Don't sacrifice time or flavor on your next Cajun feast with this Easy Dirty Rice recipe! Delicious one pot meal or Thanksgiving side dish.
Easy Dirty Rice Recipe
When looking for new recipes I look on Pinterest, my favorite blogs, and soliciting suggestions from girlfriends. Credit for this great recipe comes from one of my good friends in Houston and this is a family staple at her holiday gatherings.
Rice Dressing is the original name of the recipe, but it's since transitioned in our house to my Easy Dirty Rice recipe. The name Rice Dressing just made it seems more like a holiday side dish and while it does make a great one of those, we love this recipe so much we can't wait 'til the end of the year to enjoy it. Especially when even my picky eaters love it too!
Why is dirty rice called dirty?
Dirty rice is called dirty because the white rice changes colors when you add in meat and spices.
What is dirty rice made of and what meat goes with dirty rice?
Dirty rice is made of white rice, meat (I used sausage but you could also use chicken or beef), celery, onions, and green onions. Many recipes also call for green pepper or other bell peppers as well. And don't forget the Cajun seasoning!
Is rice dressing the same as dirty rice?
Technically no, rice dressing and dirty rice aren't the same. But the main difference between the two is based on the protein used. Traditionally rice dressing uses ground beef or ground pork and dirty rice uses sausage and chicken livers.
Most people outside of Louisiana probably aren't going to buy minced chicken livers just to make their dish completely authentic. I've had dirty rice in New Orleans and I honestly don't miss the chicken liver.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Green onions
- Chicken broth
- Sage sausage
- Cajun seasoning
How to make dirty rice
Dirty rice is an easy, one-pot meal. Unless of course, you want to speed things along and use microwave rice.
First, you'll brown your sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat and then set it aside. Without draining your pan, you'll cook the veggies in the sausage grease.
Start cooking your rice according to the instructions replacing the water with chicken broth. If you use microwave rice, go for brown rice so it doesn't get mushy.
Start with the onions and cook them until they're translucent. Then add the celery and cook until softened.
Add sausage, rice, and green onions to the skillet and cook for 5 more minutes. Add Cajun seasoning to taste before serving.
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Don't forget to pin this easy recipe for later!
Dirty Rice Recipe
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Easy Dirty Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion diced
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 2 cups white rice
- 2.5 cups chicken broth
- 2 pkg. sage sausage
- Cajun seasoning to taste
Instructions
Heat sausage according to package and set aside.
- Cook rice according to package and replace water with chicken broth.
- Without draining your skillet, cook the onion in the sausage grease over medium-high heat until translucent.
- Then, add celery to onion mix and continue cooking until softened slightly.
- Mix rice, sausage, and green onions into the skillet and leave over heat for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning to taste and serve!
- Note: avoid using fast cooking white rice as it gets mushy before it's time to serve. If you want to use fast cooking rice, try brown rice. You get a great texture, quick cook time, and make the dish healthier in the process!
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Does your family like Dirty Rice? Do you do anything differently? Share with me how you mix up your family's favorite rice recipes.
I have only had pre made dirty rice and I love it, but I bet this is so much better!!
My family is really big on having rice as a side dish. This sounds really tasty!
I’ve never had dirty rice but this looks good!
I love rice! I am pinning this for later. It looks and sounds delicious.
Ohh sausage. Anything with sausage is amazing!
I’m a big fan of rice and my kids love sausage. Best of both worlds!
this is so interesting!! Let’s do rice any day1!
this looks great, I love Cajun inspired foods.
This recipe looks amazing! I love rice. 🙂
I’ve never heard of Dirty Rice before, but it looks delicious!
This looks delicious. I’m going wheat free and luckily, this is wheat free!
I love rice recipes. I’ve never made Dirty Rice, but this looks really easy and yummy!
My hubby was stationed in New Orleans for Katrina relief. He’s a dirty rice fanatic…I will have to test this one out on him, and other Louisiana natives.
I’ve never made my own homemade dirty rice before because I thought it would be hard. This recipe gives me hope that I can step away from the boxed stuff!
My dad is half creole so I grew up eating dirty rice that my great grandma would make. Love it!
Mmmm, this looks so tasty! Love dirty rice!
That looks awesome! I get so tired of trying to find new ways to cook sausage, but I have never tried dirty rice. I’m terrible at cooking rice… but this looks easy, I think I’ll have to try it!
This looks so tasty- we love rice and we love finding ways to mix it up a bit!
I love this Easy Dirty Rice recipe. I’ll have to try it soon.
I’ve heard of dirty rice before but I don’t think I’ve ever tried it. This sounds interesting!
OK so I’m trying to make this right now… I’m hoping I’m making the rice correctly, but I no longer have the package lol