Classic Louisiana-style condiments are key ingredients in the best Cajun dirty rice recipe. Think of dirty rice as Cajun rice pilaf. Don’t knock on it until you’ve tried it!
In this recipe
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What is dirty rice?
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Dirty Rice: A must
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Origins of Dirty Rice
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Cajun vs Creole Spice
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Save for later
Why does so much good food come from Louisiana?
A case in point is this “dirty” rice. It’s a Cajun classic and so good, the first time you eat it, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life.
It’s basically a rice pilaf, called “dirty” because it’s cooked with chopped chicken liver or gizzards infusing it with crispy, tasty browned bits.
Why Dirty Rice is a must
If you’re not a liver lover, don’t worry! The rice doesn’t taste like liver, the addition only deepens the overall flavor of the rice, and the pieces are so small you can’t really tell them apart.
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Check out this Cajun Dirty Rice recipe
The origins of dirty rice
Dirty rice can be traced back to the plantation days of Louisiana. Those who had many people to feed but few resources to feed them all added what they could get — chicken livers, spices, vegetables — to the abundant white rice, and the resulting dish would look “dirty.”
Over the centuries, the ingredients for dirty rice have expanded, and today there are many versions of this filling Creole dish, probably as many as there are families in southern Louisiana. Anyone who claims that their family’s recipe is an authentic dirty rice recipe is probably right, even if their recipes differ from hundreds of others.
Cajun Spice vs. Creole Spice
Cajun and Creole spices differ in their ingredients. A Cajun spice mix is peppery with paprika, cayenne, and other peppers of varying degrees of heat. It’s spicier than the Creole spice mix, which is more savory with various herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme.
This recipe calls for Cajun spices, but if you only have Creole spices on your spice rack, you can use those. And if you want a little extra spiciness, you can add some cayenne pepper.
Note that the salt content varies greatly depending on the brand. If you’re concerned that the rice will be too salty, start with 1/2 of the 1 tablespoon the recipe calls for. You can add more later to taste.
So save for later
Refrigerate dirty rice in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Freeze dirty rice in freezer safe containers or ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
More classic Cajun-inspired recipes to try!
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Green Gumbo
- Slow cooker jambalaya
- Shrimp Gumbo with Andouille Sausage
- Red beans and rice
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Cajun-style dirty rice
Use green peppers if you want a relatively mild result. If you’re looking for something spicier, use jalapeño chiles.
ingredients
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1 1/2 cups long grain rice (Carolina, Basmati, Jasmine, etc.)
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2 cups chicken soup
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2 cups water
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3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
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1/2 lb mead
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1/2 Cup chicken liver
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3 slices Bacon, chopped
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1/2 Onion, chopped
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2 ribs Celery, chopped
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1/2 green bell Pepper, or 1 to 3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
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1 tablespoon cajun spice
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2 green onions, chopped
method
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Cook rice:
Cook the rice according to package directions, but use chicken broth for a third of the cooking liquid. So, for example, if the package says to use 3 cups of water for 1 1/2 cups of rice, use 2 cups of water and 1 cup of chicken broth.
Once the rice has finished cooking, remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
Turn the rice out onto a baking sheet and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix to combine and let cool.
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Mash or puree the chicken livers:
While the rice is cooking, puree the chicken livers and chop finely or puree briefly in a blender.
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Cook the bacon crispy:
In a large skillet large enough to hold the rice and everything else, add 1 tablespoon oil and bacon and cook over medium-high heat until bacon is crisp.
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Roast Pork and Vegetables:
Add the ground beef and increase the heat to high. Let the meat brown before stirring. Once the pork begins to brown, add the last tablespoon of oil and add the celery, jalapeños, and onions.
Fry everything over medium heat. You may notice the bottom of the pan becoming crusty. Prevent scorching by lowering the heat when necessary. Add the chopped liver and cook for a few more minutes.
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Deglaze pan:
Add the remaining cup of chicken broth and extinguish the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
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Add spices and cooked rice:
Add the Cajun seasoning and turn the heat up to high. Bring most of the chicken broth to a boil, then add the cooked rice. Throw to combine.
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Turn off the heat and add the green onions:
Toss again to combine and serve hot.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 626 | calories |
| 27g | Fat |
| 65g | carbohydrates |
| 28g | protein |
