Dirty Rice

4.80 from 5 votes

This easy Dirty Rice recipe is full of Cajun flavor and spices with peppers, celery, and onion. It's a savory combination of amazing textures that is great as a side dish but satisfying enough to serve for dinner on its own.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 498kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Equipment

6-quart Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef, ground pork, or ground sausage
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups beef broth
1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

Turn your instant pot to saute or set a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the ground meat and crumble with a wooden spoon. Cook and crumble the meat until it is browned, then transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and drain off any excess grease.
Add the oil. When hot, add the onions, pepper, celery, and garlic. Saute the vegetables until the onions are translucent.
Turn off the Instant Pot and add the cooked ground beef, rice, broth, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and tabasco sauce into the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits of vegetables or ground beef. Cover and seal with the lid, then set the Instant Pot to cook on High pressure for 5 minutes. If using a dutch oven on the stovetop, bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release for ten minutes naturally, then release any remaining pressure and remove the lid. Stir well, then taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more Cajun seasoning or salt and pepper, as needed.
Sprinkle the green onions on top before serving.

Notes

How to store: Leftovers will be good kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days.
How to freeze: If you want to double the batch and freeze, let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. We like to do this in individual portions for easy reheating later. Freeze for up to 2 months.
How to reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or transfer to an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Reheat for 10-15 minutes at 350°F until hot before serving. You may need to add a splash of water since rice tends to dry out over time.
Cajun seasoning: You can make your own, or we like the Slap Yo Mama or Tony Chachere's seasoning blends.
Healthier version: If you want to cut back on calories, you can replace the white rice with brown rice and use ground turkeys instead of ground beef or sausage.
Stuffed peppers: Dirty rice makes a great filler for hollowed out bell peppers. Just remove the stems and seeds then cut the peppers in half and fill them up with about 1 cup of dirty rice each. Sprinkle some parmesan or mozzarella cheese on top, then bake for 20-30 minutes at 375°F until the peppers have softened for a delicious and healthy main.

Nutrition