This Dirty Rice Recipe is a classic Louisiana staple made with a hearty mix of creamy rice and ground beef and pork. It's rich, savory, and absolutely loaded with flavor. This comfort food dinner comes together in just 30 minutes in one pan and is guaranteed to satisfy!
And, while we may be leaving the chicken livers and gizzards out of this recipe, some Louisiana staples must stay in tact. This dirty rice comes equipped with the "Holy Trinity" of veggies: bell pepper, onion, and celery. A savory and flavorful combo found in classic Cajun and Creole dishes like shrimp etouffee.
Then, we amp up the flavor with smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and a dash of cayenne for the perfect level of spice. It's so good, my husband couldn't even be bothered with a bowl -- he inhaled it straight out of the pan. In that moment, I've never been prouder than a TAK dish.
Whether you’re a dirty rice newbie or a seasoned pro, this is a recipe guaranteed to bring some serious flavor to your table.
Table of Contents
What is Dirty Rice?
Dirty rice is a classic Southern recipe, also known as "rice dressing" or "Cajun rice." This Louisiana rice dish features a mix of beef and pork sausage, celery, bell pepper, and onion. The name comes from rice taking on a slightly brown color from the meat it simmers with.
In its most traditional form, dirty rice is made with ground chicken livers (and or giblets--livers, gizzards, and hearts). This adds richness to the recipe, but since the vast majority of us are skipping the internal organ aisle at the grocery store these days, we opted to leave this ingredient out. However, feel free to add those chicken livers in if you can't imagine a dirty rice recipe without them.
For another go-to Cajun dish, we can't get enough of our sausage and rice!
Why This Recipe Works
Dirty rice is like the Swiss Army knife of the dinner world—it’s packed with flavor, super easy to make, and incredibly versatile! The mix of savory spices, hearty ground meat, and tender rice creates a flavor explosion in every bite, and the best part? You only need simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
Plus, it’s not just a one-hit-wonder. You can serve this recipe for dirty rice as a main dish, a side that’ll steal the show, or even stuff it into a whole chicken or turkey for a next-level dinner! It really is a meal that can do it all. Whether it’s for a weeknight dinner or a holiday feast, dirty rice is here to make your life easier and way more delicious.
Ingredients
Oil | A drizzle of avocado oil keeps the proteins from sticking. You can use any oil you have on hand. Olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil also works just fine.
Protein | We use a mix of ground beef and pork breakfast sausage for this dirty rice recipe. You can use any fat ratio you'd like for ground beef; we used 80/20. And for the sausage, we use regular Jimmy Dean sausage.
Rice | Long-grain white rice is recommended using a 1:2 ratio of rice to chicken broth. An important pro tip is to have the rice ready before you brown your meat. This way, you don't get jammed up during the recipe steps.
Chicken Broth | This recipe calls for broth for both cooking the rice and the gravy. Most broths are sold in four-cup cartons. If you don't want to buy two cartons of broth, feel free to cook rice in water instead. Note, we always suggest using low-sodium or unsalted broth for full control of sodium levels.
Flour | Since this recipe omits the chicken livers (which is used both to deepen flavor and as a binder in traditional dirty rice recipes), all-purpose flour serves as the thickener for dirty rice.
Veggies | Of course this recipe includes the veggie staple, the "Holy Trinity" -- bell pepper, onion, and celery. And don't forget lots of fresh garlic for tons of flavor.
Spices + Herbs | This flavor combo is similar to blackened seasoning. A mix of smoked paprika, Kosher salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves is all you need. If you're sensitive to spice, use black pepper instead of cayenne.
Garnish | Opt for the traditional Louisiana garnishes here: chopped parsley and sliced green onions. We also like to garnish this dish with fresh ground black pepper.
How to Make the Best Dirty Rice
Cook the Rice | Cook the rice in the chicken broth, according to the package directions. Set aside until ready to use.
Cook the Meat | Over medium-high heat, place your saucepan and drizzle with oil. Once heated, add the ground beef and ground pork sausage. Break apart the meat and brown until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
Sauté the Holy Trinity | Reduce the heat to medium, and add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Stir to coat in the fat left behind in the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add Flour + Spices | Add the flour and spices to the pan and stir to coat the vegetables, about 2 minutes.
Add Remaining Broth | Next, add in the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth one big splash at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition.
Add Rice + Meat | Once all of the chicken broth has been incorporated, add the cooked rice and meat back to the pot. Stir to combine. Add the bay leaves and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened and creamy.
Garnish, Serve, + Enjoy! | Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Garnish with a sprinkle of sliced green onion, chopped parsley, and a generous pinch of black pepper, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Dirty Rice
Dirty rice is the ultimate multi-tasker—it’s a side dish, a main, and even a stuffing, all rolled into one delicious, flavor-packed bite!
Main Dish | This dirty rice is delicious and hearty enough to be served on its own as a weeknight superstar. Serve this rice dish along with other Southern favorites like fried okra or squash, cornbread, or purple hull peas.
Popeyes | If you're a fan of the Southern food chain Popeyes, you might want to serve as a side alongside buttermilk fried chicken and biscuits for a major fast-food upgrade.
Side Dish | We love dirty rice alongside baked fish or smoked proteins like pork chops or turkey breast.
Leftovers | Leftovers would be amazing as a rice stuffing in roasted chicken or make a fresh batch for a Cajun Thanksgiving and stuff your roasted turkey. Also, so delicious in stuffed peppers.
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Dirty Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cups long-grain white rice uncooked
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, separated
- 1 tablespoon avocado, olive, or canola oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage (e.g., Jimmy Dean Breakfast sausage)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Sliced green onions, chopped parsley, and black pepper for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
- Cook the rice in 2 cups of chicken broth, according to package directions. Set aside until ready to use.
- Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and drizzle with oil. Once the pan has come to temperature, add the ground beef and ground pork sausage. Break apart the meat and brown until fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Stir to coat in the fat left behind in the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add the flour and spices to the pan and stir to coat the vegetables, about 2 minutes. Next, add in the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth one big splash at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition.
- Once all of the chicken broth has been incorporated, add the cooked rice and meat back to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Add the bay leaves, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the the mixture appears thickened and creamy.
- Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Garnish with a sprinkle of sliced green onion, chopped parsley, and a generous pinch of black pepper, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Wade says
This looks really good, and I'm normally not a sausage fan (usually the sausage I am served has too much fennel and I prefer sage). But I'm curious... Is this a main dish, or a side? 'Cause it's giving both, LOL! And if you serve it as a side what would you recommend serving as a main dish?