Cajun Dirty Rice Ground Beef (Printable)

Southern-style spiced beef with peppers and fluffy rice seasoned with bold Cajun spices.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound ground beef (85% lean preferred)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Rice

08 - 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Herbs

17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add onion, green and red bell peppers, and celery to the skillet. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until vegetables have softened and developed slight color.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper over the mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat meat and vegetables evenly.
04 - Add rinsed rice to the skillet and stir to combine with the beef and vegetable mixture. Allow rice to toast lightly for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been fully absorbed.
06 - Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes to allow rice to settle. Fluff with a fork, garnish with green onions and parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It turns humble ground beef and rice into something that tastes like it came from a grandmother who spent decades perfecting the recipe
  • The whole house smells incredible while it cooks, like you have secrets you are not ready to share
  • Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • Never skip toasting the rice in the seasoned fat, it is the difference between restaurant quality dirty rice and plain rice with ground beef mixed in
  • Resist the urge to check on the rice while it simmers, every time you lift that lid you let out steam and the rice will not cook evenly
  • The rice needs at least 5 minutes of resting time off the heat, this is when the texture really comes together
03 -
  • Make your own Cajun seasoning blend with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne, then keep a jar in your pantry for whenever the craving hits
  • If the rice is still slightly crunchy after 20 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of broth, cover again, and cook for another 5 minutes

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