Dirty Rice with Ground Turkey: A Delicious and Healthy Twist

Creole seasoning, turkey sausage, vegetables, and rice make up my Cajun-style easy homemade recipe for dirty rice. It’s the perfect tasty weeknight dinner for your family.

Louisiana makes some of the best food. This is a Cajun classic recipe for dirty rice. It’s now called “dirty rice,” but it’s also called Cajun rice and rice dressing. The name comes from the fact that it used to be cooked with ground chicken livers, spices, and vegetables, which made the white rice “dirty.” Over the years, many versions of this filling Creole supper have sprouted up, so this is my take.

This dirty rice recipe is a great go-to meal for busy weekdays. It also happens to be one of my favorite make-ahead meals to take on camping trips. I always make twice as much of this dirty rice recipe ahead of time and either freeze or put it in the fridge. That way, we always have comfort food on hand when we need it. Since it is so easy to reheat, this is one of those recipes that I suggest always doubling. Just by making two of a few meals every once in a while, you can stock your freezer with easy meals instead of going to a drive-through.

Now, I’m bypassing chicken livers in favor of turkey sausage. What else do you need? Rice, Creole seasoning, dried or fresh parsley, onion, bell pepper, celery (a. k. a the Holy Trinity in Cajun cooking), and minced garlic. Weeknight meals don’t get much easier than this. First, we need to cook the rice and cut up the vegetables. Then, we need to slowly add everything to a skillet. This one-pan meal is always a winner for me. How about you? It’s also ready to serve in 30 minutes. You can serve it with Easy Southern Fried Catfish, BBQ Chicken Breast in the Oven, or Southern Fried Chicken Recipe. Makes a great meal.

The Creole seasoning adds so much flavor to this simple Cajun dirty rice recipe. It’s hearty, filling, and a must-make, so let’s go!.

Dirty rice is a classic Creole and Cajun dish traditionally made with ground beef. But switching out the beef for lean ground turkey adds a delicious twist while also lightening up this flavorful rice dish. Ground turkey provides a healthier alternative without sacrificing any of the signature spicy savory dirty rice flavor.

This article will explain how to make delicious dirty rice using ground turkey You’ll learn step-by-step instructions, ingredient substitutions, cooking tips, and creative serving ideas for enjoying this Louisiana-inspired rice dish.

An Overview of Dirty Rice

Dirty rice gets its name from the bits of browned meat and veggies that give the rice a speckled or “dirty” appearance. Traditional dirty rice contains ground beef or pork, rice, onions, peppers, seasonings, and chicken livers or giblets. The meat and rice combination provides a hearty, protein-rich meal.

While often served as a side dish, dirty rice can also stand alone as an entrée. It pairs especially well with Cajun-spiced mains like jambalaya, gumbo, blackened chicken, or shrimp étouffée. The spicy kick complements the heat of typical Cajun cuisine.

Why Use Ground Turkey Instead of Beef

Switching the ground beef for lean ground turkey lightens up dirty rice without sacrificing texture or flavor. Here are some of the benefits of using ground turkey in dirty rice:

Lower fat and calories: Ground turkey contains less fat and calories per serving compared to beef. This creates a healthier dirty rice dish overall.
Neutral flavor: Ground turkey has a milder flavor than beef. Its neutral taste allows the Cajun seasonings and aromatics to shine through.
Budget-friendly Ground turkey costs less than ground beef, making this swap an affordable option.
Quick cooking: Ground turkey cooks faster than ground beef. It requires just 5-7 minutes to fully brown during the dirty rice cooking process.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Dirty Rice with Ground Turkey

Making flavorful dirty rice with ground turkey is simple. Follow these easy steps:

Ingredients Needed:

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1⁄2 cup diced yellow onion
1⁄2 cup diced bell pepper
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups uncooked rice (long grain white or brown)
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook 5-7 minutes until fully browned, breaking up chunks as it cooks.
Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet. Sauté 5 minutes until softened.
Stir in dry rice, Cajun seasoning, paprika, and thyme until combined.
Pour in broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
Fluff rice with a fork before serving hot. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips for the Best Dirty Rice

Follow these tips for flavorful, perfect dirty rice every time:

Sauté the ground turkey just until browned through without overcooking to keep it tender.
Use a blend of white and brown rice for fluffy, separate grains with more nutrients.
Add extra veggies like diced celery or carrots for a nutritional boost.
For spicier rice, use extra Cajun seasoning or hot sauce.
Substitute chicken or turkey broth to enhance flavor.
Let the rice rest 5 minutes off heat so grains continue absorbing liquid.
Add fresh herbs like parsley or green onions for a pop of color and flavor.

Get Creative with Serving Suggestions

While excellent as a side, dirty rice also shines as an entrée. Consider these fun serving ideas:

Serve dirty rice stuffed into bell peppers or hollowed zucchini boats.
Top with a fried egg or avocado slices for added protein and healthy fats.
Wrap in a tortilla or lettuce leaves for hand-held dirty rice tacos or wraps.
Layer ingredients in a casserole dish for a dirty rice bake topped with cheese.
Enjoy as the filling in stuffed tomatoes, mushrooms or baked potatoes.
Cook and stuff into cabbage rolls wrapped in leaves for a hearty appetizer.

Satisfying and Nutritious Dirty Rice Made Lighter

Cooking up dirty rice with ground turkey puts a healthy twist on this Louisiana classic. The hearty rice provides a satisfying meal full of spice and comfort. Ground turkey makes it lighter than the traditional beef version without losing any of that signature zesty flavor.

Follow the step-by-step instructions and flavor will be maximized. Get creative with fun serving ideas for new ways to enjoy this down-home Creole and Cajun staple.

dirty rice recipe ground turkey

How to Make The Best Dirty Rice Recipe at Home

Chop all your herbs and veggies: bell pepper, celery, parsley, and onion. You can use dried parsley if you prefer.

Place these in a large skillet along with your sausage and minced garlic.

Chop up your sausage a bit and cook that over medium to medium-high heat.

Cook this until the sausage is cooked through and the veggies are tender.

Stir in your Creole seasoning.

I use two and a half tablespoons and it is perfect for us. You may want to start with a little less and taste it. You may end up using a lot more!.

Lookin’ good!

Toss in cooked rice.

Stir that up well and make sure your rice is heated through.

Sit down with a glass of iced tea and a fine meal!

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days in a container that doesn’t let air in or freeze them for up to three months. You can reheat this dish in the microwave or on the stove, and it still tastes like it was just made.

I LOVE Jennie-O turkey sausage. The mild and hot are both really good. I like that brand the most, if you can find it. I get it at Publix. If all you can find is Butterball sausage, I’d use ground beef or pork instead.
Most people use long grain white rice, but you can also use brown rice or wild rice.

You can! Cajun seasoning has a lot of pepper, making it hotter than Creole seasoning, which has herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme in it. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more to taste) if you want to use Creole seasoning but make it a little hotter.

Long grain rice, onion, garlic, red and green bell pepper, and spices like paprika and red pepper flakes are what go into Zatarain’s Dirty Rice Dinner Mix. So our recipe for dirty rice is very similar and a bit of a Zatarain copycat version.

Popeye’s Cajun Rice side dish is also very similar to our recipe. However, Popeye’s uses ground beef and minced chicken gizzards. Besides Creole seasoning, they also use garlic powder, celery seed, cayenne pepper, and coarse ground black pepper.

This dirty rice is the perfect main dish as it is. If you’d rather serve it as a side, pair it with blackened chicken, fried catfish, or Popeye’s style fried chicken.

Dirty Rice Recipe (Made with Ground Turkey) | I Heart Recipes

FAQ

What meat goes with dirty rice?

The best meats for dirty rice typically include: Ground Beef: Commonly used for its rich flavor and texture. Pork: Ground pork or diced pork adds a nice depth; some recipes use sausage. Chicken: Diced chicken, especially dark meat, is flavorful and tender.

What is the difference between dirty rice and cajun rice?

Dirty rice is frequently referred to as Cajun Rice in Louisiana and other parts of the South due to the dish’s history with the Acadian immigrants of Louisiana. Cajun rice typically incorporates Andouille sausage, bell pepper, celery, and onions along with a blend of traditional Cajun spices.

What is Popeyes dirty rice made of?

Dirty rice has organ meat (chicken liver and gizzards) which is what Popeyes puts in theirs. This recipe more like Cajun Dirty Rice.

Why is dirty rice called dirty?

Dirty rice can be traced back to the plantation days of Louisiana. Those who had many people to feed but few resources to feed them all added what they could get to the white rice that was abundant – chicken livers, spices, vegetables – and the resulting dish would look “dirty.”