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    Home » Recipes » Cajun-Creole

    May 9, 2019

    Louisiana Dirty Rice

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Dirty Rice recipe is layered with flavors from the ground organ meat, Cajun spices, and holy trinity. It's great for feeding large crowds for dinner, parties, or a good kickback.

    Here are some options to serve with your dirty rice. Crispy Fried Chicken, Blackened Chicken, Southern Fried Fish, Grilled Coriander Steak, and Chicken Sauce Piquant.

    Dirty Rice in a pot with a wooden spoon.

    Recipe Video:

    Jump to:
    • Recipe Video:
    • What is Dirty Rice
    • Key Ingredients
    • How To Make Dirty Rice Recipe
    • How To Store Dirty Rice
    • Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
    • FAQs
    • More Delicious Recipes
    • Before You Begin
    • 📖 Recipe

    I love dirty rice. Growing up in New Orleans, I ate it at least once a month; then, it picked up once I got to culinary school because I learned all the correct techniques required to make a perfect pot of dirty rice.

    My grandfather was famous for his dirty rice recipe, but his recipe was never written down, and we lost it forever once he passed away. It was one of the recipes I knew I had to perfect to honor his name.

    Every family makes theirs a little different; even in my family, we make it slightly differently. My mom likes more celery in hers, without any chicken liver. The recipe below is how I make mines after learning from Chef John Folse himself and what my mother taught me about my grandfathers.

    Dirty Rice on a plate with a fork.

    What is Dirty Rice

    Dirty rice is a popular, flavorful rice dish in Louisiana made with chicken gizzards and livers (this makes it dirty), onion, green bell peppers, celery, long grain rice, and lots of cayenne pepper and black pepper. It's usually served with chicken or any meat of choice. If the main dish has some gravy, some will be poured over the dirty rice.

    The giblets and liver are usually grounded and added to the pot, but you can use a food processor to achieve a similar texture.

    It's sometimes confused for its cousin, rice dressing, which is made very similarly, but uses ground beef instead of ground giblets and omits the chicken livers.

    Nowadays, you'll find recipes like the one below that blend the best of both worlds with ground beef and ground giblet meats. Two critical tips, cook the ground beef until it gets crispy for maximum flavor, and do not use warm leftover rice. Only use cold or room temperature; warmed-up rice will give an unpleasant texture.

    Key Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients for an authentic, easy dirty rice recipe.

    Chicken Giblets

    You must have chicken livers, gizzards, and hearts for it to be "dirty"; other than that, it's just rice dressing. You won't need chicken broth because the organ meat will create an incredible homemade broth.

    Long Grain Rice

    You can make the rice fresh, but dirty rice is perfect for using leftover rice. I love using a long grain brown rice like Uncle Ben's.

    Ground Beef

    I use an 80/20 ground beef (chuck) blend to add flavor and fat since I'm not using any ground pork.

    Holy Trinity

    You'll need a yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, and bay leaves. 

    Cajun Seasoning

    I use it in everything I cook, but most are loaded with sodium. That's why I use Savory Low-Sodium Cajun seasoning. It helps authentic cajun flavor shine in this recipe.

    Green Onion

    This will add flavor, texture, and color to the dish.

    Dirty Rice recipe ingredients

    How To Make Dirty Rice Recipe

    The key to cooking dirty rice is getting the most flavor possible from the organ meats. Follow the techniques below, stay patient, and get ready to enjoy something incredible. You can whip it up with a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.

    Add gizzards, livers, and 2 tablespoons kosher salt in a medium pot and cover with water, then bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Skim off the water as gizzards cook. Do not discard water. 

    Gizzard meat separated from sinew.

    Add the livers and gizzards to a bowl to cool. Cut the gizzards from the sinew.

    Chopped chicken liver in a food processor.

    Add gizzards to the food processor and blitz on high until it resembles ground meat. Chop the livers add to the food processor, and blitz on high until it resembles ground meat. 

    Ground beef cooking in a pot.

    In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil; once the oil is hot, add ground beef and cook until water evaporates, about 5 minutes.

    Dirty rice mixture of vegetables, ground beef, and stock cooking in a pot.

    Add onions, bell pepper, and celery cook until translucent. Add garlic, bay leaves, worcestershire, oregano, savory, salt, cayenne, and gizzards. Stir in 1 ½ cups of gizzard stock and cook for a minute.

    Close up shot of Dirty Rice in a pot.

    Remove from the heat, and stir in cooked rice and ½ of the sliced green onion. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with green onions, and serve hot. 

    How To Store Dirty Rice

    After the dirty rice cools, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days. Keep in the freezer in an airtight container or a freezer storage bag for 3 months. Thaw 24 hours before using.

    To reheat, bring a small amount of chicken, vegetable, or beef broth or water to a boil and stir in dirty rice; cook until hot. A ¼ cup of liquid will be enough for 1 cup of rice.

    Dirty Rice on a wooden spoon.

    Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

    Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need so the authentic Cajun flavor shines!

    • You want to cook the ground meat until it gets crispy and leaves a brown fond on the bottom of the skillet. This is what brings a depth of flavor to the dirty rice.
    • Do not drain the ground beef; that's flavor! 
    • Don't be afraid of the chicken liver, gizzards, and hearts. They're loaded with flavor and nutrients.
    • You can still make a bomb dirty rice without chicken livers.
    • Use any long-grain white rice or instant rice instead of cooking your own.
    • Using hot leftover rice will create a mushy texture.
    • Feel free to use ground turkey as a healthier alternative instead of ground beef. You don't need ground chicken because you'll use ground chicken organ meat.
    • You can use your favorite ground sausage instead of ground beef.
    • You can use any color bell pepper. I like to use red to add a pop of color for the final presentation.
    • You can use Italian seasoning instead of dry oregano.
    • Creole seasoning and Cajun seasoning can be used interchangeably.
    • You never cook rice in dirty rice unless you use par-boiled (converted rice). This will help preserve the delicate chicken livers.
    • Boil 2 cups of white rice in 6 cups of water until the rice is tender, then drain and cool.
    • Add some dirty rice to your stuffed peppers.
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    FAQs

    Here are the top questions readers have about making homemade dirty rice.

    Why do they call dirty rice dirty?

    Dirty rice gets its brown color from the flavorful ground organ meat (chicken liver, gizzards, and heart) used instead of ground beef. Rice dressing is mistakenly thought to be the same, but it usually only contains ground meat without any organ meat, but ground chicken gizzards can be used.

    What main dish goes with dirty rice?

    Dirty rice is a main dish since it's loaded with ground beef and ground chicken organs, but you can serve smothered chicken, fried chicken, grilled or baked fish, and steak if you're looking for a fuller meal.

    What's the difference between jambalaya and dirty rice?

    Jambalaya is a one-pot meal that uses smoked sausage, chicken and seafood, the holy trinity (onions, bell peppers, celery), and rice, all cooked in one pot. You can use diced tomatoes for a Creole version or well-browned meats for a Cajun version.
     
    Dirty rice has no smoked sausage or seafood but is made with ground livers, the holy trinity, and leftover cooked rice. The rice is folded in after everything has been cooked.

    Dirty Rice in a pot.

    What is good with dirty rice?

    You can serve cornbread, fried okra, green beans, corn maque choux, hushpuppies, candied yams, buttermilk biscuits, or potato salad with dirty rice.

    How long is leftover dirty rice good for?

    Leftover dirty rice will last 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to allow the rice to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator. Spread the cooked rice on a baking sheet near a draft or under a fan for a faster cool down.

    More Delicious Recipes

    If you're a fan of Creole-Cajun cuisine, like me, I know you'll love these recipes too!

    • Red Beans and Rice
    • 20-Minute Creole Jamabalaya
    • Seafood Filè Gumbo
    • King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
    • New Orleans Beignets
    • Pralines

    Dirty Rice on a plate.

    Before You Begin

    Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.

    Step 1: Set all ingredients for the dirty rice on the counter.

    Step 2: Measure everything out.

    Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best dirty rice you've ever had.

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    To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above. 

    Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below. 

    📖 Recipe

    Louisiana Dirty Rice

    Kenneth Temple
    This Dirty Rice recipe is layered with flavors from the ground organ meat, Cajun spices, and holy trinity. It's great for large crowds.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Creole
    Servings 12 persons
    Calories 363 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs. gizzards rinsed
    • ½ lb. chicken livers rinsed
    • 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
    • 1 lbs. rice cooked (2 cups raw)
    • 3 tablespoons oil
    • 1 lbs. ground chuck
    • 1 onion chopped medium
    • 1 bell pepper chopped medium
    • 3 stalks celery chopped medium
    • 6 garlic cloves chopped medium
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 tablespoons worcestershire
    • 1 tablespoon dry oregano
    • 2 tablespoons Savory Cajun seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 bunch green onions chopped

    Instructions
     

    • In a pot add gizzards, livers, and 2 tablespoons salt and cover with water then bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Skim off water as gizzards cook. Reserve 2 cups of stock.
    • Add the livers and gizzards to a bowl to cool. Cut the gizzards from the sinew add gizzards to the food processor and blitz on high until it resembles ground meat.
    • Chop the livers add to the food processor and blitz on high until it resembles ground meat.
    • In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil; once the oil is hot, add ground beef, and cook until water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, and celery cook for 3 minutes, then add garlic, bay leaves, worcestershire, oregano, savory, salt, cayenne, and gizzards; cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 ½ cups of gizzard stock, rice, and half the green onions, making sure it’s coated evenly.
    • Taste and adjust seasoning, serve immediately and garnish with green onions.

    Notes

    How To Store Dirty Rice
    After the dirty rice cools, place it in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days. Keep in the freezer in an airtight container or a freezer storage bag for 3 months. Thaw 24 hours before using.
    To reheat, bring a small amount of chicken, vegetable, or beef broth or water to a boil and stir in dirty rice; cook until hot. A ¼ cup of liquid will be enough for 1 cup of rice.
    Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
    Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need so the authentic Cajun flavor shines!
     
    • You want to cook the ground meat until it gets crispy and leaves a brown fond on the bottom of the skillet. This is what brings a depth of flavor to the dirty rice.
    • Do not drain the ground beef; that's flavor! 
    • Don't be afraid of the chicken liver, gizzards, and hearts. They're loaded with flavor and nutrients.
    • You can still make a bomb dirty rice without chicken livers.
    • Use any long-grain white rice or instant rice instead of cooking your own.
    • Using hot leftover rice will create a mushy texture.
    • Feel free to use ground turkey as a healthier alternative instead of ground beef. You don't need ground chicken because you'll use ground chicken organ meat.
    • You can use your favorite ground sausage instead of ground beef.
    • You can use any color bell pepper. I like to use red to add a pop of color for the final presentation.
    • You can use Italian seasoning instead of dry oregano.
    • Creole seasoning and Cajun seasoning can be used interchangeably.
    • You never cook rice in dirty rice unless you use par-boiled (converted rice). This will help preserve the delicate chicken livers.
    • Boil 2 cups of white rice in 6 cups of water until the rice is tender, then drain and cool.
    • Add some dirty rice to your stuffed peppers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0gCalories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 24gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 232mgSodium: 1631mgPotassium: 371mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 695IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword dirty rice
    Cooked this recipe?Let me know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.75 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Pam says

      August 12, 2021 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for including organ meat. It's not dirty rice without them.

      Reply
    2. Anthony Harris says

      September 15, 2023 at 6:08 am

      Hello, I can wait to make this recipe but I don’t see where you add the rice.

      Reply
      • Kenneth Temple says

        September 20, 2023 at 2:41 pm

        Hi Anthony, I just checked and it's there.

        Reply
    3. Kiawatha French says

      September 15, 2023 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      I truly look forward to getting your email every Friday. It's the highlight of my week. I am going to make this one next weekend. I'm super excited about it.

      Reply
    4. Sandra says

      April 27, 2025 at 6:26 pm

      4 stars
      This is as close as I have seen to dirty rice as I know it.I likento add chicken necks as well to mine. I haven't had it with the ground beef before. Maybe I will try it that way one day.

      Reply

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    Chef KENNETH Temple

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    I am a "Food Networks Chopped Champion" from New Orleans, Louisiana, and I love cooking the best Southern Creole classics from scratch.

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