Description
Dirty Rice Made With Ground Beef is a flavorful Southern dish combining seasoned beef, sautéed vegetables, and rice. This quick and easy recipe is packed with comforting flavors and a little heat, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Olive oil
Ground beef
Onion, diced
Bell pepper, chopped
Cooked rice (preferably day-old)
Dried thyme
Paprika
Optional cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Optional scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice: If you don’t already have cooked rice, prepare it according to package instructions. Day-old rice is ideal for the best texture, so cook rice the day before if possible.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and break it apart with a spatula. Cook until fully browned and no pink remains.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add diced onion and chopped bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Stir and cook for about 5–6 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- Season the Mixture: Sprinkle in thyme, paprika, cayenne (if you like heat), salt, and black pepper. Stir well to evenly coat the beef and vegetables.
- Combine with Rice: Add cooked rice to the pan. Stir and cook for another 4–5 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb all the flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired, and enjoy hot!
Notes
- For more heat, add extra cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, or diced jalapeños.
- For a vegetarian version, skip the ground beef and substitute with plant-based protein or a mix of beans and vegetables.
- For a Cajun-style version, use Cajun spice blend and minced celery for the ‘holy trinity’ flavor.
- Day-old rice is best for texture, but freshly cooked rice works if slightly cooled to avoid mushiness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
