Cajun Dirty Rice Flavorful (Printer View)

A hearty Southern dish blending rice, ground meats, aromatic vegetables, and spicy Cajun flavors.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1/2 lb ground pork
02 - 1/2 lb ground beef or chicken livers (traditional option)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 spring onions, sliced (for garnish)

→ Rice & Liquids

08 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
09 - 2 cups chicken broth
10 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
16 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

# Method:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and beef or chicken livers. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and fully cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes.
02 - Incorporate onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Mix in Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat meat and vegetables.
04 - Add rinsed rice to the skillet and stir to combine, allowing it to toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Pour chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 22 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork.
07 - Garnish with sliced spring onions prior to serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof—even if your timing is off by a few minutes, the dish stays forgiving and delicious.
  • One pot, one pan, and you've got a complete meal that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The aroma alone is worth making this on a day when you need to feel something good happening.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing of your rice—I learned this the hard way when I ended up with a gluey mess that broke my heart.
  • If your rice looks dry before the 20 minutes are up, you used too much heat or your lid wasn't sealing properly; adjust and check again at 18 minutes.
  • The difference between good dirty rice and great dirty rice is whether you let those vegetables soften completely in step two—rushing this step shows.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven instead of a skillet if you have one—it holds and distributes heat more evenly, and the heavy lid keeps steam in where it belongs.
  • If your broth is store-bought and on the salty side, taste before adding the full amount of salt called for in the spices; you can always add more, but oversalting is harder to fix.
Return