This quick and easy Dirty Rice Recipe, also known as Cajun rice, combines ground beef, ground sausage, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and rice into an abundantly flavorful side dish. It is always a huge hit that is hearty enough to serve as a main dish if desired. This recipe is so full of flavor that it is sure to impress.
I love to serve this Louisiana-style dish with homemade hush puppies, corn on the cob, and coleslaw. Treat your family or friends to a bowl and sit back and listen to the praises.
Do you like Cajun cooking and recipes? Hubby and I just love it. Cajun cooking is so full of flavor with down-to-earth good wholesome ingredients. This is one of our favorite rice dishes with tons of Cajun flavors. This recipe takes less than thirty minutes to prepare, is a family favorite, and one of my most beloved Cajun dishes. The dish combines the full flavors of the “Cajun Holy Trinity” with plenty of protein like ground beef, ground pork, and minced chicken livers. You don’t like chicken livers? Then go ahead and omit them. Cooking is about adapting a recipe to your own personal preferences.
What is Dirty Rice?
It is a classic Cajun side dish with long grain rice, flavorful and savory spices, onions, celery, and green peppers, commonly known as the holy trinity of Cajun cooking. The name “dirty” comes from the overall color that the rice takes on after cooking with ground beef, pork sausage, Cajun seasoning,
How to make Dirty Rice
Start by bringing a pot of chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, add the rice and bay leaf. Stir to combine, letting it return to a boil. Then, turn it to simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender. Next, remove it from the heat and let it sit covered for a few minutes. Then fluff with a fork and remove the bay leaf.
While it is cooking, brown the ground beef and pork sausage in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. When it is about halfway through the browning process, add the onions, celery, peppers, and chicken livers (if using), cooking until the veggies are tender and the meat is no longer pink. Then reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for a minute while stirring constantly.
Now stir in the Cajun seasoning, chicken broth, and rice. Then add the chopped parsley, and green onions, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Any kind of cooked rice works. I cook it in chicken broth to give it a little more flavor. If you are in a pinch, try minute rice cooked in chicken broth. It is quick and easy, and it cooks up well every time.
- The rice can be cooked up to a day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Chop your onions, celery, and peppers (also known as the Holy Trinity) fine so you get a little bit in every bite.
- You can use either Cajun or Creole seasoning. For a more robust flavor, make your own seasoning.
- Chicken livers are optional, although they are traditional in dirty rice. Just chop them finely so they blend well with the ground beef and pork sausage.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze, fully cool first, then store in a sturdy container and freeze for up to 2 months.
What is the Cajun Holy Trinity?
Cajun Holy Trinity in Cajun cooking refers to onions, bell peppers, and celery. This trio is a base in many delicious Cajun recipes like jambalaya, gumbo, and crawfish étouffée.
What to serve with Dirty Rice
- Beer batter fried cod
- Crab cakes
- Blackened chicken
- Corn muffins
- Chicken and sausage gumbo
- Shrimp boil
Other Cajun recipes you will love!
Dirty Rice
Flavorful New Orleans-style Dirty Rice with browned ground beef, pork sausage, onions, celery, green peppers, chicken livers, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and rice.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice like basmati
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- ½ cup finely minced chicken livers (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 green onions finely sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the rice and bay leaf. Stir to combine, letting it return to a boil. Turn it to simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit covered for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork and remove the bay leaf.
- Brown the ground beef and pork sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is about halfway through the browning process, add the onions, celery, green pepper, and chicken livers (if using), cooking until the vegetables are tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, 1 /2 cup chicken broth, and rice. Add the chopped parsley and green onions, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Any kind of cooked rice works. I cook it in chicken broth to give it a little more flavor. If you are in a pinch try minute rice cooked in chicken broth. It is quick, easy, and it cooks up well every time.
- The rice can be cooked up to a day in advance however store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Chop your onions, celery, and peppers (also know as the Holy Trinity) fine so you get a little bit in every bite.
- You can use either Cajun or Creole seasoning. For more robust flavor make your own seasoning.
- Chicken livers are optional although they are traditional in dirty rice. Just chop them finely so they blend well with the ground beef and pork sausage.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze fully cool first then store in a sturdy container and freeze up to 2 months.
Keywords: how to make dirty rice, what goes with dirty rice, homemade dirty rice
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Cari
Cannot wait to try your dirty rice recipe and stuff it into some bell peppers!!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Now that sounds delicious! Great idea!
Frank
This is my favorite dirty rice recipe. It is easy to make, tasty, and the family loves it. Thanks for sharing, Beth.
★★★★★
Sangeetha
Oh, I absolutely loved this Dirty Rice recipe! 😍 I must say, it’s not only an incredibly flavorful side dish, but it also stands strong as a satisfying main meal. The heartiness and richness of the dish are simply irresistible. It was a huge hit with my family, and we couldn’t get enough of it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sangeetha! I am so glad that you and your family enjoyed it!
Zoe
Delicious dirty riec recipe! We loved it and it was even better than my favorite Louisiana style restaurant.
★★★★★
Rhea
That sounds like a delicious dish! I think i have all the ingredients are available in my kitchen, will copy this ❤️
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Rhea! Enjoy!
Melissa
Your Dirty Rice Recipe is a true Cajun delight! The blend of flavors from the ground beef, sausage, and spices is simply fantastic. It’s easy to make and incredibly satisfying as a main dish or side. Thanks for sharing this flavor-packed recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Melissa! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Cathy
I love this Cajun dirty rice recipe. It is so tasty and easy to make. The kids love it too.
★★★★★
Nancy
Thanks for sharing, Beth. I make this recipe at least once a month and it is so good every time. Glad that I found it.
Knycx Journeying
Love the name “dirty” and my three-year-old asked “Who’s dirty”, and my teenage asked “What’s dirty?” and both laughed when they heard someone orders a “dirty” at a cafe last month. I am sure I will never hear the end of it with dirty rice on the table.
★★★★
Molly
Great easy recipe, and a nice twist on regular rice. Such a fun dish for the fmaily and it pairs well with a lot of other things.
Luna S
I used to love when my grandmother made something similar. I haven’t had it in forever, I will have to make it sometime this week.
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
I’ve not had Cajun food often but what I’ve tried was lovely. The dirty rice sounds like a great dish to enjoy on a weekday evening.
★★★★★
Rich
I love this dirty rice. It is just as good as the restaurants in New Orleans. Thank you!
Lori
This was super yummy! I didn’t want a ton of meat in it, so we just used the ground pork, and it was so wonderful! This is going into the “rotation” right away!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lori! I am so glad that you like it! We love it too!
Jennifer L Prince
This is such a fun way to add pep to rice. What a great side dish for any night of the week. It was delish!
Elise Ho
Hubby loves dirty rice. He is all about this
★★★★★
Kat
I really like the sound of this rice and the name you gave it! Rice is something my family eats a lot, so I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to make it taste better. I am definitely going to try your dirty rice recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kat! Enjoy!
Julie
As someone who is a picky eater but loves New Orleans, I have to say this Dirty Rice Recipe is an absolute delight. The combination of ground beef, ground sausage, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and Cajun seasoning, along with the rice, creates an explosion of flavors that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. I appreciate that it is easy to make and can be served as a main meal if desired. I also love how versatile it is, as it can be served with other dishes like homemade hush puppies, corn on the cob, and coleslaw. Overall, this recipe is sure to impress anyone, even those who are usually hesitant to try new things.
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked the rice, Julie. Thanks for the smashing review!
Colleen
We love serving this for dinner as a simple side with oven Baked Chicken Thighs. It is a great combination!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more!
Alita Pacio
The authentic cajun flavor shines through in this flavorful dish! I love this dirty rice recipe.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Alita!
Claudia
Wow, Of course, it can easily be a one-pan meal on its own. Dirty Rice cooks in one pot and tastes great with a variety of dishes too.
★★★★★
briannemanzb
I was just looking for a go-to side dish that is packed with flavor, then I found your site. Thank you so much. This easy recipe will be loved at home.
★★★★★
Brian
I wasn’t sure what dirty rice was. Heard of Cajun rice, but wouldn’t have known how to MAKE IT. THANK YOU so much!
★★★★★
Kimberley
This looks so delicious, I have to try it. I am so tired of regular white rice. I am sure this will surprise everyone in my household. Thanks for sharing!
Gervin Khan
Great recipe with tons of flavor. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
MELANIE E
This is an excellent dirty recipe. It is better than my favorite Cajun restaurant.
★★★★★
Nicole Bertrand
This was DELISH!! I love dirty rice! That and some crab cakes — I could eat this everyday!
★★★★★
Cinny
That looks like it could be quite flavorful! I’m always looking for new recipes.
Stephanie
Whenever I am dining out and there is dirty rice on the menu I always order it. Now I can make it myself – this recipe is better than most restaurants I’ve been to.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
So glad that you enjoy it!
Dorry Lyn
Yes, it looks dirty but I guess the taste is delicious! Will try to cook this recipe.
Clarice
Wow! This Cajun rice was delicious. We really do not like liver so, I omitted it. Thank you for sharing the recipe. We enjoyed it with some shrimp boil and corn muffins.
★★★★★
Ntensibe Edgar
Gggiirrrlllll, you have successfully gotten me hungry! One look at the list of ingredients and I fell in love with the dirty rice! Thank you for the recipe.
Elise Ho
My husband is a huge rice fan, and he loves this dirty rice. So much flavor! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
SONIA SEIVWRIGHT
What I love most about dirty rice is its versatility. It can be served as a main or a side dish and customised with different meats and vegetables to suit individual tastes. It’s also a great option for meal prep and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for later consumption.
★★★★★
Lasonia
I love Dirty Rice! I am ashamed to say that I have never made it from scratch (only the boxed kind). I used to have a co-worker that made it often and I can’t even begin to describe how good it was. I didn’t realize it was pretty simple to make. I am adding this to my list of recipes to make.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lasonia! Enjoy!
MELANIE E
This is my favorite recipe for dirty rice. So full of flavor and so easy to make. I cook it at least once a month for my hungry family.
★★★★★
Debbie
This was amazing. I haven’t been to New Orleans in a few years and miss Cajun cooking and a good dirty rice recipe. Thanks for sharing. I will be making this often!
★★★★★
Roxyflown
Thank you for sharing your love for Cajun cooking and the recipe for Dirty Rice! It sounds like a delicious and flavorful dish that can be adapted to personal preferences. The Cajun Holy Trinity of onions, celery, and green peppers is certainly a staple in Cajun cooking, and I appreciate you including some helpful tips and serving suggestions.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine! Happy cooking!
Lisa
ooooh this sounds good!! I don’t know much about Cajun cooking as I’m from the UK but I’d love to try this one.
Whitney Stewart
I had not had dirty rice in SO LONG! I forgot how delicious it really is. Thanks so much for sharing! I’ll be holding onto this recipe for a while!
★★★★★
Nyxie
This looks amazing! I have rice in the kitchen that could do with being jazzed up with other food – and you’ve given me plenty to work with.
Julie
Hey Beth, thanks for this delicious and easy recipe for dirty rice! I served it with cornbread and sausage. Yum!!!
★★★★★
Stephanie
The best dirty rice recipe! This will be a staple for our family dinners. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Stephanie!
Ben Huffman
Made it. It’s truly delicious. I just have to question the serving size. I halved the recipe and it filled a 12 inch skillet to the brim. I can’t imagine just 6 people eating the whole recipe. Those would be humongous servings. But again, it is delicious.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ben! So glad that you liked the recipe. We have healthy eaters over here.
Albert Saylor
Took this to our tailgate and it was devoured!
Beth Pierce
Thanks. Albert! So glad that everyone liked it!
Melissa Cushing
I have pinned this recipe ads this reminds me of home! I am a southern girl living in the north and I love dirty rice! Delicious and cannot wait to make it for me and my family!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Melissa! Enjoy!!
Jupiter Hadley
This is a great recipe that my family really enjoys! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Yeah Lifestyle
Love cajun flavours, can’t believe this only takes 30 minutes to make. Will be trying out the recipe this weekend
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!
Marysa
This sounds tasty. I have a cajun seasoning that I love and would be perfect in this recipe.
Tammy
Such a delicious side for the whole fam! This is so easy to make and perfect alongside so many different dishes 😀
★★★★★
Khushboo
This dirty rice was really yummy! My whole family enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie
I haven’t had dirty rice in so long, that looks delicious! It makes such a great dish and I love sneaking in some vegetables. I just have to skip the green pepper because my older son won’t touch anything with that in it for some reason.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Sounds good! Enjoy! Kids are so funny with their eating habits.
Carolyn
I was wondering how you heat up the dirty rice after you freeze it? As i plan to make it for a cookout i’d prefer not to heat the rice in the microwave.
Thanks in advance!
Beth Pierce
Sorry I missed this. The microwave is really the best way to reheat it. 1-2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth and reheat covered with a paper towel at a reduced power and short intervals. Do you have access to a microwave?
Nicki
Dirty rice has always been a favorit of mine and this recipe does not disppoint.
Jess
I’d never had dirty rice before but I just found my new favorite recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jess! So glad that you like it!
Lauren Michael Harris
This is such a great side dish. It’s so. much better than the premade packaged stuff you can buy – great recipe we will make again and again!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lauren! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Shanika Graham-White
My go-to dirty rice recipe! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Casey
This rice is so delish and actually stands on it’s own for a meal! I topped it with lots of hot sauce! So YUMMY!
★★★★★
Katherine
I love all the great flavors in this dirty rice! Just like the one at my favorite restaurant. Yum!
★★★★★
April
I love just about everything with rice and this recipe was absolutely delicious
★★★★★
Myyellowapron
I LOVE rice. I will just switch beef with ground turkey and I will be all set with this recipe.
Neely Moldovan
Oh yum! I loved this dirty rice. It was easy and delicious!
Bryan
Dirty rice is always a treat! It can serve as a side and as a meal all by itself.
Rosey
That’s awesome that it has hamburger and sausage. And yessss to the homemade hush puppies!
Tweenselmom
I had dirty rice and it was healthy and delicious. Now I got the recipe for it, thank you!
★★★★★
Eileen M Loya
I can’t wait to make this. It looks really flavorful and filling. This is great for lunch or dinner. I am sure my family will enjoy this. Saving the recipe and printing it out to add to my recipe collection.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Eileen! Enjoy!!
Bilbos Marine
I absolutely love cajun dishes. I’ll check out the other cajun recipes you suggested in your blog as well. They look so good!
★★★★★
Heather
It’s been way too long since I’ve had dirty rice. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Heather! Enjoy!!
Catalina
Now I have a great idea for my tonight side dish! Love how flavorful is!
★★★★★
Sandra
I loved it!! So flavorful and easy to make! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Erin
I just became so hungry because of this dirty rice!! It looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
Jenny
What kind of spice could I use instead of Cajun spice ? I want to try this dish but I don’t care for spicy food.
Beth Pierce
Perhaps Italian seasoning. It would be different but still delicious.
Juliane
Haven’t tried this for SO long! I can’t wait to give this a try!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!
Patricia
Are the chicken livers cooked or raw when you add them to the pan?
Beth Pierce
Raw. Because they are finely minced it does not take long for them to cook.
Amanda
There are so many meals I want to have this with! Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure!
Laurence Guglielmetto
I love this recipe. I add 1 heaping teaspoon each of dried basil and dried thyme to it like I do when I make Gumbo. It really adds even more to this dish.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Laurence! So glad that you like it.
Laurence
I haven’t made dirty rice for a very long time. Can’t wait to make this again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Laurence! Enjoy!!
Laurence Guglielmetto
I use Jimmy Dean sausage, add a teaspoon of dried thyme and dried basil in mine. I also cheat with the rice. I just cook minute rice in chicken broth and add it to the mix. You’d never know the difference. An old Cajun friend turned me onto this cheat.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Laurence!
wilhelmina
Love this dirty rice! I remember my mom making something similar growing up and I always loved it. This was so yummy and tasted just like I remembered!
★★★★★
Patty
I never thought about using chicken livers in dirty rice! I’m definitely going to give this a try. It sounds soooo delicious!
★★★★★
Katie
Looks so good! Can’t wait to try this one.
★★★★★
Kelli
Love Cajun cooking! This dirty rice looks so flavorful, yet easy to make. I’ll probably leave out the chicken liver, but the combination of pork and beef sounds like it’ll still lend enough fat and flavor. Thanks for the great tips!
Jessica Formicola
This looks like such a quick and easy weeknight meal! Definitely adding it to our menu for the week!
★★★★★
Toni
This is so good and so easy to make!! Definitely a must-try!
★★★★★
Kristyn
Filling & so tasty!! The flavors go so well together! Great alone or as a side!
★★★★★
katerina
My family loved this! I can’t wait to make it again!
★★★★★
Amanda Finks
Such an easy recipe. And so flavorful! Love it!
★★★★★
Jennifer
This rice has to be the most flavorful rice I have ever eaten! YUM!
★★★★★
Ardra
This was a great recipe. I didn’t follow it completely but it gave me a foundation. I did not use livers or regular ground pork. I bought Tennessee Pride hot sausage. For some reason when ever I’ve had dirty rice the flavors from that sausage is what I seem to taste and it’s my favorite. Thank you for providing us all with a great recipe. Everything turned out perfect.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Ardra! The pleasure was all mine. I love a good cook that can improvise and substitute with the things that they love!
Annie
Oooh loving the sound of this rice and the name!! Rice is a staple in my house, so I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to ramp up the flavour. Definitely trying your dirty rice!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Annie! Enjoy!
Kelly Anthony
My husband and I also love cajun food especially a delicious dirty rice recipe. I can’t wait to make this for him!
★★★★★
Danielle Wolter
Dirty rice is one of my favorites and it’s been so long since I’ve made. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
★★★★★
Megan
Oh I love the sound of this. The chicken livers and cajun have me intrigued. I am thinking this would be great with cauliflower rice too. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
kim
Love this recipe! So easy and flavorful! Definitely one that I will make again and again!
★★★★★
Adele Aiken
Can this be frozen
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Yes it most certainly can!! You might want to add 1-2 tablespoons chicken broth or water when you reheat for moisture.
Judy
Do you cook the chicken livers before you put them into the pot with the other meat
Beth Pierce
About halfway through the browning process of the beef and pork add the minced chicken liver. It is in step 2. Happy cooking!!
Julie
I’ve never thought about doing anything with chicken livers other than the Jewish style chopped liver with schmaltz pate. Love this as a new way to try using them!
Amanda
I’m a huge fan of Cajun cuisine, and this dirty rice is wonderful! The chicken livers add such a nice rich flavor, especially with the Cajun seasoning. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Amanda!
Danielle
Wow – I can’t imagine how many ingredients this dish has! I mean, you’ve got it all in one place – I wonder how flavorul it makes the rice!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Very flavorful!
Michelle
I had dirty rice a few years back when I was visiting New Orleans and couldn’t get enough of it. I’ll have to try this soon because I miss that flavor!
★★★★
Sharon
This is such a wonderfully classic dish that comes together easily nut is full of flavor. Looks so good, can’t wait to make it.
★★★★★
Cookilicious
I am always on the lookout for rice recipes! This one looks delish! Will save it for future.
Lisa
I was just speaking to someone about how great animal liver is for you. This will be the perfect recipe to mix chicken liver into. I can’t wait to try! 🙂
★★★★★
Suzy
Can’t wait to try this!
★★★★★
Jocelyn
This rice was so flavorful and delicious!
★★★★★
aimee
Served this up with some chicken sausage. Turned out amazing!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Aimee! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!
Kristyn
This looks super tasty!! I love the idea of adding all those ingredients to rice…it makes for a nice, hearty meal!
★★★★★
Jen
This is one of my favorites! Such an easy dish to make but has so much flavor.
★★★★★
Cyd
My boys love dirty rice! Going to give this a try later in the week. Yum!
★★★★★
Krista
This dirty rice looks so good! I have to make it!
★★★★★
Sara
I loved the crunch of all the onions and peppers! So tasty; made a great side dish for dinner last night!
★★★★★
Amy
I am always in for some rice! This is a great recipe to change up the recipes I use!
★★★★★
Taylor
Yum! Such an easy meal with tons of flavor!
★★★★★
Katerina
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! So many amazing flavors!! I LOVE this!!
★★★★★
Melanie
Looks impressive! So tasty and flavorful, so excited to try this recipe!
★★★★★
Dorothy
I have never made my own dirty rice. I am excited to try, and your tips are really helpful!