This Cajun dirty rice with smoked sausage is loaded with flavor and makes the perfect Southern side dish or entree! Flavored with Cajun spices, the holy trinity, and spicy smoked sausage, this dirty rice is a real crowd-pleaser.
Dirty rice is one of my favorite Louisiana recipes. While traditional dirty rice is made with chicken livers and gizzards, this smoked sausage variation is a tasty spin on a classic dish. For more delicious Cajun recipes, check out our Cajun Jambalaya Pasta and Cajun Crawfish Etouffee recipes next!
Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
- Long-grain rice. Rice is the base of the dish and long-grain works best to give the dish structure.
- Chicken stock. The rice is boiled in chicken stock instead of water for added flavor. You can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Butter and extra virgin olive oil. These are the fats that the sausage and veggies are cooked in.
- Smoked sausage. This recipe calls for 12 ounces of your favorite smoked sausage. You may use andouille, beef sausage, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage. See how I also use smoked sausage in my cajun chicken and sausage dip and fried potatoes with smoked sausage.
- Yellow onion. You need one small chopped yellow onion for this recipe.
- Red bell pepper. This recipe calls for one medium red bell pepper. Seed and chop the bell pepper.
- Celery. Chop one large celery stalk for this recipe by slicing it lengthwise and then chopping it into half-moons. See how we use chopped celery to flavor our creamy cajun potato soup.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is a must for this dish and adds delicious flavor.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. These are the spices and herbs used to add flavor to the dish.
How To Make This Recipe
- Cook the rice in the chicken stock until tender according to package instructions. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
- In a medium cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with the olive oil. Add the smoked sausage to the skillet and cook until the sausage is browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until the veggies begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute.
- Season the sausage and vegetables with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Add a little bit of chicken stock to the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits with the wooden spoon. Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir to combine the rice with the veggies and sausage. Continue to cook while stirring for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little more chicken stock if needed so that the rice isn't dry.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the rice to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
What Is Dirty Rice?
Dirty rice is a side dish that is very popular in the southern US, particularly in Louisiana. Dirty rice is traditionally made with long-grain rice, the "holy trinity" as it's known in Cajun and Creole cooking, of onion, bell pepper, and celery, ground beef or pork, ground chicken gizzards, and/or chicken livers.
The dish gets its name from the "dirty" look it has from cooking the ground chicken livers and gizzards with the rice. Many variations of dirty rice omit the chicken gizzards and livers as they can be a bit overpowering for some tastebuds.
Variations and Substitutions
Dirty rice can be made with a number of different proteins, although some would argue that it's no longer "dirty rice" if not made with chicken gizzards and livers, but instead "cajun rice".
Whatever you choose to call this delicious dish, feel free to try it out with some of these suggestions:
- Ground turkey
- Ground chicken
- Shrimp. Love shrimp? Try our cajun shrimp boil next!
- Chopped chicken breasts
- Ground sausage
I don't suggest getting too creative with vegetable choices since the "holy trinity" is the holy grail in cajun cooking!
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
This dirty rice can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Just reheat the rice in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Leftover dirty rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What to Serve with Dirty Rice
This is the fun part! If you're a return visitor you probably know that I LOVE Cajun and Creole cuisine! There are so many dishes that you can pair this dirty with. It can also be served as a full meal on its own with just a side of crusty bread or cornbread.
Try pairing this dirty rice with some of these suggestions:
- Hot Honey Butter Chicken Thighs
- Blackened or fried fish
- Blackened or fried shrimp
- Po'Boy sandwiches
- Crab cakes
More Cajun-Inspired Recipes You Will Love!
📖 Recipe
Cajun Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 ¼ cups chicken stock - divided
- 1 tablespoon butter - unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - extra virgin
- 12 ounces smoked sausage - about 4 medium links
- 1 small yellow onion - chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
- 1 large stalk celery - chopped into half moons
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and cracked black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice in 2 cups of chicken stock until tender according to package instructions. Fluff the rice with a fork and set aside.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with the olive oil. Add the smoked sausage to the skillet and cook until the sausage is browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until the veggies begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute.
- Season the sausage and vegetables with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Add a little bit of chicken stock to the skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits with the wooden spoon. Add the cooked rice to the skillet and stir to combine the rice with the veggies and sausage. Continue to cook while stirring for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little more chicken stock if needed so that the rice isn't dry.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the rice to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- You may use pork, chicken, turkey, or plant-based smoked sausage.
- Leftover dirty rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
AlliE7117
I have made this so many times I feel the need to stop and write a quick review. This is one the whole family enjoys. Since there are 6 of us and 4 are teenagers, I have to double the recipe. I found a shortcut by cooking it all on two sheet pans in the oven (flipping the sausage once). After it looks nice and browned, I take the cooked rice and toss it around on the sheet pan so it soaks up all the juices and flavors. I have also added in green beans for an extra vegetable, making it a one-pan meal. Thank you so much!
Ashley Boyd
Thank you for the kind review! I love your adaptations and will have to give them a try myself. Blessings to you and your family!
Mary Keeton
Can you use jarred roasted red peppers in place of raw red pepper?
Ashley Boyd
Sure. Just add them toward the end instead of with the raw onion.
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