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    The Yummy Bowl » Recipes » Dinner

    Sausage Dirty Rice

    Sep 28, 2022 · Modified: Mar 22, 2023 by Julia | The Yummy Bowl · This post contains affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    Sausage Dirty Rice in the skillet

    Sausage dirty rice is a delicious one-pot Southern Louisiana dish made with jasmine rice, cajun seasoning, chopped bell peppers, celery, onion, broth, and ground sausage. This version of dirty rice calls for simple ingredients that can be made in one large pot or skillet for easy weeknight dinners.

    Serve your cajun dirty rice with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a side salad.

    If you love one-pot skillet recipes like this, you should definitely try these readers' favorites: Creamy Mushroom Pasta With Truffle Oil, Pasta In White Wine Sauce, Chicken Lo Mein.

    There is a skip-to-recipe button in the top left corner along with a clickable table of contents list (just below) that will quickly take you to the part you are more interested in. Enjoy!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Freezing And Storing Instructions
    • FAQ
    • Easy One-Pot Skillet Recipes
    • One Pot Sausage Dirty Rice

    Ingredients

    My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!

    The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.

    • Pork breakfast sausage - I’ve used Cumberland breakfast sausage, but you can use something similar such as ground pork, bulk pork sausage, ground beef, Italian sausage, cajun sausage, turkey sausage, or beef sausage. Make sure to have the skins removed for this recipe. Gluten free note: different brands vary. Whatever sausage you use, check the ingredients to make sure it is gluten-free or use ground meat instead.
    • Onion - I’ve used brown onion, finely diced, but you could also use yellow onion. 
    • Bell pepper - Green bell peppers are excellent, but you can use red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper as well. Dice the bell pepper into small pieces but not very fine otherwise, it will wilt while cooking. 
    • Celery - You’ll need 2-3 stalks, diced. 
    • Garlic - Using garlic cloves will offer the best flavor. I’ve used 4 garlic cloves which is about 1 teaspoon's worth. Pre-minced garlic or garlic powder could also be used. 
    • Seasoning and spices - This dish includes cajun spice, salt, and black pepper. 
    • Herbs - Thyme (2-3 sprigs or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme) and 2 large bay leaves. 
    • Broth - I’ve used chicken and veggie broth, beef or just vegetable broth is totally fine too. If you use store-bought, then opt for low sodium if possible. This way you can regulate the amount of seasoning and salt.
    • Rice - Long grain rice such as basmati or jasmin is ideal. We are cooking everything in one pan, including rice, so it should go in uncooked. I do however rinse it before. Brown rice is another option although it will require additional cooking time.
    • Garnish - Use green onions, scallions, chopped parsley, or cilantro as garnish. 

    Instructions

    In a large skillet, cook the sausage meat over medium-high heat, breaking it down into small pieces with a wooden spatula.

    Cook until no longer pink. Drain the fat and remove it to a side plate.

    In the same skillet, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery. When the onion is becoming translucent add garlic, cajun, salt, and pepper.

    Cook for another 30 seconds. 

    Stir in uncooked rice (I washed and rinsed it prior), pour in the broth, add bay leaves, and thyme, and return the meat to the skillet.

    Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 18 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked. 

    Fluff the rice with a fork, remove the thyme, and bay leaves and serve with green onions.

    Tips

    • You can use leftover rice for this traditional dirty rice, but then reduce the cooking time when adding the rice to the skillet otherwise, the rice will become mushy. 
    • Pork breakfast sausage provides delicious flavor from the fat content. You could also use ground hamburger or another sausage, such as chicken, turkey, or even plant-based smoked sausage.  

    I recommend rinsing the rice before adding it to the skillet to eliminate debris. Rinsing the rice also removes some excess starch which helps prevent the rice from clumping.

    • This rice dish can easily be doubled if you plan on serving a larger crowd. 
    Sausage Dirty Rice in a black bowl
    • This delicious dish isn’t overly spicy, the heat will depend on which sausage you are using and the amount of cajun seasoning. I have added just a little of the seasoning as mentioned in the recipe and it is well seasoned and not spicy.

    Usually, breakfast sausages come with seasoning and herbs, so you are getting plenty of flavors! Also, even low-sodium broth will add a lot of flavors. This means you don't need to add any salt or pepper. Add it to taste toward the end of cooking, if needed at all.

    Serving Suggestions

    The dirty rice is very fulfilling on its own!

    I prefer serving this with a very simple garden salad or cucumber and tomato salad. These are our family's favorite and so easy to whip up!

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    Freezing And Storing Instructions

    To store, allow the dish to cool and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. When reheating add some warm water or broth so it's not dry.

    Sausage Dirty Rice in a black bowl

    To freeze allow the dirty rice to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

    To reheat, thaw it in the fridge and warm in the skillet or in the microwave.

    FAQ

    What meat goes with dirty rice?

    Dirty rice is a traditional Creole recipe made with fluffy white rice, mixed vegetables, and pieces of meat, such as pork, chicken, or beef.

    How healthy is dirty rice?

    Dirty rice is a wholesome meal balanced with vegetables, carbs, and meat. It’s a nutritional meal and can easily be adjusted to suit dietary preferences.

    What’s the difference between dirty rice and fried rice?

    Dirty rice has a slightly brown color to it from broth, caramelized onion, and pork sausage. It is also sometimes topped with cheese. Whereas fried rice is a lighter color. Fried rice includes eggs as a main ingredient, whereas dirty rice does not.

    What’s the difference between Jambalaya rice and Dirty Rice?

    The main difference between these two rice dishes is the protein added. Dirty rice can include various meat options, including chicken giblets (which includes chicken parts like liver), while Jambalaya rice typically only includes seafood or sausage (andouille, pork, or chicken).

    Why is dirty rice called dirty rice?

    Dirty rice turns a “dirty” brown color while cooking in broth and with the meat, hence the name.

    Should you rinse rice before cooking it?

    I recommend rinsing the rice before adding it to the skillet to eliminate debris. Rinsing the rice also removes some excess starch which helps prevent the rice from clumping.

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    I hope you'll enjoy this sausage dirty rice recipe, please leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo of your food and tag me on Instagram @theyummy_bowl. I love seeing your creations!

    Thank you for reading,

    Love,

    Julia

    Sausage Dirty Rice in the skillet

    One Pot Sausage Dirty Rice

    Sausage dirty rice is a delicious one-pot Southern Louisiana dish made with jasmine rice, cajun seasoning, chopped bell peppers, celery, onion, broth, and ground sausage. This version of dirty rice calls for simple ingredients that can be made in one large pot or skillet for easy weeknight dinners.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin
    Author: Julia | The Yummy Bowl
    Course: Main Course
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 366kcal

    INGREDIENTS

    • 11 oz Pork breakfast sausage I used Cumberland or similar, the skins removed
    • 1 cup brown onion finely diced
    • 1 cup green bell pepper medium small dice, not very fine it will wilt during cooking
    • ¾ cup celery about 2-3 stalks diced
    • 4 garlic cloves about 1 heaping teaspoon
    • 2 teaspoon cajun spice
    • 1 cup long grain rice such as basmati uncooked
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 2-3 thyme sprigs or dried thyme 1 teaspoon
    • Salt to taste seasoning will depend on which broth is used, best to use low sodium and add salt just a little, this dish has plenty of flavor and seasoning from the broth and sausages
    • 2 large bay leaves
    • Green opinion scallions, or cilantro for garnish
    • Black pepper to taste

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • In a large skillet, cook the sausage meat over medium-high heat, breaking it down into small pieces with a wooden spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Drain the fat and remove it to a side plate.
    • In the same skillet, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery. When the onion is becoming translucent add garlic, cajun, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 30 seconds.
    • Stir in uncooked rice (I washed and rinsed it prior), pour in the broth, add bay leaves, and thyme, and return the meat to the skillet.
    • Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 18 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked.
    • Fluff the rice with a fork, remove the thyme, and bay leaves and serve with green onions.
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    PRIVATE NOTES

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    Nutrition Facts
    One Pot Sausage Dirty Rice
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 366 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Trans Fat 0.1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 8g
    Cholesterol 45mg15%
    Sodium 442mg19%
    Potassium 445mg13%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 620IU12%
    Vitamin C 28mg34%
    Calcium 42mg4%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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    Comments

    1. Julia | The Yummy Bowl

      September 28, 2022 at 4:49 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and ridiculously easy one pot dirty rice recipe!

      Reply

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    I'm Julia and welcome to The Yummy Bowl. I share easy and healthy recipes for the whole family. Everything you see here is Gluten-free and mostly made with whole food ingredients. Hope you enjoy! Love, Julia

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