Save time and cook everything in one pot with this cajun seasoned vegetarian dirty rice. No need to have cooked rice ahead of time to make this dish!
Dirty rice is a Louisiana Creole dish, but can be found on the dinner table in many Southern-raised households. Maybe even if you have been to the restaurant Bojangles then you've at least seen or had dirty rice as a side. It's also sometimes called "cajun rice"
This was inspired by my childhood memories of eating Zatarain's Dirty Rice box mix. Still to this day, I like their dirty rice, but I wanted to come up with something more homemade. This One Pot Vegetarian Dirty Rice and Beans is SO flavorful you can't tell the meat is missing.
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Ingredients
Veggies, brown rice, beans and lots of seasonings make up a delicious pot of vegetarian dirty rice!
- Veggies - vidalia onion, green and red bell pepper for flavor and color
- Olive oil
- Garlic - you can buy it fresh or already minced in a jar
- Kidney beans - draining and rinsing canned beans can wash away ~40% of the sodium
- Ben's Brown Rice - I specifically like this brand of brown rice for a recipe like this because it only needs about 20 minutes to cook. That's perfect for a recipe like this! The brown rice that takes 40 minutes or longer to cook probably wouldn't work well for this recipe
- Vegetable broth - I recommend buying a low sodium version, since you'll be adding sodium from the cajun seasoning and a small amount from the Worchestire sauce
- Seasonings - smoked paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper
- Bay leaves - use fresh or dry
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Sauté onion and both bell peppers in olive oil for 5-7 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the beans, broth, all the seasonings and Worchestire sauce. Stir until mixed.
Add the brown rice. After you add the rice, give it a good stir, and place the lid on top.
Let it come to a soft (gentle) boil on medium-high heat then turn the heat down to simmer.
Are you wondering what is a soft (gentle) boil?
Here's a quick read on the different types of boils.
Hint: I know it's tempting to peak and take the lid off the pot while the food is cooking, but don't do it. Leave the lid on and let it cook on low for 30 minutes. This helps to have a final result of nicely cooked rice.
Substitutions
- Kidney beans - you can use light or dark red kidney beans
- Rice - if you don't have Ben's rice on hand you can use parboiled rice instead
Equipment
You'll need a 12 inch stainless steel skillet that's at least 2.5 inches deep. So essentially, using just a fry pan may not be deep enough. I haven't tested this out myself.
If you don't have a lid for your skillet, I really enjoy using a universal lid that also steams.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Pre-chop the veggies ahead of time. They can sit in the fridge for up to 3 days and still be good to go for the recipe!
- Drain and rinse the beans. Then put the beans in a container with a lid. These will be good for up to 3 days as well.
Storage
Good for 3-4 days in the fridge. Visit Leftovers and Food Safety for more information.
Vegetarian Dirty Rice freezes very well! Use a freezer safe bag. Always label bags with the name of the food and the date. For best quality freeze for up to 3 months.
Top tip
It's super important to not remove the lid OR stir the rice again while it is simmering.
FAQ
Greens (collards, turnip or mustard), cornbread, cabbage or green beans are great choices with dirty rice.
How to eat vegetarian dirty rice and beans as a main meal?
To enjoy this dish as a main meal you'll want to add more protein, vegetables and another carbohydrate.
Protein examples:
- Tofu, tempeh or seitan
- Bean patty (like a black bean patty or black-eyed pea fritter)
Vegetable examples:
- Greens (collards, turnip, kale or mustard)
- Cabbage
- Green Beans
- Salad
Carbohydrate examples:
- Cornbread or hoecakes
- Garlic bread
- Sweet potatoes or a lightened candied yams
- Any type of white potato (eating the skin for additional nutrients!)
Vegetarian Dirty Rice
Ingredients
- ¾ cup diced vidalia onion
- ¾ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic or 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 can light red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cup vegetable broth low sodium or unsalted
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worchestire sauce *optional, please see recipe notes below
- 2-3 bay leaf , dry 2 if they are big, 3 if they are small
- 1, ½ cup Uncle Ben's Brown Rice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the olive oil to medium high heat. Sauté onion, green and red bell peppers until tender (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add all the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for the rice) and stir until mixed well.
- Then add the rice and stir and mixed.
- Place the lid on the skillet and let it come to a soft boil. Turn the heat down low and let it simmer for 30 minutes. *It's super important to not remove the lid OR stir the rice again while it is simmering*
- Once it's done give the dirty rice a stir with a large spoon. Enjoy as a main dish or a side!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Benefits
- No cholesterol
- Has heart-healthy fats and potassium for heart health
- No added sugars
- Has fiber which is necessary for an overall healthy diet
- Provides some protein
Food safety
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Don Jones
Excellent dish! The Vegetarian Dirty Rice had lots of flavor with a hint of spicy. I truly enjoyed this dish. Thank you to KeyVion for preparing/creating delicious recipes. GOD Bless!
KeyVion Miller RDN, LD/N
Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoyed it.
Kevin Jones Sr
The Vegetarian Dirty Rice taste delicious! The seasoning/spices were not overwhelmingly in the dish. The dish has a mild spice flavor to it. The kidney beans and rice were cooked just right. You don’t have to worry about adding a traditional meat to your meal as the dish is very filling! I am not a vegetarian but the wife and I have a few meals a week where we do not eat meat. The Vegetarian Dirty Rice is a great substitute to a meal that features meat! Hope everyone else enjoys!!!
KeyVion Miller RDN, LD/N
Thanks so much for your feedback and glad you enjoyed it!!