Dirty Rice with Ground Beef - Quick Ground Beef Recipes
When I first made dirty rice, I wasn’t expecting my kitchen to smell like a Cajun street parade, but here we are. The combo of seasoned beef, veggies, and rice hits that comfort spot right between ‘I need dinner fast’ and ‘I want something hearty’. Honestly, this is one of those quick ground beef recipes that always saves me when the fridge looks like a desert.
Think about it, rice that soaks up all the meaty flavors, bell peppers giving a bit of crunch, onions doing their sweet thing, and garlic—because of course garlic. Toss in a handful of spices, and you’ve basically turned an ordinary weeknight into something that feels a lot less ordinary. You know those moments when dinner feels like it took forever but really didn’t? Yeah, this recipe is that trick.
And here’s the kicker—it’s flexible. Got leftover rice? Perfect. Only ground beef in the freezer? Even better. Dirty rice doesn’t ask for much, but it gives you a big, flavorful payoff. If you’ve been hunting for ground beef rice recipes, recipes with ground beef, or really any ground beef recipes that don’t take all night, this one’s got your back. Call it a recipe with ground beef, call it a lifesaver—either way, it’s going to feed your people and make you look like you had a plan all along.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and bell pepper, cook until softened.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Season with Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Stir in the cooked rice and mix well until everything is combined and heated through.
- Top with sliced green onions and serve warm.