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Dirty Rice is a Cajun style rice made with white rice, ground liver and pork, spices and seasoning. Chicken livers and ground pork offer the perfect deep flavor to the rice (even for you non-liver lovers).
Rice dishes are one of the ultimate comfort foods. Add a touch of liver and ground pork, some seasoning and a touch of veggies and this is the best dirty rice recipe ever!
Don't worry, if you're not a liver lover, this Louisiana dirty rice DOES NOT TASTE LIKE LIVER!!
If we're being honest, this chicken liver mousse doesn't even "really" taste like liver either - it's just amazing.
And to top it off, this Cajun rice can be used as a one pot meal! It's got rice, veggies, meat and FLAVOR all cooked up in one pot, just like this delicious Cajun rice. And who doesn't love a rice dish that can be a main dish, like this imperial rice too!
While it's traditionally served as a side, I don't see any reason this can't be a full meal too, especially if you start it off with these amazing crawfish egg rolls, roasted quail or fried alligator bites (we LOVE these!!).
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What is Dirty Rice?
Authentic dirty rice is made with white rice typically mixed with ground meat and organ meats (like liver), along with green peppers, onions and Cajun spices. It gets it's name from the "dirty" appearance of the finished dish.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients for dirty rice and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Cajun dirty rice is really a pretty simple dish to make. The liver and ground pork give it a wonderful meaty flavor, making it a great accompaniment to so many Cajun dishes.
You can substitute ground chicken, ground sausage, ground beef or ground turkey for the pork if desired - they all come out great!
I like to use beef broth in this instead of chicken broth because it adds a meatier flavor. However, you can substitute chicken broth for the beef if desired. It will still be good!
You can also substitute duck fat, goose fat, avocado oil or vegetable oil for the bacon fat if you don't have any.
We use onions, green bell pepper, long grain rice, and crushed red pepper as well.
What is Cajun Seasoning?
Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning) is a blend of different spices, typically including garlic and onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, among others - it's the perfect seasoning for dirty rice! Personally, I make my own Cajun seasoning, but you can also use Tony Chacheres for Cajun and Creole dishes.
How to Make Dirty Rice From Scratch
Heat a cast iron skillet or large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the bacon grease and ground pork. Break the pork up into 4-5 chunks and let it brown on all sides, getting slightly crispy on the outside.
Break up all the chunks and cook until most of the pink is gone, letting all the pieces brown and breaking it up with a wooden spoon or fork.
Add the onion and green pepper and continue to cook until they just start to soften (5-10 minutes).
Add the chopped livers and cook for 5 minutes, or until livers are cooked and combined into the mixture.
Then add the uncooked rice, water, beef broth, red pepper flakes, and Cajun seasoning and stir.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until rice is fully cooked.
Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve garnished with green onions (optional).
Expert Tips
- Freezing the chicken livers before chopping them will makes them easier to chop.
- Use a wooden spoon to break up the ground pork into small pieces (after it browns) while it's cooking - otherwise you end up with large chunks of ground pork in the rice.
- Substitute duck fat, goose fat, pork fat or vegetable oil for the bacon grease if you don't have any.
- Add ¼ teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper to give your rice a kick.
How to Serve Dirty Rice
- Serve it as a main dish with one of these sides:
- Serve it as a stuffing/rice dressing for these cornish game hens or this Dutch oven roasted chicken.
- Serve as a side dish to one of these main dishes:
Frequently Asked Questions
Dirty rice is always made with liver and the holy trinity (onions, bell peppers, celery) while jambalaya typically includes seafood, sausage or chicken. Creole jambalaya also includes tomatoes, which dirty rice does not.
**If you're a fan of jambalaya, try this Jambalaya Risotto or this Jambalaya Stuffing - both are incredible!
Dirty rice is also referred to as Cajun rice or even Cajun fried rice. It gets it's name from the dirty appearance of the final rice dish.
Dirty rice got it's name from the brownish "dirty" color of the rice when it's done cooking. After mixing sauteed meats into white rice, it takes on a dirty color.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
I don't recommend freezing this as rice does not hold it's texture when frozen.
More Favorite Cajun Cooking Recipes
- Seafood Gumbo
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- One Pot Cajun Pasta
- Jambalaya Risotto
- Browse all the Cajun Recipes.
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Recipe
Classic Cajun Style Dirty Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup ground pork
- ½ cup chicken livers
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bacon grease and ground pork. Break the pork up into 4-5 chunks and let it brown on all sides, getting slightly crispy on the outside.
- Break up all the chunks and cook until most of the pink is gone, letting all the pieces brown and breaking it up with a wooden spoon or fork.
- Add the onion and green pepper and continue to cook until they start to soften, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the chopped livers and cook for 5 minutes, or until livers are cooked and combined into the mixture.
- Then add the rice, water, beef broth, red pepper flakes, and Cajun seasoning and stir.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, until rice is fully cooked. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Expert Tips:
- Freezing the chicken livers before chopping them will makes them easier to chop;
- Use a wooden spoon to break up the ground pork into small pieces while it's cooking - otherwise you end up with large chunks of ground pork in the rice;
- Substitute duck fat, goose fat, pork fat or vegetable oil for the bacon grease if you don't have any.
- Add ¼ teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper to give your rice a kick.
Nutrition
jim owen
Love it. I used spicy market sausage and chicken broth. Used jasmine rice. I had to add more liquid to finish cooking the rice and used 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. It turned out great!
Danielle
I'm so glad you liked it!
Colleen
You forgot the celery, we always use green bellpepper, onions and celery. We call it the trinity.
Danielle
Very true! I tend to leave the celery out because we don't like it - but yes, celery is the traditional way to make it!
Anita
I've always felt a bit icky eating liver, but not in this wonderful dirty rice dish. No one can tell there's liver in it, and the rice is totally delicious.
Danielle
So glad you liked it!