Description
A flavorful and easy-to-make Dirty Rice recipe featuring ground sausage, vibrant vegetables, and aromatic spices cooked together with long-grain rice. This comforting Cajun-inspired dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and serves 4 to 5 people.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Rice:
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 2 cups chicken broth (or water)
For the Meat & Vegetables:
- 1 lb ground sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
For Garnishing:
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the sausage and vegetables.
- Cook sausage: Add ground sausage and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart with a spoon until browned evenly.
- Drain excess grease: Drain excess grease from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon to keep flavor intact.
- Sauté vegetables: Add chopped onion, diced bell pepper, and celery to the skillet and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are softened.
- Add garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add spices: Sprinkle in smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper, stirring well to evenly coat the mixture with the spices.
- Add rice and liquids: Add uncooked long-grain rice, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid, and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
- Rest: Remove from heat and let the rice sit covered for 5 minutes to steam and finish cooking.
- Fluff and garnish: Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in chopped green onions and fresh parsley for a burst of freshness.
- Serve: Serve the Dirty Rice hot, optionally garnished with extra green onions and parsley.
Notes
- You can adjust the cayenne pepper amount to control the heat level to your preference.
- Use chicken broth for richer flavor or water for a lighter version.
- Ground sausage can be swapped with ground turkey or beef if preferred.
- Letting the rice rest covered after cooking helps improve texture and fluffiness.
- Adding Worcestershire sauce adds a depth of umami that complements the spices.