Shrimp Sausage Dirty Rice: A Hearty Southern Classic
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into coins
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 green onions, sliced thin
- Small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon wedge for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Bring chicken broth and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add andouille slices and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes to brown. Flip and cook 1 more minute. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan with the sausage drippings, add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
- Add garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne. Stir and cook for 60 seconds until the spices bloom and become fragrant.
- Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 90 seconds without touching, then flip. Cook until pink and loosely curled. Remove shrimp and sausage from pan immediately.
- Add cooked rice to the skillet and fold it into the pan drippings until the rice takes on a deep amber color throughout.
- Return shrimp and sausage to the pan. Gently fold everything together. Taste and adjust salt. Squeeze lemon over the top if desired.
- Scatter green onions and fresh parsley over the top and serve immediately straight from the pan.
Notes
Watch your shrimp closely — they overcook in under a minute. Pull them from the heat the moment they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape. You can always add them back to the pan but you cannot uncook them.