Cajun Rice is a flavorful and slightly spicy rice dish that will add some Louisiana spice into your week night dinner routine. It is fairly easy to put together and makes an amazing side dish. It starts with the holy trinity of onion, peppers, and celery and then gets seasoned with all the Cajun flavors you love like; chilies, garlic, oregano, thyme, and smoked paprika.

Let me tell you, I promise this Cajun Rice recipe is SPOT ON!!! I tested this baby multiple times to make sure the texture, spice, and flavors are just right. And trust that it was tested in a busy home kitchen and we want a huge flavor payout for our time and efforts in the kitchen. The instructions are clear and straightforward, starting with the holy trinity (onion, bell pepper and celery) and plenty of Cajun spices (smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, bay leaf, oregano, cayenne). It's going to turn out perfect the first time you make it. So the next time you need a Cajun style side dish, this Cajun Rice is going to be the recipe that comes to mind.

Serve this along side some other Cajun dishes like Cajun Salmon, Super Simple Cajun Shrimp, or Blackened Tilapia for a really delicious dinner everyone will love!

What is Cajun Rice?

Cajun Rice is a flavorful, savory rice side dish that hails from Louisiana, rooted in the region's Cajun and Creole culinary traditions. It all starts with the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking-a sautéed mix of bell pepper, onion, and celery. From there, garlic and Cajun spices like smoked paprika, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper are layered in. The rice is then simmered in broth (often chicken) until it soaks up all that seasoning, resulting in a tender, punchy, and satisfying rice side often served alongside everything from grilled chicken and pork chops to classic Southern mains like jambalaya or blackened fish.

Cajun Style Rice Ingredients

The Cajun Rice recipe starts with a Holy Trinity, which is similar to a mirepoix, but it is the Cajun version and uses peppers instead of carrots. So this Holy Trinity mixture is diced onion, pepper, and celery (plus garlic).

Then you will of course need rice. We like to use a simple long grain white rice for this recipe. If you choose a different type of rice make sure you follow the cooking time on your packaging.

• Butter
• Rice
• Chicken Stock or Broth is the chosen cooking liquid for the rice. It adds a layer of flavor that water won’t give you.
• Spices
  • To make this “Cajun” rice we are going to add a nice mix of seasonings from your spice cabinet. You will want to grab; smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and a bay leaf.
• Celery
• Garlic
• Onion
• Bell Pepper

How To Make Cajun Rice

1. Sauté the Holy Trinity in the butter.



2. Add the rinsed rice and garlic and sauté another 3 minutes.
3. Measure in the seasonings and spices.



4. Pour in the chicken broth.



5. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and cover.
6. Simmer covered for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered another 5 minutes.
7. Fluff with a fork, remove the bay leaf, and serve.

Recipe Tips To Remember

Sometimes rice can be tricky to get JUST right. Cooked al dente, but not undercooked, and you definitely don’t want it to be overcooked and mushy. There are a few key tips for cooking perfect rice.

1. Make sure you rinse your rice well before adding to the pot. This removes some of the rice starch and makes for fluffier rice instead of creamy rice (like risotto).
2. You want to bring the rice to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer (low heat).
3. Don’t use the old school ratio of 2:1 liquid to rice. Using a little less liquid, about 1.5:1 liquid to rice, will produce a fluffier rice and not a mushy rice.
4. Use a pot with a tight fitting lid. Then keep the lid on and don’t peek. You need the steam to stay in the pot to cook the rice properly.
5. Finish the rice covered for 5 minutes off the heat.

If your rice isn’t cooked all the way through, add another ¼ or ⅓ cup of water or chicken broth and pop back over low heat with the lid on. Just another 5 minutes. Then check again.

If your rice is overcooked and mushy, unfortunately you are out of luck on this round. You can try some of these tips to save mushy rice : ( but I have not tried to see if they really do work. The good thing is that your Cajun Rice will still TASTE great!

What to Serve With This Louisiana Rice

I have four menus that would make killer dinners with this Louisiana Rice!

1. Cajun Salmon with Aioli, Skillet Haricot Verts (green beans), Buttermilk Cornbread
2. Skillet Cajun Shrimp, Oven Roasted Broccoli, Cornbread Muffins
3. Blackened Tilapia, Corn on the Cob, Cucumber and Onion Salad
4. Buttermilk Grilled Chicken, Cajun Aioli, Coleslaw, Dinner Rolls

Storing Leftovers

To store any leftover Cajun Rice make sure that it is totally cooled before adding it to the fridge. It can overcook and clump together if you store it while it is still hot/warm.

Fridge

Place the cooled rice in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat place in the microwave for 1 minute and then fluff with a fork. Or you can pop it in a skillet with a couple dashes of water or broth, stir around the pan until it is heated through.

Freezing

Let the Cajun Rice cool completely. To avoid ANY clumps you can spread the rice on a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the freezer for about an hour. Then transfer to a freezer safe baggie. Keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Thaw and Reheat

Let the rice thaw in the fridge overnight and then pop in the microwave for 1 minute and then fluff with a fork. Or you can pop it in a skillet with a couple dashes of water or broth, stir around the pan until it is heated through.

Reheat from Frozen

Pour the frozen rice in a skillet with a little water or broth over medium heat. Stir around the pan until the rice and veggies are thawed and warmed through.

More Cajun Recipes To Love

We absolutely love the flavors of Louisiana style Cajun Cuisine here at Mom’s Dinner. Here are some other recipes to try next time you want a little Cajun for dinner.

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Perfect Cajun Rice Recipe

Cajun Rice is a super flavorful Louisiana Style side dish, filled with peppers, onions, celery and tons of spices! It is a great side dish for all Cajun style food.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

• ▢
  Pot with tight fitting lid

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1 stalk celery - finely diced
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper - finely diced
• ▢ ½ cup yellow or white onion - finely diced
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves - chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ cups long grain white rice - rinsed well of extra rice starch (see notes)
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika - make sure to use "smoked"
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ Bay Leaf
• ▢ pinch red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper
• ▢ 2 ½ cups chicken stock
• ▢ OPTIONAL – add a fresh diced jalapeno with the peppers and onions for extra spice!

Instructions

 

• In a pot over medium heat add the butter and let it melt. Add the celery, peppers, and onion, sauté until they are softening, about 7-8 minutes.

  (add the jalapeno too, if using for extra heat)
  3 tablespoon butter, 1 stalk celery, 1 red bell pepper, ½ cup yellow or white onion
  
• Add the garlic and rice. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  1 ½ cups long grain white rice, 3 garlic cloves
• Measure in all the seasonings and spices. Stir around for 1 minute.
  ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, Bay Leaf, pinch red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper
  
• Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
  2 ½ cups chicken stock
• Bring to a boil, make sure all the rice grains are in the liquid, then cover the pot and lower the heat to low.
  
• Simmer covered for 18 minutes, without peaking. Remove from the heat and keep covered for 5 more minutes to finish cooking.
• Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Taste for additional seasoning or spices.
• Serve warm/hot! Excellent side dish for Blackened Tilapia, Cajun Salmon or Skillet Cajun Shrimp.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

RINSING YOUR RICE: Use a fine mesh sieve to run cool water over the rice until it is clear. If you don’t have a fine mesh sieve you can also rinse the rice in a bowl of water, changing the water a few times to rid it of extra starch.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 931IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg