Cajun Rice – Barefeet in the Kitchen

Tender rice with onion, bell pepper, and celery mixed with a great blend of spices adds up to bowl of Cajun rice—a simple, easy-to-make side dish that tastes like something a whole lot fancier than it actually is.

While a basic pot of rice cooks, you’ll saute the Cajun trinity (that would be onion, bell pepper, and celery) in a bit of butter, along with that mix of bold, smoky spices, and the next thing you know that plain rice becomes the star of the table.

If you’ve never cooked with the Cajun trinity before, your tastebuds are about to be very happy—it’s the Southern version of mirepoix, only with a little more attitude. The sweetness of the sautéed onion and bell pepper balances the earthiness of the celery, and that forms the flavorful base of this dish.

A sprinkling each of smoked paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, along with a good pinch of salt turn this into something really tasty. Don’t be afraid of the cayenne either. It doesn’t actually provide heat here, it just gives the other flavors a boost.

This dish is as versatile as it is flavorful. Serve it as a side next to grilled chicken or shrimp—or pile the rice into a bowl and call it dinner. I highly recommend cooking up a batch of Cajun chicken bites while the rice is cooking and then serving them over the rice.

The best part is, this recipe is super forgiving and about as adaptable as can be. You can adjust the spice to your taste, double it for leftovers, or toss in whatever protein you have on hand. (It’s excellent with sliced kielbasa or andouille sausage stirred into the rice, too.) It’s a great base to build on, but it’s just as good left simple as written.

One final note, friends. Don’t skip that finish of fresh parsley. It might seem like a small thing, but it adds just the right brightness to balance out all the warm, deep flavors happening underneath.

Rice side dishes are a staple in my meal planning. This spicy and flavorful Mexican rice is a great side dish for the enchiladas that we love.

Tangy, sweet pineapple rice with cilantro and lime is a fun side dish that was originally inspired by this recipe for Hawaiian huli huli chicken. I wanted something a bit different, and the rice worked out beautifully.

Tender jasmine rice with bite sized broccoli florets in a cheesy sauce makes this cheesy broccoli rice picky eater approved. It gets two thumbs up from all the kids whenever we serve it.

Bright yellow turmeric rice with butter and green peas is a colorful and tasty side dish for Chicken Tikka Masala, or pretty much any other stir fry dinner.

And did you know that you can cook rice in the oven too? Tart lime juice and peppery cilantro infuse the long, fluffy grains of rice with fabulous flavor in this simple oven baked rice.

For a rice dish that can also be the main course, fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, and sweet onions are sprinkled throughout this buttery, garlicky, vegetable rice pilaf. I like this one so much, I’ve been known to hide the leftovers for my lunch the following day.