This easy dirty rice recipe with sausage and ground beef is simple to put together. Brown ground beef and sausage, then add lipton onion soup mix, water, rice, and seasonings. A delicious Cajun ground beef and rice casserole!
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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! As you probably already know, we ate a lot of rice growing up. Whether it was a side dish or the main dish, my Cajun family always had rice in one way or another. So it's no surprise that I'm sharing another rice recipe!
What is dirty rice?
Well, it's not really dirty, lol. Dirty rice is a classic Cajun and Southern rice dish. It reminds me of jambalaya simply because the meat, vegetables, liquid, and rice are cooked together. This dirty rice recipe without liver is our family favorite, however, many people add chopped liver to their recipe. It's the liver that gives it the "dirty" appearance. I'm not a fan of liver, but if you want it, add it (½ cup chopped liver). Go for it, honey!
Interesting that sometimes dirty rice is used for stuffing chicken, turkey, and quail. For this recipe, we use a combination of ground beef and hot sausage. The hot sausage adds that perfect level of heat without overpowering the rest of the dish.
Why We Love This Recipe
The recipe is super easy. Save yourself some prep time and use the frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery (trinity) seasoning blend (I love this shortcut!). Also, I use a packet of Dry Onion Soup Mix and Worcheshire sauce for added flavor. Then, a dash of salt and pepper to complete the seasoning. This dirty rice is baked in the oven, however, I include stovetop directions in the recipe card (below).
Tasting Food While Cooking
One thing for sure is to always "taste test" the mixture before baking. Why? Because different people have different taste pallets and different heat (spice) levels than others. Since we use hot sausage for this recipe, you could skip the additional cajun seasonings if your pallet isn't used to extra spicy foods. If you really like it spicy, add some Cajun seasoning such as Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama. I love to add Panola clear hot sauce to mine after it has cooked!
Tips
- Use extra long grain rice (or long grain rice) to avoid sticky and mushy rice
- Authentic dirty rice uses raw rice so that it can absorb all the flavors and seasonings
- Add ½ cup chopped livers, if desired
- Please, pretty please, don't call chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery the "Holy" Trinity...it's plain ole "trinity"
What Goes with Dirty Rice as a Side
Since this recipe contains meat and rice, it's more of a complete meal on its own. So, consider serving a green salad and crusty french bread on the side. Then again, who would pass up some fried okra and blackeyed peas? Not me.
Ingredients for Dirty Rice
please refer to the printable recipe card for detailed ingredients and helpful information
Ground beef and hot breakfast sausage
Frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mix (labeled "Seasoning Blend")
Dry onion soup mix
Worcheshire sauce
Extra long grain rice
Salt and pepper
Parsley
Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama (optional)
Green onions (optional)
How to Make Dirty Rice
please refer to the printable recipe card for detailed directions and step by step photographs
STEP 1: Brown and crumble the ground beef and sausage. Add vegetables. Cook until meats are no longer pink. Drain off grease. Layer on bottom of casserole dish.
STEP 2: Sprinkle rice on top.
STEP 3: Mix water, onion soup mix, and seasonings. Add to meat & rice mixture. Stir. TASTE TEST FOR FLAVOR. Add additional seasonings if desired. Cover. Bake.
STEP 4: When done, stir to fluff.
How to Freeze
Dirty rice freezes very well. There are two different methods:
Bake then Freeze: Make and bake the dirty rice as directed, let it cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Prep then Freeze: Prepare the dirty rice but don't bake it. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
Storage
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids from Bayco, available now on Amazon.
More Cajun and Southern Rice Dishes
Red Beans and Rice with Sausage
If you try this delicious dirty rice recipe, please let me know in the comments below.
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Easy Dirty Rice Recipe
Equipment
- Large Saute Pan
- 9" x 13" casserole dish
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound hot breakfast sausage
- 1 cup frozen chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery mix (1) see notes below if using fresh vegetables
- 2 cups extra long grain rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 1 tbsp Worcheshire sauce
- 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
- ½ tsp salt or cajun seasoning (2) see notes below
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a large saute pan, break up and cook the ground beef and hot sausage. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off the grease.
- Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle raw rice on top.
- Mix the water, onion soup mix, Worcheshire sauce, dried parsley flakes, salt or cajun seasoning, and pepper.
- Pour into casserole dish and mix well with the beef mixture. See recipe note (3) below.
- Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
Notes
Christy
How much rice? I don’t see the amount in the recipe?
MyKitchenSerenity
Hi Christy! Thanks for catching that! It’s 2 cups uncooked long grain rice (extra long grain if you can find it). I’ll get the recipe fixed ☺️
Christy
So, I had to write back to you, as I was in the middle of the recipe last night when I posted to your website. Luckily I added about 2 cups, and it turned out amazing! I also made your red beans and rice the night prior, and (other than not having the correct beans) it was wonderful as well! Thanks so much for posting these fabulous recipes!
Regards,
Christy
MyKitchenSerenity
Christy, I’m SO glad you let me know! I’ve been thinking about this since last night. Sometimes I don’t get comments right away; there’s a lag. You made the right call with 2 cups rice! I’m also happy you liked the red beans and rice. Thank you so much for letting me know that, too. Hope you have a great week!
Anne