Mardi Gras Dirty Rice Beef (Printable)
A spicy Cajun dish with beef, vegetables, and rice cooked together for rich, bold flavors.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz ground beef, 80/20 blend preferred
02 - 3.5 oz chicken livers, finely chopped
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 green onions, sliced plus extra for garnish
08 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
→ Rice & Liquids
09 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
10 - 2 cups chicken broth
11 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning
13 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
14 - ½ tsp dried thyme
15 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
18 - Fresh parsley, chopped
19 - Sliced green onions
# Directions:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
02 - Add ground beef and chicken livers. Cook, breaking up meat with spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño. Sauté 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
05 - Add rice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat rice and vegetables evenly with spices.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
07 - Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 18–20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is fully absorbed.
08 - Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Let rest 5 minutes, then fluff rice with fork and stir in sliced green onions.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra green onions before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The complex spice build creates layers of flavor that develop beautifully as the rice simmers
- Its a complete one-pot meal that feeds a crowd without requiring any fancy techniques
- The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, making it perfect for party prep
02 -
- Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear removes excess starch and prevents the dish from becoming gummy
- Letting the rice rest covered for those extra 5 minutes off the heat helps the grains firm up and separate
- The liquid will look like too much when you first add it, but trust the process—the rice will absorb every drop
03 -
- If you cant find chicken livers or want to avoid them, add a tablespoon of beef bouillon paste to deepen the flavor
- Letting the rice get slightly crispy on the bottom of the pan before adding liquid creates a delicious socarrat-like layer