One Pot Dirty Rice combines instant rice with ground beef, pork sausage, onion, celery, bell peppers, Cajun seasoning, and chicken broth in a single covered skillet. Butter softens the vegetables, while the two meats provide a rich, savory base for rice that absorbs every measured drop of broth.
The recipe yields 5 cups for 5 servings in 30 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking. The final covered rest finishes absorption before the rice is fluffed.
One Pot Dirty Rice Ingredients
Gather 5 tablespoons butter, ½ diced medium yellow onion, 3 diced celery stalks, 2 diced bell peppers of any color, 1 pound 80/20 ground beef, 1 pound ground pork sausage, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, salt, pepper, 2 cups instant rice, and 2 cups chicken broth.
Instant rice is specifically required for the short 5–7-minute covered simmer.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Bacon Cheeseburger Rice.
How to Make One Pot Dirty Rice
- Melt 5 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, 3 celery stalks, and 2 bell peppers for 7–8 minutes.
- Add beef and pork sausage. Brown for 8–10 minutes, breaking both apart, until no pink remains. Drain grease.
- Add Cajun seasoning, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in 2 cups instant rice and 2 cups chicken broth.
- Cover, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broth is absorbed and rice tender.
- Remove from heat, rest covered 2–3 minutes, fluff, and serve.
For food-safety guidance while cooking, use the USDA safe minimum temperature chart.
Melt Five Tablespoons of Butter
Sauté the Three-Vegetable Base
Add Beef and Pork Sausage Together
Drain Excess Grease Carefully
Distribute the Three Measured Spices
Add Equal Parts Rice and Broth
Cover and Simmer Gently
Rest Covered for Two to Three Minutes
Fluff Without Mashing the Meat
Divide Five Cups into Five Servings
Coordinate the Thirty-Minute Workflow
Avoid Greasy or Uneven Rice
Conclusion
Melt 5 tablespoons butter and sauté half an onion, 3 celery stalks, and 2 bell peppers for 7–8 minutes. Add 1 pound each ground beef and pork sausage; brown 8–10 minutes and drain. Stir in Cajun seasoning, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper, then 2 cups instant rice and 2 cups chicken broth. Cover and simmer 5–7 minutes until absorbed. Rest covered 2–3 minutes, fluff, and divide 5 cups among 5 servings.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can regular long-grain rice replace instant rice?
Not with these directions. The 2-cup broth ratio and 5–7-minute simmer are designed for instant rice.
- → How long should the beef and sausage cook?
Brown both meats for 8–10 minutes, breaking them apart until no pink remains, then drain excess grease.
- → Why does the rice rest covered after cooking?
The 2–3-minute covered rest allows any remaining liquid to absorb before the grains are fluffed.
- → How much dirty rice does the recipe make?
It yields 5 cups for 5 servings, or approximately one cup each.