Mediterranean Ground Beef and Rice
Updated Feb 27, 2026
One-Pot Ground Beef and Rice with basmati rice, chickpeas, and warm Middle Eastern spices. Easy stovetop dinner with simple pantry ingredients.
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One Pot Ground Beef and Rice MEDITERRANEAN style!
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. My kids devour it so quickly, and I love that it’s well-balanced.
The base of this ground beef and rice recipe is 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 stuffed eggplant, stuffed squash, or stuffed grape leaves. Here, I’m using it as the ground beef portion of this beef and rice recipe, and I cook it all in one pot, yes, even the rice!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Ground Beef and Rice Ingredients
- Ground beef: Lean ground beef keeps the dish from getting greasy. If you use a higher fat percentage, drain off the excess after browning. Ground lamb is a good substitute if you want something richer.
- Olive oil and onion: I cook the onions and beef together so the onions soften while the beef browns.
- Basmati rice: I rinse it well until the water runs mostly clear so the grains stay separate. I have not tested this recipe with other types of rice, and because the rice is cooked in the same pot, I don’t recommend switching it out. If you do want to use a different rice, I’d cook it first in a and then mix it in with the cooked ground beef.
- Spices: 7 Spice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. The 7 Spice is the main flavor here, with cinnamon adding extra warmth. If you don’t have 7 Spice, use this for 1 tablespoon: ¾ teaspoon allspice, ¾ teaspoon coriander, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Taste the beef mixture before adding the rice and adjust the salt if needed.
- Chickpeas: Rinse and drain them well so they don’t add extra liquid. You can leave them out or swap in cooked lentils.
- Finishing touches: Fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts. I add these right before serving. Slivered almonds are an easy substitute for pine nuts. See my tips on how to toast pine nuts.
How to Make Ground Beef and Rice
Recipe Video Tutorial
Please note that I’ve recently updated the ingredients in this ground beef and rice recipe to use cinnamon and less rice and water. The recipe video below is the original recipe, which is still good to follow, and you can still find it in the recipe card notes below!
Ground Beef and Rice Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon 7 Spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups water
- Fresh chopped parsley for serving
- Toasted pine nuts for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and ground beef and season with 7 Spice, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and the ground beef is browned.
- Add the rice and chickpeas and stir to combine.
- Pour the water on top and mix all the ingredients together. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove from heat but keep covered, and allow the steam to continue cooking the rice for 5-10 more minutes.
- Uncover the pot, fluff the rice, sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
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
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
Serving Ideas
- Mediterranean Salads: Fattoush Salad, Tabbouleh Salad, Lebanese Cabbage Salad
- Sauce: Plain Yogurt (this is how my kids eat it!), Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, Greek Yogurt Sauce
Comments
Love this recipe. Made it several times, and good as a lunch the day after. Love the 7 spice blend esp.
The only thing I would change would be to cook the rice separately. If I forget to do this it never fully cooks plus the bottom layer closest to heat source will burn.
I’m so glad you like it, Gretchen! Love that you love the 7 Spice blend!!
I make this without the chickpeas and it’s so good!!! It gives me ground beef kafta vibes and it’s quick and delicious!
I’m so happy you like the recipe, Ryan!
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