Cajun Meatballs and Dirty Rice Meal Prep

ByEric Jones
Jump to Recipe·Leave a Review

Meal prepping is a great way to get ahead of the week! And for this full course meal, I paired tender Cajun meatballs, dirty rice, and a fresh cucumber & tomato salad with a homemade vinaigrette. These recipes can be made in advance and enjoyed later or throughout the week.

Plate of cajun meatballs, dirty rice, and a cucumber salad for meal prep

Well, our “normal” has officially changed… again. With our daughter starting high school and our son starting kindergarten, we have a lot going on! Between my daughter’s soccer practices and games, my son growing accustomed to his new schedule, and my wife and I trying to make it all work — we knew we had to change up our evening routine. And because our time is minimal, meal prepping has become our new normal.

Meal prepping is a great way to kick off a week without the hassle of trying to plan and cook a new meal every single night. You can make a few different items and enjoy them as a whole or even pair them with other dishes.

This meal prep recipe idea combines Cajun meatballs (using a combination of ground beef and ground turkey to make them a bit healthier than the traditional), Louisiana-style dirty rice made with ground beef and chicken gizzards, and a fresh cucumber salad mixed with cherry tomatoes and served with a homemade vinaigrette.

overhead shot of meal prep containers with plated full meal

All these recipes are super simple to make. The dirty rice is so flavorful! Every time I make dirty rice, it reminds me of home. I mean, you must have dirty rice in the “Dirty South!” 🙂

Ingredients you’ll need to make this meal prep:

  • For the dirty rice, 3 cups cooked rice, olive oil, minced garlic, celery, green bell pepper, white onion, fresh parsley, chicken gizzards, ground beef, sea salt, Creole seasoning, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground thyme, ground ginger, and chicken broth.
  • For the meatballs, you’ll need green bell pepper, white onion, ground beef, ground turkey, Louisiana hot sauce, panko breadcrumbs, an egg, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground thyme, and garlic powder.
  • For the cucumber salad, you’ll need one whole cucumber, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, ground mustard, brown sugar, black pepper, and oregano.

Meal Prep FAQs

What type of container should I use for meal prepping?

I would recommend using leakproof glass containers with thick, durable glass with airtight lids. I prefer the snap-down lids. Also, glass containers with 2 or more compartments are great to keep individual dishes separated, and it also helps control the portions.

How long can I store my meal in the refrigerator?

This meal will last between 3 to 5 days in the fridge. You’ll want to allow the meatballs and dirty rice to come to room temperature before storing them.

How should I prep the gizzards, and is there a good substitute for gizzards?

You should purchase your gizzards cleaned from your grocer. This way, you’ll only need to remove the silverskin membrane on either side of the meat before cutting the meat into small pieces for this recipe. If you don’t have access to chicken gizzards, you can also use chicken livers. If you don’t like chicken gizzards to livers, simply add more ground beef.

meal prep containers with plated full meal

This meal idea is a perfect way to kick your week off. Give those nightly dinner duties a break and try these easy recipes on for size. It will save a lot of time, eliminate those last-minute grocery runs, and it may even keep you from eating an unhealthy meal when you are in search of something to eat quickly.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Plate of cajun meatballs, dirty rice, and a cucumber salad for meal prep

Cajun Meatballs and Dirty Rice Meal Prep

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Eric Jones
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Meal prepping is a great way to head ahead of the week! And for this full course meal, I paired tender Cajun meatballs, dirty rice, and a fresh cucumber & tomato salad with a homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cajun Dirty Rice:

  • 3 cups cooked rice (1 cup uncooked rice)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup celery, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup chicken gizzards, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Creole seasoning
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground thyme
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 cup chicken broth

For the Cajun Meatballs:

  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large organic egg
  • 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground thyme
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

For the Cucumber & Tomato Salad:

  • 1 whole cucumber, sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 3 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp oregano

Instructions

  1. For Cajun Dirty Rice, cook your rice per the instructions and set it to the side. 
  2. Add the olive oil and garlic to a sauté pan at medium heat. Stir. Add chopped celery, green bell pepper, onion, and parsley, and cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the green bell peppers are soft. 
  3. Add chopped chicken gizzards to the sauté pan and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes before adding ground beef, Himalayan pink salt, Creole seasoning, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground thyme, and ground ginger. Stir together. 
  4. Cook ground beef until browned, then add your cooked rice to the sauté pan. Fold the ingredients together. 
  5. Pour chicken broth into the sauté pan and stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
  6. For the Cajun Meatballs, place the green bell pepper and onion in a food processor (paid link), then pulse until finely blended.
  7. Add ground beef, ground turkey, Louisiana hot sauce, panko breadcrumbs, egg, Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, ground thyme, and garlic powder in a large bowl and mix. 
  8. Form ground beef into palm-sized meatballs, then place on a baking sheet (paid link). 
  9. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. 
  10. For the Cucumber Salad, add cucumbers and cherry tomatoes to a bowl. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, ground mustard, brown sugar, black pepper, and oregano in a separate bowl. Whisk (paid link) together until well combined, and pour over the cucumber and tomatoes. 

Equipment

(paid link)

Notes

You should purchase your gizzards cleaned from your grocer. This way, you’ll only need to remove the silverskin membrane on either side of the meat before cutting the meat into small pieces for this recipe.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Comfort Food
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Calories: 315
  • Sugar: 1.3g
  • Sodium: 1039mg
  • Fat: 10g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.3g
  • Fiber: 1.3g
  • Protein: 26.6g
  • Cholesterol: 68mg

I'm Eric --- a husband, father, Louisiana native, and lover of Tex-Mex and double-stacked burgers. On this site, you'll find Southern recipes I learned from my grandmothers using simple, approachable ingredients.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star