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Rice dressing is a hearty, delicious, and spicy dish that is perfect any time of the year but is especially popular during the holiday season. The Cajun seasonings and spicy sausage give it a bit of a kick, while the rice and vegetables make it filling and satisfying. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends!
If you want to make a Cajun Thanksgiving menu, pair this dressing with our Cajun turkey and jalapeno cheese cornbread. Don’t forget our sweet potato crunch casserole, cornbread dressing, and sweet potato pie.
Why This Recipe Works
- It takes significantly less time and effort compared to traditional stuffing, and you can easily make it ahead of time if needed.
- Rice dressing is a great way to use leftover rice and a terrific way to dress up plain old rice.
- Cajun rice dressing makes a great side dish, but it is also filling enough to be your main meal.
Ingredients Needed
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to make Cajun rice dressing. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Ground pork
- Cajun-style ground sausage (or use any spicy sausage).
- Bacon
- Vegetables: Onion, Red bell pepper, Green bell pepper, Celery.
- Garlic cloves
- Cajun rub seasoning
- Precooked rice
- Green onions
How to Make Cajun Rice Dressing
Here is a brief overview of how to make rice dressing. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
Before you get started, cook the rice according to the package directions. While the rice cooks, you can prep the ingredients for the dressing.
Pull out a large pot or Dutch oven and brown the ground pork and Cajun-style sausage over medium-high heat. Transfer the meat to a plate.
Cook the bacon in the same pot. When the bacon gets crispy, transfer it to the plate but leave the bacon grease in the pot.
Saute the veggies until they get soft and the onions look transparent.
Add the Cajun seasoning and stir to combine. If you like spicy food, you can add some hot sauce as well.
Transfer the cooked meat mixture back to the pot.
Add the cooked rice and stir over medium heat until the rice dressing gets heated thoroughly.
Tips for Success
- You can cook the rice in advance, but make sure you heat the mixture thoroughly before serving your Cajun rice dressing.
- Don’t toss out the bacon grease. It adds flavor to the Cajun dressing.
- Drizzle additional oil in the Dutch oven if there’s not enough bacon fat to coat all the chopped vegetables.
- If the bacon and sausage leave brown bits stuck to the bottom of your pan, don’t scrape it off. It will soften up and loosen when you cook the veggies.
- For added flavor, when you cook your rice, try using chicken broth or beef broth instead of water.
- If you want to make the dressing ahead of time, let it cool completely before you transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat it when needed.
Our Cajun rice dressing can become one of your go-to meals to throw together whenever you need something quick and easy. This delicious rice dressing is also popular as a side dish for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. You can even serve it as a main dish and make it a meal all by itself!
More Recipes You Will Love
Our spicy Blackened Tilapia is both flavorful and easy to make! Cajun spices are caramelized as the tilapia bakes, creating a zesty blackened layer. Serve it with our rice cooker coconut rice.
Pulled Pork Empanadas have a spicy pork filling wrapped in a tender, flaky crust. They are perfect for game day, parties, or any time you want a delicious snack!
If you’re looking for a flavor-packed meal, these blackened shrimp tacos are for you. They’re filled with spicy shrimp, zesty chipotle slaw, and sweet mango salsa. Bon appetite!
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Cajun Rice Dressing
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound Cajun-style sausage
- 3 strips of bacon, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend homemade or storebought
- 4 cups cooked hot rice
- ½ cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, and the sausage breaking them up with a fork. Cook until browned, then transfer to a plate.
- Add the diced bacon to the pan and cook until crispy, then transfer to the plate with the pork and sausage.
- Using the bacon drippings in the pan, sauté the onion, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook until softened while occasionally stirring, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning mix, then return the cooked pork, sausage, and bacon to the pot.
- Add the cooked rice to the pan, tossing to combine well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Transfer the dressing to a large serving bowl and garnish with chopped green onions.
Notes
- You can use any meat combination, including ground turkey or ground chicken. You can also use diced chicken livers or chicken giblets
- Onion, bell peppers, and celery are considered the Holy Grail of Creole and Cajun cuisine. We used a combination of red and green bell peppers but any color will work.
- If you don't have enough bacon drippings left in the pan, just add a little vegetable oil.
- You can cook the rice in advance. If it is cold when added to the pot, be sure to heat the pan of rice dressing thoroughly before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!This page was originally published on November 5, 2018.
I would like to make this receipe in the slow cooker. Anything, I should change and how long would I cook it
This should work fine in the slow cooker if you cook the quinoa and rice on the stovetop first. follow the directions for the stuffing but instead of putting it in a casserole dish, spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray and place the mixture right in the slow cooker pot. It will take 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high in most crockpots.