Cajun Rice Dressing
This old-fashioned Cajun Oyster Rice Dressing is a savory combination of seasoned wild rice, fresh oysters, chicken livers, onion and celery. Unlike traditional Southern oyster dressing made with bread or cornbread, this Louisiana family recipe uses Uncle Ben’s seasoned rice instead. It’s a flavorful holiday side dish that pairs beautifully with Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas beef tenderloin or roasted chicken.
This recipe comes to me from my great-great Grandmother on my Grandad’s Cajun side of the family.
Traditional “oyster dressing recipes” use French bread or cornbread in them, but this recipe came from my Cajun Grandad’s side of the family. I suspect my grandmother made it once with wild rice because she didn’t have any bread!
Anyway, it turned out delicious and has been a Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish in our family for many, many years!
Some folks call this “Cajun Oyster Dressing” or “Seafood Dressing” – It’s basically a savory, herb-infused, baked rice side dish with celery, onion, chicken livers and fresh oysters.
Ingredients
This Cajun rice dressing isn’t really a so-called “dressing” because it doesn’t contain any bread or cornbread, like most Southern dressings. It’s more like a savory rice side dish that pairs beautifully with turkey, chicken or beef!
If your family is like mine, they’ll turn their noses up when they learn it has oysters and chicken livers in it…so just don’t tell ’em (unless there’s an allergy issue)–trust me…they’ll love it!
- Seasoned long grain wild rice- I use the original Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice
- Chicken broth or chicken stock
- Fresh oysters – reserve the juice
- Chicken livers
- Onion-chopped yellow or white onion
- Celery
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
This recipe yields a total of 8 cups. If you’re serving this as a side with other items, allow 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups per person. If this is your only side, allow 1 cup per person.
Instructions
- Cook the wild rice according to package directions. While that’s cooking, boil the chicken livers in water with a little salt and pepper; this takes about 15-minutes.
- Saute onion and celery in butter in a large skillet on medium heat until tender
- Finely chop chicken livers and oysters; add everything to a 9 x 13 baking dish; combine well and bake
Here’s what it looks like before it’s baked. At this point, lightly season with garlic powder and cayenne (optional.)
Recipe tips
Don’t announce what’s in it to your guests…many of them will turn up their noses…just serve it and watch them devour it!
- Use fresh oysters in a plastic tub (these are usually in the seafood/meat market); check the date and get the freshest ones; keep the juice, you’re gonna use it in the recipe
- I don’t cover wild rice and oyster dressing with foil because I like a little crunch on top; if you prefer no crunch, put foil over the top
- Don’t over bake it! Everything’s basically already cooked, all we’re doing is baking the oysters a little in the oven
Make ahead
If you want to make this rice dressing ahead of time, assemble everything BUT the oysters and refrigerate. Add the oysters right before you bake it.
Why? If you put the oysters and juice in and then refrigerate it, it gets soggy and the oyster flavor is too strong…it intensifies…add ’em last!
This Louisiana Cajun rice dressing is a savory side dish that pairs beautifully with turkey, beef tenderloin or roasted chicken!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and comment below! I love to hear from you! Thank you!
Cajun Rice Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 cups prepared wild rice : 2 boxes of Uncle Ben's Original Wild Rice
- ¾ cup celery ,chopped
- ¾ cup onion ,chopped
- ½ pound chicken livers ,cooked, chopped very fine;
- 8 ounces fresh oysters ,with liquor (juice), chopped very fine
- 4 cups chicken broth , unsalted
- 6 tablespoons butter , divided
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
- green onions garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF
- Prepare two boxes of wild rice with seasonings in 4 cups of chicken broth and 2 tablespoons of butter; set aside6 cups prepared wild rice, 4 cups chicken broth
- Drain and rinse chicken livers; place in medium saucepan and cover with water; lightly season with salt and pepper; cook on medium heat till livers reach internal temperature of 165ºF; drain, finely chop and set aside½ pound chicken livers
- In a medium saucepan add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, chopped onions and celery; cook till tender¾ cup celery, ¾ cup onion
- Using a slotted spoon, remove oysters from container; chop finely; DO NOT THROW AWAY the oyster liquor (juice); put chopped oysters and their liquor aside8 ounces fresh oysters
- In a 9 x 13 baking dish, add cooked rice, sauteed onion and celery, chopped chicken livers, chopped oysters, cayenne pepper and garlic powder; combine well6 cups prepared wild rice, ¾ cup celery, ¾ cup onion, ½ pound chicken livers, 8 ounces fresh oysters, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Drizzle remaining oyster liquor (juice) over rice mixture; combine well
- Bake uncovered at 325ºF for 15-20 minutes
- Season with salt and garnish with chopped green onionssalt, green onions
Notes
- This recipe yields 8 cups total; if you’re serving this with other sides, allow about a half a cup (to three-fourths cup) per person
- When chopping the oysters a lot of juice will come out on the cutting board; add this juice to the rice, as well as the juice the oysters came in
- Don’t add salt until after you’ve added the oysters; their juice is already pretty salty
Nutrition Estimate
Related recipes
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Spiced Cranberry Sauce
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Turnip Green and Cornbread Dressing
- How to Season and Cook Southern Greens
- How to Season and Cook Purple Hull and Black Eyed Peas
- Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
- New Orleans Cajun Chicken Gumbo
- Creole Shrimp Pasta
- Shrimp Etouffee
- Seafood Manicotti Alfredo
- Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pie
- Southern Pecan Pie
- Classic Buttermilk Pie
- Southern Fried Oysters
