Cajun Dirty Rice
Cajun Dirty Rice is a hearty, flavorful one-pot rice dish from Louisiana, typically made with white rice cooked with a mix of ground meat (often pork or chicken livers), the 'holy trinity' of vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper), and a blend of Cajun spices. The dish gets its name from the speckled appearance created by the finely chopped meat and vegetables mixed throughout the rice.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
Dirty Rice is generally a balanced, calorie-dense meal, providing a good mix of carbohydrates from the rice, protein from the meat, and some fat from the cooking process. A typical serving can range from 400-600 calories and offers iron and B vitamins from the organ meats, along with fiber and vitamins from the vegetables.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 350 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbs | 35 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
| Iron | 4 mg |
| Potassium | 400 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.5 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 6 mg |
| Zinc | 3.5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 250 mg |
| Selenium | 20 mcg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, Dirty Rice is a classic example of Cajun 'peasant food,' born from resourcefulness and using every part of the animal, including organ meats, to create a deeply flavorful and satisfying meal from simple, inexpensive ingredients.
