Cajun Dirty Rice Ground Beef (Printable)
Spiced ground beef combined with vegetables and fluffy rice for a bold Southern Cajun dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb 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 (for garnish)
→ Rice
08 - 1½ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
→ Liquids
09 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
14 - ½ tsp salt (to taste)
15 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
16 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Herbs
17 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add onion, green and red bell peppers, and celery. Sauté for 6–8 minutes until vegetables are softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne (if using). Stir well to coat meat and vegetables evenly.
04 - Add the rinsed rice and stir to combine, letting the rice toast lightly for 1–2 minutes to enhance flavor.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, garnish with green onions and parsley, and serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means maximum flavor and minimum dishes, a win-win situation I didnt appreciate until my first dinner party left me with a sink full of pans
- The combination of ground beef and aromatic vegetables creates such depth that nobody will guess this came together in under an hour
02 -
- Rinsing rice until the water runs clear is non-negotiable, that's the difference between fluffy grains and a gluey mess I've served to unlucky guests more times than I'll admit
- Letting everything rest off the heat for those 5 minutes seems pointless but it's actually when the rice finishes cooking evenly
03 -
- Homemade Cajun seasoning keeps for months in the pantry and lets you control exactly how much salt goes into your dish
- If your rice is still crunchy after 20 minutes, add a quarter cup more broth and cook for another 5 minutes, but don't stir it or you'll break the grains