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Make dirty cauliflower rice with andouille sausage when you need a fast, flavorful, low-carb, and veggie-packed meal!
It's easier than the classic Cajun dirty recipe because it uses cauliflower crumbles which cook in minutes on the stovetop. And, just like our roasted cauliflower recipe, you can even start with frozen cauli-rice without defrosting it first!
You'll love this recipe because:
- It takes 25 minutes to prepare and uses just 1 pan, so it's a perfect addition to our healthy 30 minute meals.
- It's healthy, low-carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and a great way to up veggie consumption.
- It requires minimal ingredients, which are easy to keep on hand.
Jump to:
What is dirty rice?
Traditional Louisiana Creole dirty rice starts with white rice and gets its browned color from cooked chicken livers, ground pork or ground beef. The Cajun trinity mixture of onion, celery, and bell peppers is found and so are spicy seasonings.
We skipped the giblets and grains, but not the vegetables and seasoning. And, it still has all the bold flavors you would expect!
Ingredients
Below are the basic ingredients in dirty Cajun cauliflower rice. We added sausage to make it a meal. But, you can leave it out and make a side dish instead.
It's fantastic with this blackened shrimp recipe instead!
Cauliflower Rice Options
Cauliflower chopped into tiny little crumbles or "rice" can be found all over the grocery store now! It doesn't taste like rice. But, it has a similar texture and is a healthy, low-carb swap for a traditional grain in Cajun cauliflower rice. You'll need about 4 cups for this recipe. Here are some ways to get that:
- Fresh crumbles from the produce aisle (Eat Smart is one brand that is commonly found in grocery stores. One bag has 4 cups.)
- Frozen in the freezer aisle Look for products without added salt or seasoning. (A large 40 ounce bag of Green Giant Cauliflower Riced Veggies is always in my freezer.) Use the back of a spoon to break up clumps and just measure it out frozen. You do not need to thaw it out first! You can also buy two 10-ounce bags for this recipe, which yields about 4 ½ cups.
- Make it yourself! Cut florets from a cauliflower head. Place them, along with the stalks, into a food processor. Pulse several times until the cauliflower resembles grains. Be careful not to process too much or you'll end up with puree! 1 head of cauliflower yields about 4 cups of cauliflower rice.
DIY Cajun Seasoning Blend
Use your favorite Cajun seasoning to make dirty cauliflower rice. Or, create your own blend. This is our go-to combination. The recipe instructions include the exact amount for this recipe. However, we recommend sizing up the recipe so you always have some on hand.
- Paprika (sweet or smoky)
- Salt
- Cayenne Pepper
- Ground Cumin
- Thyme (ground or dried leaves)
- White Pepper
- Onion Powder
Andouille Sausage
Although any type of sausage will turn Cajun cauliflower rice into a meal, andouille sausage is particularly fitting because of its frequent use in this type of cuisine. It's made with pork and spicy seasonings.
It's also fully cooked, which cuts down on the start-to-finish time. It simply needs to be browned and heated along with the vegetables.
Note: Any type of cooked sausage can be substituted in this recipe, including plant-based, to make this a vegan recipe.
How to Make Dirty Cauliflower Rice
Here's how to make quick and easy Cajun Cauliflower Rice with Andouille Sausage:
- Heat olive over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Saute diced onion, bell pepper, and celery for about 3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
- Add sliced sausage to the skillet and cook for about 7 minutes more or until sausage is cooked through and browned.
- Note: Sausage can also be cooked on the side or microwaved if you are serving varied diets, such as a plant-based.
- Add cauliflower rice and Cajun spice blend to the skillet and stir to combine. You do not need to defrost frozen cauliflower rice first. But, be sure to break up any pieces that are frozen together before adding it to the skillet.
- Note: If you're not accustomed to spicy seasoning, then adjust the seasoning to taste. Start with 2 teaspoons. You can always add more. We used 1 Tablespoon (or 3 teaspoons) of seasoning.
- Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. There's no need to stir. The cauliflower rice will soften and become tender during this time.
Garnish with parsley or green onion and enjoy!
How to Store, Reheat, and Freeze
I hope you have leftover dirty cauliflower rice! It's fantastic the next day.
- Store - Place leftover Cajun cauliflower rice in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Tip: Store in single serve containers for make ahead lunches during the week.
- Reheat - Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freeze - Leftovers may be frozen in an airtight storage container. However, the re-heated dish won't be quite as good as it was fresh. Store up to 3 months. May be microwaved from frozen or defrosted overnight in the refrigerator and then warmed.
More Healthy Cajun Recipes
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Dirty Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion 1 medium onion
- 1 cup diced celery 2 stalks
- 1 cup diced bell pepper 1 large, any color
- 12 ounces Andouille sausage sliced or quartered; or any cooked sausage
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or creole seasoning see DIY blend below
- 4 cups cauliflower rice or crumbles Note below on various purchasing or prepping options
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup parsley or green onion for garnish (optional)
DIY Cajun Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- If making the DIY Cajun spice blend, add all of the spices to a small bowl, mix together and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add diced onions, celery, and bell peppers to the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
- Add sliced sausage to skillet and cook for about 7 minutes more until sausage is cooked through and browned.
- Add cauliflower rice and Cajun spice blend to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. There's no need to stir.
- Uncover and top with optional garnish, such as parsley or green onions.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Fresh crumbles from the produce aisle (Eat Smart is one brand that is commonly found in grocery stores. One bag has 4 cups.)
- Frozen in the freezer aisle Look for products without added salt or seasoning. (A large 40 ounce bag of Green Giant Cauliflower Riced Veggies is always in my freezer.) Use the back of a spoon to break up clumps and just measure it out frozen. You do not need to thaw it out first! You can also buy two 10-ounce bags for this recipe, which yields about 4 ½ cups.
- Make it yourself! Cut florets from a cauliflower head. Place them, along with the stalks, into a food processor. Pulse several times until the cauliflower resembles grains. Be careful not to process too much or you'll end up with puree! 1 head of cauliflower yields about 4 cups of cauliflower rice.
- Store - Place leftover Cajun cauliflower rice in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Tip: Store in single serve containers for make ahead lunches during the week.
- Reheat - Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freeze - Leftovers may be frozen in an airtight storage container. However, the re-heated dish won't be quite as good as it was fresh. Store up to 3 months. May be microwaved from frozen or defrosted overnight in the refrigerator and then warmed.
Liz says
This recipe was very easy to make! I used a chicken sausage instead of andouille, but it still had lots of flavor and we devoured it in one sitting.
Marjory Pilley says
Thanks so much for circling back to share your feedback. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!