Dirty Rice with Sausage
Made with Zatarain’s Dirty Rice, Andouille sausage, chopped veggies, and spices, this Cajun dirty rice dish is loaded with flavor!
Dirty Rice with Sausage makes a fast and easy one pot meal that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Cajun Dirty Rice Recipe with Sausage
This classic Southern dish combines seasoned rice with savory sausage, creating a symphony of flavors that will leave you wanting more.
Each bite is packed with a perfect blend of spices, Zataran rice, ham, ground beef, sausage, and bell peppers, creating a hearty and comforting dish that is sure to satisfy.
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I like to amp up Dirty Rice with Sausage by adding ham, ground beef, and on occasion, shrimp!
Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or simply treating yourself, our dirty rice with sausage is the ultimate comfort food that will transport you to the heart of the South with every spoonful.
What to Love
- This is a fabulous way to doctor up boxed Cajun rice for a speedy meal.
- Customize this one pot dinner by adding whichever types of meat and vegetables you prefer.
- Dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
Ingredients for Easy Dirty Rice
- A box of Zatarain’s Dirty Rice Blend (you could probably substitute any one of their rice blends truly)
- Andouille sausage
- Ham
- Ground beef
- Shrimp, optional
- Bell peppers
- Garlic
- Onion
How Do You Make Dirty Rice?
In a Dutch oven with a good-fitting lid, over medium high heat, add a bit of olive oil. When the oil is nicely hot, add the sausage and ham steak pieces, browning them on all sides.
Move the ham and sausage pieces to the outer edge of the pot, then add the ground beef to the center.
Cook and crumble the ground beef until no pink remains, then stir to combine all the meats together.
Add the onion and bell peppers to the meat in the pot, along with the entire contents of Zatarain’s Dirty Rice box and 4 cups water, stirring to combine.
If you add shrimp to the Dirty Rice, do it at this point in the recipe.
Bring the contents of the pot to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
Simmer the Dirty Rice for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Serve at once.
Is Dirty Rice the Same Thing As Cajun Rice?
Some would say YES, and some would say NO. In my book, they are pretty much the same dish.
Maybe Cajun cooks feel like true Cajun rice has all the traditional Cajun spices, while Dirty Rice might not; hard to tell. Either way, they are both delicious one-pan meals.
Can You Add Any Type of Meat to Dirty Rice?
It’s delicious no matter which meats and vegetables you add to the mix.
If you don’t have Andouille sausage as the recipe calls for, use smoked sausage or Kielbasa sausage.
If you don’t have ground beef on hand, but have a package of ground pork that needs to be used, make the swap! There’s no wrong way to make dirty rice.
Is Dirty Rice a Good Dish for Company?
I swear, it seems like everybody ADORES Dirty Rice when I serve it. I can’t think of an easier dish to serve when you have a big group of hungry people.
If you have a really big pot, you could easily double this recipe for your clan, or make two pots simultaneously – it works just great and you can have it ready in minutes.
Is Dirty Rice Economical?
Dirty rice is economical because the base is rice and vegetables, with some meat added in.
For instance, you can add a little bit of ground beef, a little bit of shrimp, some leftover grilled steak, or lots of inexpensive smoked sausage….whatever works!
You’ll get rice, meat, and veggies in almost every bite of Dirty Rice…could there be anything more delicious??
Can You Make Dirty Rice Ahead and Reheat Later?
I do this ALL the time and it works great. Just remember that you might need to stir in more liquid since the rice will absorb most of the liquid in the pot while it sits.
Sometimes I make my Dirty Rice in the morning, let it cool, then pop it into the fridge until dinner. Reheat Dirty Rice over low heat, covered with the lid.
What To Eat With Dirty Rice?
Peasant Bread goes good with Dirty Rice. It’s good for sopping up juices or even as a “spoon” for transporting that good stuff to your lips.
Sometimes I also serve a So-Good Spinach Salad.
Tips for Making
Sometimes rice can absorb a lot of liquid before you realize it.
You want your Dirty Rice to be nice and moist when served. You can add more water to the Dirty Rice to keep it moist.
Add more bell peppers and onions if you’re serving Dirty Rice to an adult crowd – they will love it.
Add more meat to the Dirty Rice if you happen to be serving this dish to men – they always love finding extra meat added to Dirty Rice.
Don’t add any extra seasonings to this dish until you give it a taste test first.
Boxed rice blends have a lot of seasonings added already (and usually plenty of sodium, too) so taste everything first before adding anything else.
I’ve found that another great way to stretch Dirty Rice is to add beans to the mix – such as chili beans or pinto beans. **This addition may turn Dirty Rice into Red Beans and Rice. Technically, I’m just not sure. Regardless, it works, and it’s delicious.
More Favorite Easy Recipes
When my food budget is running low, I like to make Sausage, Potato and Cabbage Sheet Pan Dinner since kielbasa is such an inexpensive meat.
If you love sheet pan dinners with lots of veggies incorporated into them. you’ll enjoy Honey-Thyme Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan Meal, and also Saucy Asian Chicken and Broccoli.
You are just 4 steps and mere minutes away from a big delicious pan of chicken Taco Rice Casserole. Stir the ingredients together, spread in a 9×13 baking dish, and bake!
SOUTHWEST CUTLETS WITH CALICO RICE and this California Skillet are an easy one-skillet meat and rice meal made all in one skillet.
If you’re on the lookout for a good low-carb skillet meal, TEX MEX CAULIFLOWER RICE WITH GROUND BEEF is very flavorful and filling.
When you’ve got a pork tenderloin to use, make Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Black Beans and Rice.
Dirty Rice with Sausage
Ingredients
- 12 oz. box Zatarain’s Dirty Rice (Long Grain Rice Mix with Vegetables and Spices)
- 6 oz. Andouille sausage (I use Aidell's All-Natural Cajun Andouille Sausage)
- 1/2 lb. ham steak (or any leftover cooked ham) chopped
- 1/2 – 1 lb. ground beef (I use ground chuck since it's more fatty)
- 12 oz. raw small shrimp peeled and deveined, optional
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 1 small red bell pepper seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven with a good-fitting lid, over medium high heat, add a bit of olive oil.
- When the oil is nicely hot, add the sausage and ham steak pieces, browning them on all sides.
- Move the ham and sausage pieces to the outer edge of the pot, then add the ground beef to the center. Cook and crumble the ground beef until no pink remains, then stir to combine all the meats together.
- Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers to the meat in the pot, along with the entire contents of the Zatarain’s Dirty Rice box and 4 cups water, stirring to combine. Bring the contents of the pot to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
- Simmer the Dirty Rice for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Serve at once.
Nutrition
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