Are you a fan of bold Cajun flavors? This recipe for dirty rice with sausage is a main dish that's right up your alley, then. It’s a fast and easy dinner that’ll keep the whole family satisfied, and it has loads of veggies in it, too.
Cooked rice and sausage
I’ve shared my adaptation of Cajun chicken and sausage jambalaya, and this Cajun dirty rice with sausage is a very similar recipe.
This time around, however, we’re not using any chicken, and we’re going with ground pork sausage instead of kielbasa. We’re also flavoring the meal with chicken broth rather than with crushed tomatoes.
Either way, this southern inspired recipe is incredible and full of so much flavor! If you and your family love anything even remotely close to Cajun cuisine, this is another one to keep in the recipe box.
There's something comforting about a rice and sausage dinner after a long day.
My version of dirty rice uses ground sausage instead of traditional dirty rice which uses chicken livers or gizzards.
If you're a rice fan you'll also love Baked Chicken and Rice Casserole and Slow Cooker Brown Rice.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
Rice and sausage are on rotation at my house because it’s…
- It's quick to make – This meal takes less than a half hour to cook. You know I’m always looking for one pot meals for my family since we’re always on the go…and this is a great one.
- Full of flavor – A fast dish doesn’t have to be an unsatisfying one. Dirty rice with sausage has loads of cajun flavor in it, with savoriness and smokiness in equal measure. It’s mouth-watering!
- Full of veggies – Super important! This may not be an issue for you, but I’m always concerned everyone in my family isn’t eating enough vegetables…even the adults. However, this is a meal with pepper, celery, onion, and many other tasty treats.
If cozy food is what you're crazing, be sure to check out my Dutch oven chicken noodle soup, too!
Ingredients
The recipe card below has exact quantities of the ingredients you'll need.
- Ground pork breakfast sausage – you can also use bulk pork sausage or pork sausage links with the skins removed.
- Yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery – this the Holy trinity of Cajun cooking! These tasty veggies cook with your sausage. You’ll want these finely diced.
- Minced garlic, cajun spice, salt, and pepper – your spices add a beautiful savory flavor to this dish. Cajun spice, in particular, shouldn’t be left out! It’s usually a mixture of cayenne, paprika, oregano, and a few other seasonings, providing smokiness to the meal (but not too much heat).
- Long grain rice – such as basmati or long grain white rice
- Salt – to taste. You may not need any salt at all. It’ll depend on what kind of chicken broth you use. If you use low sodium, you’ll want to use just a pinch of salt because the broth and sausages add a lot of flavor already.
- Chicken broth, dried thyme, bay leaves – you’ll let your dirty rice cook with these thrown in the skillet. You can use store bought chicken broth or make homemade chicken stock.
- Green onion, scallions, cilantro, etc – they're pretty but you can skip them if you don't have them.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
If you don't have pork sausage, here are a few meats that go well with dirty sausage you could use.
- Ground beef
- Smoked sausage
- Diced kielbasa
Instructions
If you can cook sausage, veggies, and rice, you already know how to make this recipe. It’s simple!
Step 1: Cook the sausage. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, breaking it down into small pieces with a wooden spatula as it cooks. Continue to cook it until it’s no longer pink.
Drain the fat, and remove it to a plate. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook your veggies. In the same skillet, saute the onion, bell pepper, and celery. When the onion begins to turn translucent, add in the garlic, cajun spices, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
Step 3: Cook your rice. Stir in uncooked rice. Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme, and return the meat to the skillet.
Then bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 4: Let it all simmer and enjoy. Simmer your dirty rice with sausage for 18 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked through and tender.
Fluff the rice with a fork, remove the bay leaves, and top it with green onions. Now it’s ready to serve!
Variations
Proteins: While sausage is the primary protein in dirty rice, you can also add other proteins like ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey to create a mix. To give a little Italian Cajun flair, use Italian sausage crumbles.
Rice: Traditionally, long-grain white rice is used, but you can use brown rice or other varieties if you prefer. You might even use cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative.
Garnishes: Top your dirty rice with green onions, chopped fresh parsley, or a squeeze of lemon for a burst of freshness.
Storage
Leftover dirty rice will stay fresh for 3-4 days. Use an airtight container, and when you’re ready to reheat it, you can throw the leftovers in the skillet over medium-low heat.
Or use the microwave then - your choice!
What to serve with dirty rice
This has your protein, starch and veggies all in one! A simple green salad with some healthy ranch dressing is a great compliment to this dish.
Yes, absolutely. Cook as outlined then allow to cool. Add to an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze for 2-3 months.
If you make this dirty rice recipe leave a recipe review or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!
Related
Looking for other one pan recipes? Try these:
Dirty Rice with Sausage
Ingredients
- 11 ounces pork sausage links with skins removed
- 1 cup yellow onion finely diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper cut into a medium small dice
- ¾ cup celery about 2-3 stalks, diced
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon Cajun spice
- 1 cup long grain rice such as basmati uncooked and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt to taste
- 2 large bay leaves
- Green onion scallions or fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook the sausage, breaking it down into small pieces with a wooden spatula as it cooks. Continue to cook until no longer pink. Drain fat, and remove to a plate. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, saute onion, bell pepper and celery. When the onion begins to turn translucent, add in the garlic, cajun, salt, pepper. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in uncooked rice. Add the broth, bay leaves and thyme, and return the meat to the skillet.
- Bring to a boil, then cover with lid and to cook rice. Reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer for 18 minutes until all the water has evaporated and rice is cooked through and tender..
- Fluff the rice with a fork, remove the bay leaves and top with green onions.
Notes
Tips:
Top with more cajun seasoning for serving if you like it spicy. Be careful with seasoning, you may not need to use any salt at all here. If not sure, best to season with salt and pepper after the rice has cooked through. Depending on which meat you use, it has plenty of seasonings and spices already.How to store leftovers
Store the leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the skillet over medium low heat.Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
