Easy Dirty Rice
Easy Dirty Rice is a classic Cajun-inspired dish made with ground beef, ground Italian sausage, onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic, all combined with white rice and Cajun spices. Ready in 30 minutes, this one-pot recipe is a flavorful, hearty weeknight dinner.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as olive oil or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 small onion , diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 green bell pepper , diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery , diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon cajun or creole seasoning*
- 1 cup long grain white rice** , well rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat Italian parsley
- 2 green onions , sliced thin
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wide-bottomed pot over medium until the surface shimmers.
- Add the ground beef and sausage, and cook until browned, breaking up clumps and stirring so that everything has a turn at touching the heated pan (about 5 minutes).
- Scootch the meat to one side, and add the onions, peppers, and celery to the cleared space. Saute the vegetables with the salt until they've softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and seasoning, and mix everything together. It should become very fragrant.
- Add the rinsed rice and pour in the broth. Raise the heat to bring everything to a steady simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface). Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for 20 minutes, resisting the urge to lift the lid (it's hard, I know!) to keep the moisture contained within.
- Give everything a good stir. Garnish with parsley and green onions and serve!
Video
Notes
* What is the difference between Cajun and Creole seasonings? Dirty Rice traditionally uses Cajun seasonings, which is a spice blend that leans towards more chile pepper heat than the sweeter Creole blend. Creole can be spicy, too, though, so if you're sensitive, be sure to read the ingredients label, looking for hot spices like cayenne pepper. To substitute something reliably mild, try Old Bay seasoning.
** For the fluffiest, sturdiest rice, rinse the grains well to remove the starches. I usually place them in a fine-mesh sieve and run it under cold water until the draining stream goes from a milky tint to clear. You can also use a large bowl filled with water and swish the grains, changing the water several times. Drain well.