Cajun Dirty Rice Flavorful (Printable)

A bold Southern dish with spiced rice, ground meat, and aromatic vegetables cooked for deep flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - ½ lb ground pork
02 - ½ 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 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
12 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
13 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
16 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and beef or chicken livers, breaking them up as they cook. Sauté until browned and cooked through, approximately 6 to 7 minutes.
02 - Add chopped onion, diced bell pepper, diced celery, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.
03 - Stir in Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using. Mix thoroughly to evenly coat the meat and vegetables.
04 - Add the rinsed long-grain white rice to the skillet and stir well. Allow the rice to toast for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove the skillet from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.
07 - Sprinkle sliced spring onions over the dish as a fresh garnish and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The trinity of onions, celery, and bell pepper does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you don't need fancy ingredients.
  • Once you nail this, you've got a crowd-pleaser that works for weeknight dinners or feeding unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice—it's the difference between fluffy grains and a starchy, sticky mess.
  • Resist the urge to stir the rice once the broth goes in; lifting that lid releases steam and throws off the cooking time.
  • If your liquid absorbs before the rice is tender, add a splash more broth and keep it covered—but this usually means the heat was too high.
03 -
  • If your broth is unseasoned or low-sodium, add a pinch more salt than the recipe calls for—the rice absorbs seasoning as it cooks.
  • Toast the rice briefly after adding the spices; it adds a subtle complexity that makes people ask what's in there.
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