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This ground beef and rice recipe is like my Mediterranean version of rice and beans. It’s a staple recipe that I grew up having for dinner, and now I often make it for my family when I just can’t be creative in the kitchen and want something simple and hearty. My kids devour it so quickly and I love that it’s a well balanced nutritious meal.
The base of this recipe is the hashweh – which is an Arabic word meaning stuffing. It’s made up of ground beef, onions and spices, and is often used with or without rice for beef stuffed peppers, stuffed squash or stuffed grape leaves. Here, I’m using it as a one pot meal and adding chickpeas on top.
Recipe video tutorial
How to make ground beef and rice
- Brown the ground beef and soften the onions in a large pot with the 7 spice seasoning. You want to continually break up the mean with the back of the spoon or wooden spatula as much as possible so the ground beef pieces are small.
- Once cooked, add in the chickpeas and rice along with more salt and pepper to season the dish.
- Pour over the chicken broth or water, mix all of the ingredients together and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat but keep covered for 5-10 more minutes. Keep in mind that instead of adding double the amount of liquid to the rice like we normally cook rice, you’ll use slightly less since the beef will release some moisture.
- Now you can fluff the rice using a fork to give it a gentle toss. And the chicken and beef recipe is ready. I like to sprinkle the final dish with fresh parsley and then serve warm.
What do you serve with beef and rice?
We usually enjoy this meal with a salad and my kids love eating it with plain yogurt. You can also serve it with a side of vegetables. Here are some salads and veggies I’d recommend with it:
- Lebanese Salad
- Tabbouleh Salad
- Orange and Beet Salad
- Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini
- Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Tips for making ground beef and rice
- Use a wooden spatula to break up the ground beef as you’re cooking. This will help them brown easier and cook faster to add more flavor to the dish.
- Don’t use short grain rice. Long grain rice has a firmer texture as well as less starch. If you use short grain rice it can become sticky rather than separating once it is cooked and the dish will become clumpy.
- Allow the rice to steam before fluffing it. The rice will absorb any extra liquid in the pot and it helps to let the grains separate. I always recommend at least 5-10 minutes of resting time off the heat.
- Switch the chicken broth to vegetable broth or water. I often just use water instead of broth because there is already so much flavor in the dish from the cooked onions and browned beef.
Frequently asked question
I recommend any white long grain rice. I love using basmati rice for this because it comes out extra fluffy without any of the rice clumping. Jasmine will also work well. If you use a long grain brown rice you may have to increase the cooking time, check the package for timings.
Once you have made this dish, let it cool to room temperature and it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I often make a double batch for easy-to-grab lunches and dinners. We love having it as leftovers! You can simply reheat it on the stovetop to serve.
This dish is high in protein with no added sugar, so it’s a great meal that the whole family will enjoy. I like to serve it with some extra veggies but if you want to serve it just by itself, it’s still full of goodness. One serving is around 360 calories and this recipe makes 6 servings.
More one pot meals
The whole family loves this dish, it’s flavorful and healthy and so easy to make with minimal prep time. Give it a go, I know you are going to love it!
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Mediterranean Ground Beef & Rice recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Mediterranean Ground Beef & Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon 7 Spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 cups basmati rice rinsed
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- Fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot of medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and ground beef and season with the 7 Spice and ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and the ground beef is browned, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and the rice, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Pour the chicken broth or water on top.
- Mix all the ingredients together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked. Remove from heat but keep covered, and allow the steam to continue cooking the rice for 5-10 more minutes.
- Fluff the rice, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This is such a yummy and easy recipe!! It reminds me a lot of a dish my YiaYia used to make when I was a kid and I always loved it. So simple yet so delicious. I only had ground turkey and I added chopped garlic, other than that everything else was done exactly as written. Thanks for posting this. 🙂
Aww thank you. So happy this recipe is so nostalgic for you, I feel the same way!
If I am going to add veggies, when do I add them? In with the rice/chickpeas or should I sautee them with the meat for a bit? I’m planning on making this with zucchini and peppers. Do I keep the amount of liquid the same? Thanks!
Yes! I’d add them in with the beef and onions. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, the only 7 spice I can find is Japanese spice by McCormick. Is this correct?
I have a recipe for making the 7 spice here.
Ty!
I’ve made this recipe and we LOVED it! Has anyone tried using boneless/cubed chicken instead of the beef??
So happy you loved this! I have not tried it with cubed chicken, but I think it would work well with ground chicken or turkey!
So, I went ahead and tried it…I did use a little more of the 7 spice (or 6 rather, since I didn’t have the coriander). I also did a mix of chicken and beef broth just for a little more depth. I added the other ingredients a few minutes before the chicken was fully cooked and finished out your instructions. It was so good!!! Thanks again for this GREAT recipe!
So glad to hear this, thanks for letting me know!
this is my GO to. I’ve taken it to 4 mamas who have had newborns in the past 2 months. It’s gluten & diary free. No one else is going to repeat it. I also roast some zucchini and toss with 7 spice to get some vegetables in. And it makes a LOT. This is my favorite recipe.
What a genius thing to bring people welcoming new babies, what a wonderful friend you are!
This is a fabulous recipe that my family absolutely LOVES!!! We is an easy flavorful recipe that we make all the time!!!!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know. It’s a big hit in my family as well!
As I told you before, my partner is an armenian from lebanon. Being a french canadian, I am learning with you to cook all those great recipes from his childhood and more. You are making a happy man! Thank you so much for taking me into that journey.
Would the cooking time or liquid amount change if using brown basmati rice instead of white?
The liquid shouldn’t but the cooking time might. I would cook for the directed time on the package of your rice. Hope you enjoy!