Dirty Rice with Ground Beef
Servings: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 tbsp olive oil, if needed
1 small onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2½ cups beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
½–1 tsp Cajun seasoning, to taste
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain excess grease if necessary.
Cook the vegetables: Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Season: Stir in the paprika, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, and salt.
Add the rice: Stir the uncooked rice into the beef and vegetables, coating it well with the seasonings.
Simmer: Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaf and bring everything to a gentle boil.
Cook the rice: Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for about 18–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Avoid lifting the lid too often.
Rest: Remove from the heat and let the rice sit covered for 5 minutes.
Finish: Remove the bay leaf. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the green onions and parsley.
Tips
For extra flavor, use 80/20 ground beef and don’t drain every bit of the fat.
Add ½ cup diced smoked sausage or andouille sausage for a heartier Cajun-style version.
For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or diced jalapeño.
If the rice is still firm after the liquid is absorbed, add ¼ cup broth, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.
