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Dirty Rice
This easy dirty rice is easy and flavorful! Traditionally made with beef and chicken liver though you can use any meat you prefer or shrimp.
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Dirty Rice is a classic Cajun side dish packed with flavor. It cooks in one pot and can even easily be a meaty meal on its own. Dinner in under 40 minutes is what we like to hear! This rice dish is “dirty” because of the color the rice takes on from cooking with the meat and seasonings.
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Whether on its own or as a side, dirty rice is easy and flavorful. It starts with the promising trifecta of onion, garlic, and bell peppers cooked in the grease of the meat which will flavor the rice and give it its “dirty” color. Dirty rice is a great accompaniment to oven-baked chicken or salmon. Add some cheddar drop biscuits if serving as a sole dish.
Traditionally, Dirty Rice is made with beef and chicken liver though you can use any meat you prefer. This recipe calls for ground beef or Italian sausage. Go lower calorie with ground turkey or make it interesting with bison or venison. Try a seafood version with shrimp!
Dirty Rice Ingredients
- Long-grain rice
- Italian sausage or ground beef
- Green bell pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Green onions
- Italian sausage
- Diced tomato and green chiles
- Worcestershire sauce
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Creole or Cajun seasoning
The flavorful heart of this dish is the sauteed bell pepper, onion, and garlic. The aroma of the rice will beckon the family to the table. Dirty Rice is a spicy, meaty dish that may become your favorite go-to rice dish.
When deciding to use Cajun or Creole spices, ask what would your family prefer: spicy or seasoned. Cajun seasoning is spicier since it uses many peppers as well as paprika and garlic. Creole seasonings primarily rely on herbs such as basil, bay leaf, oregano, parsley, paprika, rosemary, and thyme. Have fun customizing this dish to your family’s taste!
How to Make Dirty Rice
FIRST STEP: Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.
SECOND STEP: While rice is cooking, brown Italian sausage, and place in a separate bowl.
THIRD STEP: Wipe pan, leaving about a tablespoon of leftover grease. Combine bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a large skillet or dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
FOURTH STEP: While cooking, warm the whole sausage according to package direction. Slice into half-moon shapes once cooked through and set aside.
FIFTH STEP: Once all ingredients are cooked, combine tomatoes, sausage, rice, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, green onions, and creole seasoning.
SIXTH STEP: On medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil and cover with a lid. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy with a protein of your choice!
Cooking Tips
Rinse the rice well before cooking to get rid of starches. This will help achieve fluffy rice.
Do be sure to stir your rice occasionally as it simmers to prevent sticking and burning.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley to add color.
Storing this Recipe
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 5 to 6 days.
Freeze leftover Dirty Rice for an easy lunch or dinner. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave in 60-second intervals, stirring often.
Dirty Rice
This easy dirty rice is easy and flavorful! Traditionally made with beef and chicken liver though you can use any meat you prefer or shrimp.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups long grain rice
- 1 lbs uncooked italian sausage or ground beef (or ½ and ½)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup green onions (chopped)
- 3-4 chopped whole Italian sausage ( cooked and sliced in half moon shapes)
- 1 10.5 oz can of diced tomato and green chiles (undrained)
- ¼ cup worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
DIRECTIONS
- Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.
- While rice is cooking, brown Italian sausage and place in a separate bowl.
- Wipe pan, leaving about a tablespoon of leftover grease. Combine bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a large skillet or dutch oven and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- While cooking, warm whole sausage according to package direction. Slice into half-moon shapes once cooked through and set aside.
- Once all ingredients are cooked, combine tomatoes, sausage, rice, Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, green onions, and creole seasoning.
- On medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil and cover with a lid. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy with a protein of your choice!
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Notes
The Creole/Cajun seasoning is very salty, so make sure that you are using low-sodium chicken broth and tasting the rice before adding any kind of salt to it.
Make sure to cook rice to al dente and don’t overcook it. Overcooking can lead to mushy rice.
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.
Nutrition
Calories: 811kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 609mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 582IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg
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