This easy Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe with Sausage is sure to start a party whether it’s Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday…or a run of the mill weeknight. It’s a hearty side or it can be a one-dish meal.
Are you in a party mood? Well, you will be once you see how easy it is to make this festive dish with healthy ingredient swaps. It’s presented as side dish. But, double up on the protein or add Baked Blackened Chicken or Spicy Shrimp and you’ll have a complete meal.
As with Vegetable Rice Pilaf which is very similar, you’ve got lots of options, including storing some in the freezer for later!
What is dirty rice?
Classic Cajun dirty rice starts with white rice that gets “dirty” from finely chopped chicken livers and ground pork. Sauteed onions, celery and red pepper give it flavor. The spice comes from Cajun or Creole seasonings.
It’s often served as a side dish for Mardi Gras celebrations that occur before Lent begins.
It definitely should be eaten year round!
How to make Easy Cajun Dirty Rice
Although I’m sure that the traditional version of this Mardi Gras staple is very delicious, let me tempt you with an easier, healthier recipe.
Use a food processor to crumble fully cooked sausage! It doesn’t get any easier than that. I’m partial to chicken and apple sausage. But, andouille sausage would work too. Be sure to use a nitrite-free product. We use the same trick to make Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice.
Use brown rice instead of white!
While the rice is cooking, saute onions, celery, peppers and garlic in olive and butter.
Stir the cooked rice and sausage into the sauteed vegetables and season everything with Cajun spices.
Garnish with green onions and, to quote my favorite Louisiana chef, BAM! You’re done!
Please rate this Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe below and tag @DinnerMom on social media. We love to see what you are cooking up!
Whether it's Mardi Gras or a run of the mill weeknight, use our short-cut to get Cajun dirty rice bowls ready fast.
- 1 cup long grain brown rice jasmine or basmati
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 cup red pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice mix or try this homemade spice blend
- 12 ounces cooked sausage nitrite free
- 1 bunch green onion sliced, optional garnish
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Cook rice according to instructions using broth instead of water. Rice should be light and fluffy and all the broth should be absorbed when finished.
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Finely cut and mash sausage until it is a crumbly consistency. Chop in a food processor if desired. Set aside.
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Heat olive oil and butter in a large pan.
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Add onion, celery, pepper and garlic to pan and saute until soft, about 5 minutes
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Add sausage to pan and mix to combine.
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When rice is finished cooking add it to the pan with the sausage and vegetables and mix to combine.
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Stir in Cajun spice.
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Top with green onions.
Add a can of red beans for a protein boost and to make this a hearty main meal.
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Hello! We’re sharing easy and healthy recipes the whole family will love! Why am I called the Dinner-Mom? 
LOL my girls would have said the same thing… they have such a sweet tooth! 🙂
I love your recipe for Dirty Rice bowls!
Thanks! We love our sweets!
My family would vote for all desserts on Fat Tuesday, too!!! But your dirty rice bowls look like a delicious way to start the meal…and still have room for dessert!
Yes! So many decadent recipes on the menu today!
I love experimenting with homemade rice pilaf’s! I’m adding this one to my list, this could easily be dinner in one dish!
Thanks Tammi! I’ve got a few more variations in the works too.
Mmmm, I love dirty rice!
Thanks! It’s spicy and a bit addictive!
We love Rice Bowls and this one looks soooo good!!
Thank you. We enjoyed them very much!
Yum, yum, yum, man does that look good!! For some reason my cereal just isn’t cutting it right now!!
Lol. It’s hard to read these Sunday Supper posts over breakfast!
What a great dinner for any night!
Yes. Perfect for an easy week night dinner..or lunch.
Yum! This would be a great weeknight meal. Satisfying and a little spicy, just the way I like it!
Thanks Courtney!
What a perfect dish! I love how healthy it is and ohhhh, I would so put this on a taco and eat it!!
Thanks Jennifer! What a great idea!
I love dirty rice but I have a confession to make. Me the queen of never cooking something from a box has never made dirty rice from scratch, I use to always buy that box mix. Admittedly it has been at least 8 years since I had it, I think I need to introduce my family to it.
This version is definitely easy! Let me know if you try it!
I loooove dirty rice! I would pile a big ol’ bowl high and settle in – looks amazing Marjory.
Thanks Heather! I always have a big smile when I have a big bowl to enjoy!
I’ve had a few different versions of dirty rice before, it’s always delicious!
Hope your girls enjoy…and you indulge in lots of cake and goodies too!
Thanks Shaina! That’s the plan.
sounds delicious. looks like something I need to try! 🙂
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!
I love the “we should have lots of cake!” sounds like my house! Enjoy your goodies!
Thanks! Always a party around here!
I love dirty rice but never knew how to make it. Can’t wait to give this delicious looking dish a try!!
Thanks Betsy! This version is verrry easy!
Love dirty rice. I’ve never made it homemade from scratch before though.
I love a good rice bowl…it’s easy too.
What a beautiful bowl of deliciousness, Marjory! I love that you used chopped sausage because it has so much flavor.
In Louisiana, the grocery stores make this easy for you because you can actually buy a packet in the meat section called rice dressing mix and all you have to do is cook it and add your rice and spices.
Thanks Stacy! It’s always so interesting to learn what grocery stores in other areas stock. A rice dressing mix certainly would make things easy!
Mmmmm! I love a rice bowl…and these sound perfect for dinner OR lunch. Or a snack…lol…
Thanks Katie! Come to think of it, it would be a pretty tasty snack!
Cajun Dirty Rice is one of my favorite side dishes. I love this recipe!!!
Too fun! I served dirty rice a few months ago and small one said that she couldn’t eat it because it was dirty.
Gorgeous recipe!
I love dishes that improve on the 2nd day — yea for this one!
Oh I love, love, love dirty rice! Seriously one of my favorite Cajun dishes.
I never knew what “dirty rice” was until now! It’s pretty much like Cajun version of fried rice!! LOVE it!
This sounds so easy! We love dirty rice!
This dish does look really tasty and perfect for Fat Tuesday! I think I may have all the ingredients on hand to give it a try soon…
This looks so delicious and flavourful! I’ve pinned so that I can make this asap.
I’m up for this kind of rice dish anytime!
Okay seriously, forget the bowl, I need a trough to eat enough of this to make me happy. This looks absolutely delicious. Love, love, love.
I forgot how good dirty rice was!
Oh I just love dirty rice. I haven’t made it in years! Thanks so much for the reminder of this great dish. Pinning!!
Using sausage instead of chicken livers is brilliant! I think it why my husband has never cared for dirty rice. I’ll have to make this recipe for him and see if it will change his view on it.
Yummmmmm…….. This looks delish. I have to say that I would lean toward cake, too. 😉
I don’t think I could eat chicken livers. The sausage is perfect. Adding this to my party menu.
I hope you enjoy it!