Southern dirty rice recipe
This Southern dirty rice recipe is hearty, flavorful, and simple to make. Perfect weeknight comfort food with Cajun seasoning and tender rice.
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth or water, but broth adds more flavor
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork or ground chicken/turkey for leaner option
- 4 ounces chicken livers finely chopped (optional, but traditional)
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for extra heat
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 2 green onions sliced (for garnish)
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Rice (15 minutes)
- In a medium pot, bring chicken broth to a boil.
- Add rice, stir once, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Brown the Meat (8–10 minutes)
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef, ground pork, and chicken livers. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Sauté the Veggies (5 minutes)
- Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Season (2 minutes)
- Stir in Cajun seasoning, thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Combine with Rice (3 minutes)
- Add cooked rice to the skillet. Stir until rice is evenly coated and “dirty” with the spice mixture.
- Garnish & Serve
- Top with sliced green onions and parsley. Serve hot as a main dish or side.
Notes
- Toast your Cajun seasoning briefly in the pan for deeper flavor.
- Use day-old rice if you like a slightly drier, more separated texture.
- Add the rice while it’s warm so it absorbs more flavor from the meat and spices.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth to keep it moist.