Say goodbye to plain white rice. This Cajun Rice recipe is a game changer! With just a few simple ingredients and in less than 30 minutes, you can transform your bowl of rice into a flavor-packed side dish.
This Cajun Rice dish can be eaten as a full meal or as the perfect side dish! Serve it with some salmon or chicken. Combine it with some hearty green vegetables like broccoli and enjoy the heavenly taste!
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What is Cajun Rice?
When it comes to rice dishes, Cajun Rice, also known as dirty rice, is the best! Cajun rice is a delicious one-pan meal that features fragrant rice seasoned with Cajun spices. It is a super simple recipe that doesn’t require any exotic spices or fancy cooking methods prepared in less than 30 minutes!
What Is Cajun Spice Made of?
Cajun cuisine is distinguished by one feature: the seasonings. Keeping a jar of Cajun seasonings in your pantry is a simple way to ensure that your meals are anything but bland.
It’s a rustic seasoning blend from Louisiana, the homeland of delectable Cajun cuisine. Everyone puts their own spin on it, but in general, it’s a spicy blend with paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper, and oregano.
Variations of Vegetarian Cajun Rice
Instead of using white rice, you can use brown rice. I used long-grain rice.
To make this rice dish even more hearty, use vegetable broth to cook the rice. For non-vegetarians, you can use beef broth or chicken broth for cooking the rice.
Because there is no meat in this Cajun rice, it can be paired with any type of protein. It’s a fantastic side dish. It goes great with salmon and green beans.
Do you want some spiciness? Add a few drops of hot sauce and enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in a tightly covered dish or sealed container. For best results, keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
You can add your favorite vegetables, such as chopped asparagus. You can also make it spicy by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.
If your rice was undercooked, most probably your heat was set too high, causing the water to evaporate before the rice could absorb it. If this is the case, you can add anywhere from a ¼ cup to a third cup of rice, cover, and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
Top Tips
Make Sure You’re Simmering. When it comes to cooking the perfect pot of rice, the importance of reaching a true simmer cannot be overstated!
Keep the Lid On. Every time you remove the lid, you allow heat and steam to escape. This lowers the temperature inside the pot, resulting in inconsistent cooking temperatures, affecting your overall cook time.
Set a Timer. Setting a timer is essential when it comes to cooking the perfect pot of rice, but keep in mind that the consistency and speed of your simmer will affect the overall cook time.
Allow It to Rest. Allowing the rice to rest before removing the lid and fluffing it enables heat and steam to redistribute throughout the pot, resulting in a fluffier, lighter batch of rice.
This recipe was made with long grain rice (not brown) rice. If using brown rice or other type of rice, you may need to adjust the liquids and cook time according to the package.
Spicy, Flavorful Cajun Rice
Cajun Rice Ingredients
- basmati rice, or any long grain rice
- olive oil or avocado oil
- carrots, small cubed or shredded
- onion, cubed (equals about 1 small onion)
- water, any temperature
- Cajun seasoning
- Salt to taste
Step By Step Instructions
First, in a medium pot on high heat, add oil to sauté the cubed or shredded carrots and the cubed onions until onions are translucent.
Next, add one cup of washed and drained long grain rice, cajun seasoning, salt and water.
Once the water comes to a boil, allow it to boil for 1 whole minute, stirring consistently.
Lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and enjoying.
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Other Recipes You Must Try:
- Perfect White Vermicelli Rice
- Lebanese Lentils and Rice Recipe
- Chinese Mushroom Chicken Over Beef Hotlink Rice
- Easy Chicken Curry with Vegetables
- Durum Wheat Chicken Soup- Frikeh
- Easy Stuffed Cabbage (Malfoof)
- Quick Spicy Beef (Sujuk) Pizza
- Grilled Lime and Cilantro Shrimp
- Lemon Mint Garlic Chicken Stew
- Cilantro Chicken Egg Rolls
Cajun Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice or any long grain rice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ cup carrots small cubed or shredded
- ½ cup onion cubed (equals about 1 small onion)
- 2 cups water any temperature
- ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot on high heat, add oil to sauté the cubed or shredded carrots and the cubed onions until onions are translucent.
- Add one cup of washed and drained long grain rice, Cajun seasoning, salt and water.
- Once the water comes to a boil, allow it to boil for 1 whole minute, stirring consistently.
- Lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and enjoying.
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Melissa says
Made this rice today with some chicken on top. It was finger looking good!! We loved it
Sharon says
I made cajun rice for dinner last night with some grilled chicken. The whole family raved about it! It was amazing!!
Sarah says
This was one of the best rice dishes i’ve ever made! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe