Bert Swope
Dressing up a box of dirty rice means adding extra ingredients or seasonings to make the dish more flavorful and appealing. Dirty rice is a traditional Cajun and Creole dish made with white rice that is cooked with spices and the “holy trinity” of vegetables (onions, celery, and green bell pepper) along with ground meat (usually pork or chicken liver) and sometimes seafood.
While a box of pre-packaged dirty rice may contain the basic ingredients, it may lack depth of flavor or variety. Adding ingredients like herbs, spices, vegetables, or proteins can enhance the dish’s taste and texture. For example, you could add sausage or shrimp to make it heartier, or some hot sauce or cayenne pepper to add a kick of spice.
Dressing up a box of dirty rice can also allow for personalization and creativity in the kitchen, making it a versatile and satisfying meal option.
Sauteed Vegetables
Sauteed vegetables make an appealing side dish at most meals and are particularly appealing to children. This easy-to-make saute features simple vegetables seasoned with Italian seasoning for a tasty dinner side dish kids are likelier to like than raw salads. Bok choy or snow peas may be added in place of carrots in this saute; mushrooms should also be added toward the end as they cook more rapidly than other veggies.
This sauté works well when served alongside various proteins, from rotisserie chicken to grilled steak or baked cod, and even works great as part of a vegetable omelet or with stuffed zucchini and tomatoes. With its vibrant hues and wide array of flavor profiles – Cajun seasoning or blackened seasoning or even fajita seasoning can add additional spice for an added kick!
Ingredients for this dish are affordable and easily found at most supermarkets, while also being an excellent source of vitamins and minerals; carrots alone contain 200% of their recommended daily value of beta-carotene while kale contains high levels of Vitamin A as well as lutein and zeaxanthin – providing plenty of health benefits!
Caramelizing onions, celery and green peppers before adding other vegetables allows them to bring out their natural sweetness and creates a healthier alternative to fried rice by providing more fiber and reduced fat intake.
Substituting 2 cups of light or dark red kidney beans for pork will add extra flair. Kidney beans are an economical, low-fat protein option high in fiber and B vitamins – this substitution makes the dish vegan and gluten-free! Crumbled bacon or sausage also make delicious additions; bacon adds richness while heartiness, while sausage brings that distinctive Cajun flavor of hickory smoke!
Crumbled Bacon or Sausage
Crumbled bacon or sausage can quickly increase protein and flavor in your dirty rice dish, and especially Andouille sausage from France which has since made its way to America is an ideal way to do just that. Andouille adds its first layer of flavor before rendering its fat during cooking for easy absorption by other components.
This centuries-old dish, dating back to medieval Europe, takes its name from the finely chopped or ground bits of meat and vegetables that “dirty up” white rice. Historically it was eaten as an economical meal by poor slaves. They combined organ meats such as chicken livers and gizzards which were readily available with affordable and filling rice products to form this meal.
Modern day Southern cooking often revolves around this dish as an effective means of using up expired produce or the items found at the back of your fridge that would still taste fine once cooked. Many southerners find comfort in making this quick, simple meal that feeds a crowd quickly and easily.
Dirty rice is often served as a side dish at restaurants in New Orleans, alongside fried chicken, catfish, seafood gumbo or charbroiled oysters. But it can also serve as the main course, should you feel in need of something hearty and satisfying.
Most chefs prefer long-grain white rice when creating this classic comforting dish; however, you can easily adapt this method using brown rice as well. Simply purchase varieties with high fiber content to achieve soft and fluffy results in the oven.
Alter the recipe as desired by swapping out ground beef, turkey or chicken instead of traditional pork sausage and swapping out the traditional spices like paprika and cayenne pepper with hot sauce or other flavors you enjoy – perfect for weeknight dinner or lunch! This simple yet versatile dish makes a fantastic weekday dinner or lunch option!
Canned Beans
Beans can turn any box of dirty rice into an exciting one-pot meal! Canned beans are easy to prepare, affordable and nutritional – plus they add color and flavor.
No matter if it is black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans or another variety, make sure they have been rinsed prior to being added into your meal. Rinsing helps remove some of the sodium found in canned beans while helping them remain less likely to turn sticky when cooking with them.
Add seasonings of your choice to beans for an instant boost of flavor. Mix them with water or vegetable broth to bring out their natural sweetness; just be mindful not to overdo it as too much liquid will result in sticky beans that make for an unpleasant eating experience.
Add 1 pound of ground pork sausage or Andouille sausage while cooking your rice to make this dish heartier and make Cajun dirty rice if desired.
If you enjoy vegetarian cuisine, why not substitute pork with two cans of light or dark red kidney beans? This will create an incredible vegetarian meal for the whole family to enjoy!
Not only is this dish an exceptional meal in its own right, it can easily become part of a one-pot dinner when combined with roasted chicken or blackened salmon as an entree. Furthermore, it makes an excellent side dish for New Orleans style Po’ Boy sandwiches featuring alligator, catfish, shrimp or chicken as an entree.
Dirty rice is an easy and quick dish to prepare, making it the ideal weeknight meal for busy families. Additionally, it can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until later use; alternatively you could make it in a slow cooker or oven to save even more time! For easy reheating just transfer cooked dirty rice from its container into an oven-safe dish and reheat at 350degF for 10-15 minutes until hot; occasionally stir the mixture to avoid sticking together.
Riced Cauliflower
While not traditional, adding cooked rice can make your dirty rice dish heartier and more filling, especially for families with children or teenagers. Carbohydrate-rich grains such as rice provide balance to its high fat content in this meal.
Another way to enhance a box of dirty rice is to add some crunch. Consider mixing in nuts such as almonds and pistachios; raisins or dried cranberries could add sweetness while offering texture; for a spicy kick add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper powder as garnishing ingredients.
Mix-and-match is a recipe that combines several distinct recipes together, so that its origins are visible. A favorite among many families, its boxed version can often be found at grocery stores. Making this meal quickly and effortlessly can create something the entire family will enjoy eating together.
To reduce carbs in this recipe, cauliflower rice can be swapped out for long grain white rice – giving you all of the flavor and texture of traditional Creole dishes while cutting carbs by approximately 40%. Use frozen cauliflower thawed out, or cook your own with large grater blade if using frozen. When using frozen, dab with paper towels or cloth before processing for best results.
If you prefer making cauliflower rice yourself, just cut your cauliflower into florets and then use a food processor fitted with the large grater blade to transform them into rice-like consistency. Transfer this dish directly into a bowl after processing for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months when frozen in an airtight container or zipper top bag.