This Easy Dirty Rice is the perfect recipe! Made with cajun seasoning, ground beef, white rice, celery, onion, and garlic this dish is flavor packed!
If you’re looking for a go-to side dish that is packed with flavor, then you’re going to love this easy recipe. Of course it can easily be a one pan meal on its own as well. Dirty Rice cooks in one pot and tastes great with a variety of dishes. The authentic cajun flavor shines through in this flavorful dish! We loves serving this for dinner as a simple side with oven Baked Chicken Thighs or Cajun Garlic Baked Salmon!
What is dirty rice?
Dirty rice is a classic Creole recipe. It’s made with with white rice and cajun flavors. The “dirty” name comes from the dirty color it gets from being cooked with ground beef, green bell pepper, celery, onions and seasonings. These ingredients also add a lot of flavor.
How to make easy dirty rice
This rice dish cooks in a large Dutch oven or pan in less than 35 minutes.
- First, cook the beef. Add the ground beef to a large pan set over medium heat. Crumble the beef with a spatula and cook for 5 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink.
- Next, add the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, celery, Cajun seasoning and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the rice and beef broth.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 23 minutes.
- Allow the rice to rice for 5 to 10 minutes and then fluff the rice with a fork.
- Serve the rice with your favorite main dish, or eat it as a main meal along with a side of the easiest ever Drop Biscuits!
Enjoy!
Dirty Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups white rice uncooked
- 3 1/2 cups beef broth
- chopped green onion or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add ground beef to a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan set over medium heat. Crumble with a spatula and cook 4-5 minutes until no pink remains.
- Add onion, garlic, green pepper, celery, Cajun seasoning, and salt. Stir until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add rice and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered about 20 to 23 minutes or until rice is cooked.
- Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Garnish with green onions or parsley before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe for a family first-time shrimp boil and it was a hit! Even non-rice lovers went back for more. I used 1# ground beef and 1# medium-heat breakfast sausage for a double recipe. (BTW, thanks for the conversion options for 1x, 2x,3x). It’s on the “do again” list.
Five stars! So fast and easy to make. Love it!
I’ve made this twice so far. I use Knorr beef boullion powder and a tablespoon of minced garlic from a jar. I use “Tony Chacheré” seasoning and I don’t add the extra salt. The second time made it, I added one teaspoon of “Kitchen Bouquet” to the broth (boullion) to darken the finished dish since the first batch that I made looked a bit too light. Of course being the spice hound that I am, I sprinkle extra “Tony Chacheré” seasoning on mine, but my wife likes it with no additions.
Such a wonderful dish! Thank you so much for posting it. We had it with tiny corn tortillas. And cheese and it was great! Even the kids love it🧡
easy and delish! I used 1/2 Italian sausage and beef .. and added a hot pepper and bay leaf
Loved it!!
I used maple sausage instead of the ground beef and I doubled the recipe. My dutch oven may have not been big enough for the double recipe, it ended up having more liquid than what I liked after 25 minutes so I cooked a little longer then it was fine. I will make this again!!
I’ve made this recipe twice. It’s so easy to make and very good! I will definitely make it again and again!
Do you need to drain the ground beef before adding rice.
What’s the best rice to use
I used long grain white rice. Don’t use Instant rice or you’ll end up with mush. I’m not sure if it would even work with converted or parboiled rice. Best to use the real thing.
I use 80% lean and I drain about 4-5 tablespoons of fat out of it. If you use 93% or 97% lean it might not be necessary to drain.