Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans is a super easy skillet dinner, made in one pan. The rice is cooked with warm aromatics like onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Then you add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and smoked beef sausage. Finally the kidney beans get added and you are left with a delicious dinner that is cooks in under 30 minutes, without a watchful eye.
This is not a spicy dish, it is simply full of warm and comforting flavors. Of course, you can make it spicy by adding extra red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
A Perfect One Pan Dinner
I love a one pan dinner. There is nothing better than finishing dinner and only having one pan to wash.
This one skillet dinner is great on a night when you are busy and just want to be able to throw dinner in a pot and get on with your night.
Some of our other favorite one pan dinners are my Healthy Sheet Pan Sausage & Veggies with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette or my Instant Pot Cajun Rice with Chicken & Sausage.
What Makes Dirty Rice, Dirty?
I actually had to look this up when I thought about this recipe. So I thought I provide the information right here on Mom’s Dinner.
What I found is that Dirty Rice is called dirty because when white rice is cooked with all the Cajun and Creole spices the rice takes on a dirty appearance.
Makes sense!
Cajun Seasoning
I like to use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning in this recipe.. and all my Cajun style recipes. It has a great mix of spices and salt.
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Now if you choose to use a different Cajun seasoning check and see if it contains salt. If it does not, add a little less than ½ teaspoon of salt when you add the other seasonings to the onion-sausage mixture. Then wait to taste for additional salt at the end.
How to make Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans
This is a great set it and forget it recipe. Once all the ingredients are in the pot you have about 20-25 minutes to leave the kitchen and get other things done.
In a large skillet with a lid heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes.
While the onions and garlic saute chop the sausage into a dice, about the size of a kidney bean. Toss that into the skillet.
Add all the seasonings and stir to coat the onions and sausage.
Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Now add the rice and bring the heat up to medium high and let the liquid come to a hard simmer.
Lower the heat to low and pop the lid on. Simmer on low for 18-20 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, with the lid on for 5 minutes.
Stir in the kidney beans and it is time to eat!
Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans for Dinner
This is meant to be an easy dinner without a lot of sides. The recipes contains your starch, protein, and veggies (if you consider beans and tomatoes veggies?!). So I would simply serve this with a big glass of milk, bottle of beer, or glass of wine.
Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced - (about 1 onions)
- 3 plump garlic cloves, chopped
- 12 oz fully cooked Smoked Beef Sausage Link, cut into chunks about the size of the kidney beans - could use Andoullie sausage for more spice
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, heaping **see note about salt - (I use Louisiana Fish Fry Cajun Seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, heaping
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon each- garlic powder & onion powder
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
- 15.5 oz light or dark red kidney beans, drained
Instructions
- In a large skillet with a lid heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring often.Add the diced sausage and give a stir or two.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup yellow onion, diced, 3 plump garlic cloves, chopped, 12 oz fully cooked Smoked Beef Sausage Link, cut into chunks about the size of the kidney beans
- Sprinkle in all the seasonings and spices. Stir to coat the onions and sausage.Stir in the (uncooked) rice.1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, heaping **see note about salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, heaping, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon each- garlic powder & onion powder, pinch red pepper flakes, 1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
- Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into the pot and scrape up and browned bits from the bottom of the pot.Turn the heat to medium high and bring the liquid to a hard simmer for a minute.Turn the heat to low and pop the lid on the pot. Cook for 18-20 minutes.1 ½ cups chicken broth, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, do not drain
- Remove the pot from the burner and let sit, with the lid on, for 5 minutes.Stir the bean into the mixture and serve.15.5 oz light or dark red kidney beans, drained
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Emily says
Not sure what I did wrong and would love some insight. Only changes I made were adding bell pepper and using brown rice. After 20 minutes there was still broth in the pan and the rice wasn’t cooked. I left it for another 15 minutes, It absorbed the broth but still was crunchy. Added some more broth and left for another 10 minutes and it’s still crunchy. It’s too late at night to keep trying so this one’s a fail for me. If anyone has some insight please let me know.
Susie Weinrich says
I’m so sorry that happened at dinner time! Brown rice is definitely a different ingredient than white rice. Brown rice requires a different amount of liquid and has a longer cook time, it can take 35-45 minutes for brown rice to cook. If you were adding cold or room temp liquid to the pan in the middle of the cook it won’t have the same cooking effect as it steaming/simmering in the hot liquid.
If you try it again with brown rice… Use 2.25 cups broth, add the brown rice, bring it to a boil, then pop the lid on turn the heat to low and keep it on for 45 minutes. Then add the beans, fluff and enjoy.
Anna says
Really enjoyed this! Used fresh chorizo sausage. Thanks for a keeper.
Dan says
Wow, delicious and easy. Used Andoullie sausage and brown rice. Will make this again. Great flavor and balanced flavor, not to spicy, just right.
Karen D says
This was really hearty! I loved that it made enough for leftovers and I had some for lunch 2 days in a row!
Kelly says
Has anyone tried it with brown rice? Wondering if the other ingredients hold up to the extra cook time and if you added more liquid.
HappyGardener says
Great recipe!
Super easy to make. My hubby can’t handle real spicy food so I only put in 1/4 teaspoon of the Cajun Seasoning. My Cajun Seasoning didn’t have salt in it so I added 1 teaspoon of salt. Came out perfect. Served it with Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Will definitely make again.
Vanessa Maxey says
This was wonderful. I added some celery and bell pepper that I needed to use up along with fire roasted tomatoes. The only brand I had on hand were cannelini but they tasted just fine. Very yummy!
Daniel Jay Modderman says
Great Recipe Susie! Thanks for sharing! I followed the recipe exactly other than using Beyond Meat Sausage and Vegetable Broth to make this vegan. It is a tasty, quick, and healthy dish.
Susie Weinrich says
LOVE that you made this vegan. Get subs!!!
Daisy says
Cooked this in the instant pot.
Sautéed, rice, liquid, rice setting, added beans (and some chard from the garden)
My son and husband really liked it. I didn’t try it because I don’t eat meat.
I’m gunna give it a shot with beyond sausage I think.
Easy brainless recipe.
👍
Susie Weinrich says
I love that you made it in the Instant Pot!