Louisiana Rice Dressing (a holiday favorite)
Rice dressing is a Louisiana staple that can be served as a side dish or used as a stuffing for turkey or chicken. This rice dressing recipe uses the holy trinity of green peppers, onions and celery with ground beef, pork, chicken livers and oysters. It’s rich, savory and 100% delicious.
Table of Contents
- 1 What is rice dressing?
- 2 Rice dressing recipe ingredients:
- 3 How to make rice dressing:
- 4 Pro-Tips about the rice:
- 5 What’s the difference between dirty rice and rice dressing?
- 6 Variations:
- 7 Can I eat rice dressing straight from the skillet?
- 8 How to make the rice dressing recipe to serve as a casserole
- 9 How to stuff a turkey with rice dressing
- 10 Frequently Asked Questions:
- 11 What can I do with leftover rice dressing?
- 12 Louisiana Rice Dressing
What is rice dressing?
According to John Folse’s tome The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine, {affiliate link} this rice dressing recipe has been around for more than 150 years. It’s a staple on holiday tables throughout Southern Louisiana as it combines all the best flavors of the bayou including meat (pork, beef & chicken) seafood (oysters) and nuts (pecans).
It’s a simple, but rich and hearty side dish that just screams Louisiana.
In Folse’s original recipe, the only seasonings were salt and pepper. I’ve added a classic Creole (or you can use Cajun) blend to crank up the volume on this savory stuffing.
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Why you’ll love this rice dressing recipe:
- It’s a great make-ahead recipe.
- There are multiple ways to enjoy it, hot from the pan, baked in a casserole dish or stuffed into your holiday turkey.
- It’s like no other stuffing you’ve ever had. Truly.
- Feeds a crowd and can be doubled.
- Rice stuffing freezes well.
- Leftovers are fabulous.
Rice dressing recipe ingredients:
- Cooked Long Grain Rice – cool the rice after cooking so it doesn’t continue to absorb liquid.
- Chicken Livers – I use Murray farms chicken livers.
- Pecans – can use pecan pieces.
- Ground Beef – can use lean or regular.
- Ground Pork – I know — beef, chicken and pork? Trust me, it works.
- Butter – don’t use your fancy European butter.
- Onions – I use yellow onions.
- Celery – a traditional part of a mirepoix.
- Green Bell Pepper – part of the Louisiana holy trinity – the beginning of soups, gumbos and etouffees.
- Red Bell Pepper – adds a sweet pop of fresh flavor.
- Kosher Salt – I recommend Diamond Crystal.
- Black Pepper – Freshly ground will give the most flavor.
- Creole Seasoning – homemade or store-bought.
- Garlic – for an aromatic flavor.
- Oysters (in their liquid) – use fresh oysters.
- Green Onions – for a fresh allium flavor that doesn’t overpower.
- Chopped Parsley – for fresh flavor and garnish.
This recipe is pure Louisiana from the rice which is a native crop to the low country and bayous, to the holy trinity (onions, celery and green pepper).
The blend of meats with chicken livers and oysters sounds strange, but it’s one of those things that just works. Don’t question it, just enjoy.
For those who say they don’t like chicken livers or oysters — I’m here to tell you that you’ll never be able to identify them in the rice dressing as everything is cooked down into one homogenous dish with no one flavor dominating.
How to make rice dressing:
- Bring a small pan of water just to the boiling point and remove it from the heat. Add the chicken livers and set aside to poach.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the ground beef and pork.
- Brown the meat in the butter, breaking it up into small even granules with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the minced garlic, onions, celery, green and red bell peppers and roughly chopped chicken livers.
- Simmer the vegetables with the meat until tender and slightly translucent.
- Add the oysters and their liquid and break apart the bivalves with the spoon, until they’re blended into the meat mixture and not readily identifiable. (You don’t want big chunks of anything in the rice dressing, the ingredients should all be about the same size, which is to say, about the size of a grain of rice.)
- Season with Creole seasoning and cook for a few minutes until well seasoned and fragrant.
- Add the cooked and cooled rice, green onions, parsley and toasted, chopped pecans and mix to combine.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.
Pro-Tips about the rice:
Do NOT use hot rice in this dressing recipe.
It should be cooked and completely cooled before adding it to the meat mixture.
I recommend making it earlier in the day or even several days before. Just store it in the refrigerator and its one less thing to do on the day you make the rice dressing.
However, if you are assembling the recipe on the same day, cook the rice and remove the lid so that the steam evaporates and the surface of the rice dries out.
Using hot, sticky rice will cause the grains to soak up more liquid and can make the dressing mushy.
What’s the difference between dirty rice and rice dressing?
Though they might sound similar and share some basic ingredients (rice and the holy trinity of bell peppers, onions and celery) there are big differences between these two classic Louisiana recipes. Dirty rice is made with chicken livers and giblets and doesn’t contain any other meat or seafood.
Rice dressing doesn’t use giblets and also includes ground beef, pork and oysters with their liquid. That’s a whole lotta flavor.
Variations:
- The original recipe didn’t include the Creole spice seasoning, so you can certainly skip the spice if you have sensitive diners.
- Other spice blends that would work are Cajun spice (which is simply Creole spice without the herbs).
- Or add several tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce (such as Crystal’s or Tabasco).
Can I eat rice dressing straight from the skillet?
Yes! The beauty of this recipe is that everything is cooked in the skillet, so you can absolutely enjoy it hot from the pan.
How to make the rice dressing recipe to serve as a casserole
- After assembling the rice dressing, spray a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick vegetable spray.
- Transfer the dressing to the prepared dish.
- Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into small pieces and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°.
- Garnish with extra parsley and green onions and maybe a few whole pecans.
How to stuff a turkey with rice dressing
- Prep or season the turkey as usual (I usually brine mine for a day).
- Dry the turkey inside and out with paper towels.
- Stuff the turkey with the rice dressing, but don’t pack it in too tightly. It should be comfortably snug, but not pressed tightly.
- Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen string to prevent the stuffing from leaking and roast until the turkey reaches 165° in the thickest part of the breast or thigh.
- Let the turkey rest so the juices can redistribute. While the turkey is resting, spoon out the rice dressing and transfer to a serving dish.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can store it in a well sealed food storage container or if it’s in a casserole dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Up to 2-3 days in advance. Keep well covered and refrigerated. To reheat, remove from the fridge for 30 minutes before heating in a 350° oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Leftovers are good for 2-3 days or you can freeze leftover rice stuffing for up to 2 months in a freezer safe container.
Yes. This recipe is actually well suited to freezing. Just transfer to a freezer safe storage container or a zip top freezer bag. It will keep well for up to 2 months.
I made this rice dressing recipe as a side dish to go with a grilled, spatchcock chicken and green salad. It was so good that four of us ate just over half of this two quart casserole… piglets we are.
Here’s what my tasters had to say:
“It’s really good. I love all the meats and how the flavors work together. When you said it had oysters, I was looking for big chunks, but they’re dissolved into the rice. It gives it a really nice flavor throughout. I love that spicy Creole kick.” – Scott
“Cajun comes to Thanksgiving! What a treat! “– Craig
“This went so well with the chicken, which can be a bland meat, it made such a great pop and contrast.” — Chris
What can I do with leftover rice dressing?
- Melt butter in a cast iron skillet and fry leftover dressing as you would a hash. When it’s crusty and hot, top it with a fried eggs, fresh diced green onions and a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Hollow out bell peppers and fill with the rice dressing. Cover well with foil and roast in a hot oven until the peppers are soft. Voila, stuffed peppers.
More Louisiana Cajun and Creole recipes you’ll love:
- Easy Louisiana Cajun Red Beans Rice and Sausage
- Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
- Muffuletta Bread – Easy Homemade White Bread
- Easy Cajun Skillet Jambalaya (with video)
- Muffuletta Olive Salad
- Classic Oysters Rockefeller Recipe
- Cajun Andouille Sausage Sweet Potato Frittata
- Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe
- Easy Crawfish Étouffée
- Red Bean and Sausage Soup
- Southern Style Pecan Pralines
- Authentic Seafood, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Cognac French 75
More stuffing recipes:
- Green Chile Cornbread Stuffing Casserole with Sausage
- Sausage Fennel and Apple Stuffing
- Sausage Apple Stuffing with Leeks and Butternut Squash
- Old Fashioned Sausage & Oyster Dressing
Want MORE? Check out this collection of Ultimate Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes.
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Louisiana Rice Dressing
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup pecans
- 3 cups cooked white rice cooled with the lid off the pan, to room temperature.
- 3 chicken livers
- ¾ pound ground beef I used ground chuck
- ¾ pound ground pork
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced green pepper
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon Morton’s
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground if possible
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
- 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 pint oysters in their liquid
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ½ cup chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS:
TOAST THE PECANS:
- Heat the oven to 350°. Spread the pecans on a sheet pan and toast for 8-10 minutes or until the pecans are browned, toasted and fragrant. Roughly chop and set aside.
POACH THE CHICKEN LIVERS:
- Bring 1-2 cups of water to a rapid simmer in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken livers. Set aside to poach (it will only take about 5-6 minutes).
- Remove the livers from the water. Reserve some of the poaching liquid in case you need it later. Roughly chop the livers. Set aside.
BROWN THE MEAT:
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add the butter to melt. Stir in the ground beef and pork and cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is browned through and the pork and beef are separated into small grains.
- Add the onions, celery, green and red bell pepper, kosher salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning and minced garlic. Stir and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened and flavors are well combined.
- Add the oysters and their liquid to the meat mixture and use the edge of the spoon to break the oysters into small, almost indecipherable pieces. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the oysters are well combined.
- If the mixture starts to look dry, you can add a few tablespoons of the reserved poaching liquid, but it shouldn’t be wet or sopping.
- Add the rice, diced green onions and parsley to the meat mixture and gently fold it together until evenly combined. Stir in the pecans.
TO STUFF A TURKEY WITH RICE DRESSING:
- You can use the rice dressing to stuff several chickens or a turkey. If you’re making the rice dressing ahead of time, bring it to room temperature before stuffing a turkey.
SERVE DIRECTLY FROM THE PAN:
- Transfer the rice dressing to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with additional parsley and diced green onions. Serve as a side dish.
TO SERVE AS A CASSEROLE:
- To serve as a casserole, spray a 2 quart casserole dish with vegetable spray and fill it with the rice dressing. Dot the casserole with about 1 tablespoon of butter and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 350° to heat through, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until the top is lightly browned and crusted.
This dressing is something new to me. So flavorful ad delicious.
I’ve never had anything like this before, but the ingredients sounded so unusual I wanted to try it. My family devoured this rice stuffing. We served it as a side dish with grilled chicken, but honestly, I could have skipped the bird and just eaten this dish on its own. It’s so meaty and rich. Love it. We will make this for Christmas instead of the standard bread stuffing.