Cajun Dirty Orzo
, Updated Jul 06, 2025
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Love Cajun Dirty Rice? You will definitely adore my Cajun Dirty Orzo recipe! This one pan wonder is hearty, delicious, thrifty and quick. Perfect for a midweek meal and a kid favorite.
What happens when you want to make Cajun Dirty Rice but there’s no rice in the pantry? Make Cajun Dirty Orzo instead!
This is definitely a “fusion” recipe (read – total mish-mash) that combines the addictive smoky flavor of Cajun seasoning with beef and orzo pasta. (See also: reader favorite Cajun Chicken Orzo) 🙂
Sort of homemade Hamburger Helper with Cajun spices, kind of Louisiana Dirty Rice minus the rice and DEFINITELY all kinds of delicious! Everything cooks together in one pan so the yumminess is off the charts – seriously, everyone will come back for seconds.
Cajun Dirty Orzo Ingredients
You gotta love a recipe that comes together in one pot and doesn’t break the bank. A deep non-stick pan would work best here as orzo tends to stick. Here’s what you will need:
- Butter and olive oil
- Shallots or white onion
- Green bell peppers (or you can use red and green)
- Plenty of garlic
- Cajun seasoning, celery salt, garlic and herb seasoning, dried parsley
- Ground beef (mince) – I used lean beef mince.
- Tomato purée / concentrated tomato paste
- Orzo pasta
- Beef broth / or beef stock made with two stock cubes
- Cheese – I used Red Leicester but Cheddar would also work
- Jalapeno sliced, to serve
- Fresh thyme, to serve
HOW TO MAKE DIRTY CAJUN ORZO
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
- Heat the butter and oil in a pan and add the shallots, chopped pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat for five minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and seasonings.
- Turn up the heat slightly and add the ground beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon so that it starts to brown.
- Add the orzo and continue to stir until the beef is nicely browned and the orzo is a bit toasted and coated in the spices and seasoning.
- Stir in the tomato paste and finally the beef broth/ stock. Bring to a rolling boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. If the pan gets too dry (the orzo soaks up liquid like a sponge) then stir in some extra water.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the grated cheese so that it melts into the dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme.
- Serve with sliced jalapeño or red chili flakes for an extra bit of heat plus more cheese (can you ever have enough?). SUPER YUM!
Recipe Tips
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Stir in some water when reheating to loosen up the orzo. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
- This recipe is very child-friendly provided your Cajun seasoning is on the mild side. If you are using a spicy blend then add one teaspoon to start with then add more, to taste.
- Use low sodium beef broth / stock cubes as the seasoning contains salt.
- You can replace the lean ground beef with any type of ground beef as well as ground turkey or crumbled sausage if preferred.
- Want to make this recipe with rice instead? You can! Use easy cook long grain rice in the same way as the orzo.
- Authentic dirty rice contains gizzards or chicken livers instead or in addition to the ground beef. Not many people love using either of these ingredients, but if you do you can certainly add some. Weird to report that my mum’s Greek turkey stuffing contains both beef and chicken livers and looks very much like dirty rice.
Check out these awesome recipes!
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Cajun Dirty Orzo
Video
Equipment
- Chef Pan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots / 1 onion , finely diced
- 2 green bell peppers , finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning see notes
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp garlic & herb seasoning , or garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 lb (500g) ground beef , I used lean beef mince.
- 1 ½ cups (300g) orzo pasta
- 2 tbsp tomato purée / concentrated tomato paste
- 3 ⅓ cups (800ml) beef broth or beef stock made with two stock cubes
- 3 tbsp cheddar cheese grated plus extra, to serve
- 1 red jalapeño sliced , to serve (optional)
- Fresh thyme , to serve
Instructions
- Heat the butter and oil in a pan and add the shallots, chopped pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat for five minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and seasonings.1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 shallots / 1 onion, 2 green bell peppers, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 tsp garlic & herb seasoning, 2 tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp salt
- Turn up the heat slightly and add the beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon so that it starts to brown.1 lb (500g) ground beef
- Add the orzo and continue to stir until the beef is nicely browned and orzo is a bit toasted.1 ½ cups (300g) orzo pasta
- Stir in the tomato paste and finally the beef broth/ stock. Bring to a rolling boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked, about 15-20 minutes.2 tbsp tomato purée / concentrated tomato paste, 3 ⅓ cups (800ml) beef broth
- Turn the heat off and stir in the grated cheese so that it melts into the dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme.3 tbsp cheddar cheese, Fresh thyme
- Serve with sliced jalapeno or dried red chili flakes for an extra bit of heat plus more cheese (can you ever have enough?). SUPER YUM!1 red jalapeño sliced
Notes
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Stir in some water when reheating to loosen up the orzo. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
- This recipe is very child-friendly provided your Cajun seasoning is on the mild side. If you are using a spicy blend then add one teaspoon to start with and increase, to taste.
- Use low sodium beef broth / stock cubes as the seasoning contains salt.
- You can replace the lean ground beef with any type of ground beef as well as ground turkey or crumbled sausage if preferred.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
I never leave reviews, but I had to on this. What a great dish!!!! I have made so many orzo dishes, but the flavor profiles in this are so unique and delicious. My family all had seconds.
Thanks for your lovely comment Andrea, really appreciate it 😘
We really liked this! It is going in to our regular rotation. So many different flavors and it’s quick and easy, too.
This is perfection, I make it almost weekly and have it memorized by heart. Thank you for this recipe, it nourishes myself and my children both physically and spiritually! So good!
Thanks so much Brianna!
I make this probably once every two weeks. It’s a staple in our house!