Easy Dirty Rice Recipe (Cajun Rice)

Delicious Dirty Rice Recipe made with bold and flavorful ingredients including fluffy white rice, bacon, sausage, onions, celery, and Cajun seasoning. Bursting with flavor, enjoy this amazing Cajun rice recipe as a hearty side or effortless weeknight dinner.

What is Dirty Rice?

Commonly found in the Creole regions of southern Louisiana, dirty rice, also known simply as Cajun rice, is a traditional Louisiana Creole rice recipe. Original recipes were as simple as cooking leftover chicken guts, gizzard, heart, liver, and feet and mixing with cooked rice before seasoning with salt and pepper just before serving. It was inexpensive and filling, a lifeline for the poor of Louisiana.

Over the decades, and as families gained more wealth, additional ingredients were added including ground meat and various veggies depending on what was in season.

This version is most definitely a step above the original dirty rice recipe, but no less delicious or traditional.

Sometimes called “chicken and rice” or “rice dressing”, these versions are typically found in the American south and are made using ground beef or ground pork, rather than the more traditional chicken liver and giblets.

RELATED: Jambalaya Recipe (How to Make Jambalaya)

Ingredients in Dirty Rice

• Long-grain rice
• Water + Low-sodium chicken broth
• Chicken livers
• Bacon
• Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• Ground pork
• Onion
• Celery
• Green bell pepper
• Jalapeño
• Garlic
• Cajun or Creole seasoning
• Black pepper
• Green onions

What type of rice should I use to make this recipe?

Any type of long-grain white rice will work really well. This includes standard long-grain white rice, basmati rice (this is what I used), or jasmine rice.

RELATED: Different Types of Rice: Varieties and What to Do With Them

Can I use brown rice?

Absolutely. It’s easy to make this recipe using brown rice. Simply swap your white rice for brown, keeping in mind that brown rice will take longer to cook and require (for two cups of dry rice) an additional half-cup of cooking liquid. You may also want to consider cooking your brown rice in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Can I use cauliflower rice?

Yes. Cauliflower rice will also work, although I have not personally tried the cauliflower version of dirty rice. I expect it would be especially delicious with andouille sausage and extra onions for more flavor.

How to Make Cauliflower Rice

Do I have to add chicken livers?

No way! If the thought of chicken livers creeps you out or you can’t find any at your local grocery store, simply substitute with something you know you and your family love.

Is dirty rice spicy?

Yes, this dirty rice recipe is spicy. However, it’s easy to modify to make it milder. First, get rid of the jalapeño. Second, cut the total amount of Cajun seasoning in half. Some Cajun seasoning blends are quite spicy white others are less-so.

What is the “Holy Trinity” of Cajun Cooking?

The “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking, or “holy trinity”, is the backbone of Cajun and Creole cooking. A variation of the French mirepoix or Italian soffritto, the Cajun “holy trinity” is a mixture of finely diced onion, celery, and green or red bell pepper. 

What is mirepoix? To understand the importance of “the holy trinity” we must understand what exactly the mirepoix is.

Mirepoix is a mix of aromatics, made from finely diced vegetables (the mix of vegetables will often vary by country and cuisine) which are cooked low and slow as to sweeten the ingredients rather than caramelize them. This slow-cooking method forms a crucial first layer of flavor important to many recipes including, easy red beans and rice and seafood gumbo.

The “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking is made with equal parts onion, celery, and green pepper, or a 1:1:1 ratio.

How to Make Dirty Rice

You will need two pots to make this recipe. One to cook the rice and the other to brown the meat, veggies, and eventually add the cooked rice. Make sure your second pot or Dutch oven is large enough to hold approximately 6 cups of cooked rice plus 5-6 cups of cooked meat and veggies. Let’s get started:

1. Wash and cook your rice. Wash your rice (this is very important) in several changes of clean water, straining between each change using a fine-mesh strainer, until the water runs clear (or nearly clear). Drain thoroughly. Next, cook your rice. You can cook your rice on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. Keep in mind that cooking rice in the Instant Pot will require a different water to rice ratio when compared to cooking it on the stovetop. If you want to cook rice in the Instant Pot, check out the post below,

How to Cook Perfect Instant Pot Rice

2. Prep remain ingredients. As the rice is cooking, chop and prepare the vegetables and slice or chop the chicken livers into small, bite-size pieces.

3. Cook the bacon. In your large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until cooked and crispy. If the bacon starts to burn, reduce heat to medium.

4. Brown the pork. Break apart your ground pork into smaller 1-2 teaspoon-sized clumps. Add directly to the pot, cooking in the rendered bacon grease. Allow the pork to brown for 2-3 minutes before stirring, then mix to combine with the bacon.

• Remember, browning is good, burning is bad. After all, dirty rice gets its name from all the delicious brown and golden meat bits which help make the rice look dirty.

5. Add those chicken livers. Yep, mix those in there and cook them up for a minute or two with the other meaty goodness.

6. Add your “holy trinity” also known as onions, celery, and green peppers. Mix everything together and sauté over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. Toss in the garlic, mix to combine, and cook for an additional minute.

7. Deglaze the pan and season. Increase heat to medium-high and add one cup of chicken broth or chicken stock. Scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of your pan and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer until the chicken broth has reduced by half.

8. Get your rice dirty. Now take your beautiful, fluffy, perfectly cooked white rice and gently toss to combine with the meat and veggies. Season and garnish with chopped parsley, scallions, or hot sauce, if desired.

Dirty Rice: Serving, Reheating, Freezing

Dirty rice is a perfectly delicious meal to enjoy all on its own for a simple dinner or leftover lunch. Pair it with some fresh vegetables, a light salad, or buttery cornbread for a still delicious, and perfectly simple, anytime dinner. Served as a smaller side, I love to pair this recipe with,

• Easy Blackened Chicken
• 15 Minute Pork Chops
• Corn on the Cob

To store leftovers, allow your rice to cool completely before transferring to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.

To reheat, simply transfer the desired amount of rice to a microwave-safe dish covered with a damp paper towel. Microwave until heated through.

To freeze leftover dirty rice, allow your rice to cool completely. Transfer desired serving amounts (I usually do 2-3 cup portions) to medium-sized freezer bags. Label with the date and contents and freeze for up to 4 months.

To reheat, thaw your rice in the refrigerator overnight, or cook from frozen. Transfer frozen rice to a microwave-safe bowl or container and cover with a damp paper towel. Cook until warmed through, stirring every 1 minute, adding 1-2 teaspoons of water, as needed, if rice feels dry.

More Rice Recipes,

Easy Fried Rice Recipe – How to Make Perfect Fried Rice

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe with Olives

Basmati Rice with Fresh Herbs and Caramelized Onions

Easy Spanish Rice Recipe (Saffron Rice)

If you try this Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.