Description
Spicy Louisiana-style dirty rice with ground beef delivers bold Creole flavors that dance across your palate. Southern comfort meets culinary excitement in this hearty one-pot meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound ground beef
Vegetables:
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Grains and Seasonings:
- 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional Garnish:
- Green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Ignite the ground beef in a spacious skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil, methodically fragmenting the meat while it caramelizes and releasing its rich flavors.
- Introduce diced aromatics – onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic – allowing them to soften and release their fragrant essence into the meat mixture for approximately 4 minutes.
- Incorporate uncooked rice, gently toasting the grains to amplify their nutty undertones and enhance overall depth of flavor.
- Lavish the mixture with robust seasonings: smoked paprika, dried thyme, Cajun spice blend, and cracked black pepper, stirring to distribute the complex flavor profile evenly.
- Pour chicken broth into the skillet, creating a liquid foundation that will transform the rice into a tender, succulent base. Elevate to a rolling boil momentarily.
- Reduce temperature to low, seal the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and allow the rice to gently simmer for 20 minutes, absorbing liquid and developing a perfectly tender texture.
- Remove from heat, delicately fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains, and garnish with freshly chopped green onions for a vibrant, crisp finish. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Drain beef thoroughly to prevent greasy rice and ensure a clean, delicious texture.
- Toast rice carefully for enhanced nutty flavor, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for lighter, healthier versions.
- Customize Cajun seasoning levels to control spice intensity for different heat preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 349 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg