pork, ground turkey, ground chicken, or shrimp all make delicious alternatives.
Traditional dirty rice is made with chicken liver. You can use liver instead of or in addition to the other meats.
VEGETARIAN: A great way to make this dish vegetarian is to replace the meat with canned beans and switch the beef broth for an equal amount of vegetable broth.
How To Make This Dirty Rice Recipe
The great thing about this rice dish is that it all comes together in a single pan. Let’s get cooking!
STEP ONE: In a large skillet, sauté ground beef and ground pork sausage over medium-high heat.
Use a spatula to break apart the meat and cook until most of the meat is no longer pink, about four to five minutes.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Use a skillet that is at least two inches deep and has a lid.
STEP TWO: Add garlic, onion, pepper, and celery to the skillet and sauté an additional four to five minutes until the vegetables are softened.
STEP THREE: Add salt and pepper, being cautious that you do not oversalt the mixture, creole seasoning, rice, and beef broth.
Stir and add thyme sprigs to the top of the mixture.
PRO TIP:
I like to set the thyme sprig on the top of the mixture so it is easy to find it and remove it once the rice is cooked. You can also strip the leaves off of the thyme sprigs and simply stir them into the rice mixture. Leaves do not need to be removed after cooking.
STEP FOUR: Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover the skillet. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
PRO TIP:
Make sure to cook rice to al dente and don’t overcook it, which can lead to mushy rice.
STEP FIVE: Remove the thyme sprigs and fluff rice.
STEP SIX: Add chopped parsley for garnish and serve.
How To Serve
This classic Cajun dish would be a great side dish or a simple meal to whip up on a busy weeknight.
Add a Caesar salad or cucumber salad for a little bit of greenery on the side.
Serve up garlic bread, and you’ll have a hearty meal.
Love rice dishes? You’ll want to check out our fried rice recipe as well as our cauliflower fried rice, too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES
Storage
Whether you want to make it ahead of time, have some extra portions, or plan to enjoy it in the days to come, here’s a guide to ensure your dirty rice stays fresh.
MAKE AHEAD: Dirty rice can be a fantastic make-ahead dish.
After cooking, let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it into an airtight container.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for longer storage. When you’re ready to enjoy it, follow the reheating instructions below.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store dirty rice in the fridge, in an airtight container, for three to four days.
IN THE FREEZER: Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one month.
Why We Love This Recipe
FLAVORFUL AND HEARTY: This recipe boasts a robust flavor profile, thanks to the combination of ground beef and pork sausage, along with aromatic herbs and spices.
CUSTOMIZABLE: Whether you want to adjust the spice level, switch up the meats, or add extra veggies, it’s highly adaptable to your taste.
EASY TO FOLLOW: With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, even novice cooks can confidently create this dish.
The incredible, rich flavor of this perfect recipe works for any occasion. No matter how you serve it, the delicious Cajun flavor will be a favorite with your whole family.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze dirty rice?
This easy recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to one month.
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
This creole dish can be made vegetarian by replacing the meat with beans and extra veggies and replacing the beef broth with vegetable broth.
What is the difference between Creole and Cajun seasoning?
Cajun seasoning is a pepper-based spice mix that tends to be spicier than Creole seasoning, which is on the more savory side.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Fried Rice
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
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- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Spanish Rice
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Cajun Shrimp
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- French Onion Beef
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- Baked Burritos
Dirty Rice
This easy dirty rice is bursting with incredible flavor! For a tasty side dish or a one-pot meal, whip up this tasty dish for a busy weekngiht dinner.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper (1 pepper)
- 1 cup diced celery (about 2 ribs)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
- 1½ cups long-grain rice
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 to 2 sprigs thyme
- parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté ground beef and ground pork sausage over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to break apart the meat and cook until most of the meat is no longer pink (about 4 to 5 minutes).
- Add garlic, onion, pepper, and celery to the skillet and sauté an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Add salt and pepper (be cautious you do not oversalt), creole seasoning, rice, and beef broth. Stir and add thyme sprigs to the top of the mixture.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover the skillet. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and fluff rice.
- Add chopped parsley for garnish and serve.
Video
Notes
- Be careful about adding too much salt. If you are using a seasoned ground sausage, regular-sodium beef broth, and a cajun/creole seasoning that includes salt, you probably will not need to add any salt.
- Use a skillet that is at least 2 inches deep and has a lid.
- Make sure to cook rice to al dente and don’t overcook it, which can lead to mushy rice.
- I like to set the thyme sprig on the top of the mixture so it is easy to find it and remove it once the rice is cooked. You can also strip the leaves off of the thyme sprigs and simply stir them into the rice mixture. Leaves do not need to be removed after cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 413IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Toni Thomason says
Wow! This is such a great recipe. The whole family loves it. The flavors are perfect.
Treena says
Fantastic recipe! I have to admit we usually buy dirty rice in a package but after making this NEVER AGAIN!
Layne Kangas says
It is four cups cooked, I hope you enjoy ๐
Angie says
What beans do you recommend using to make it vegetarian? Thanks!
Layne Kangas says
You could use your favorite kidney, pinto, or black beans! ๐
MB says
This is calling for 4 cups of cooked rice per comment above but recipe reads as if it is calling for 4 cups of raw rice, to be cooked in step 1. Please clarify. Thanks so much.
Layne Kangas says
It’s four cups of cooked rice. Enjoy!
Gloria says
This is really good!
MARLENE says
Could instant rice be used?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Marlene – we recommend using long-grain rice for this recipe. Enjoy!
Amanda S says
Tasty recipe! I added a pepper flakes to spice it up a bit but great flavor, easy recipe and directions. It was a hit with the Fam!
Brenda says
I canโt locate creole seasoning. What would I use as a substitute? Thank you.
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Brenda – look for a Cajun seasoning blend instead. Enjoy!
Dena GG says
I only had powdered thyme, celery salt and garlic and I canโt imagine how wonderful it would be with those things fresh!!!! The flavors blend so well and I canโt wait till supper (if it lasts that long๐ซฃ)!!!!!!!
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