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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 was great! Really flavorful and filling. I threw in some frozen chopped spinach for extra veggie goodness and I’m looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow!
Love that! Frozen spinach is a great addition. Thanks, Kristi! Enjoy your leftovers!!
Excellent recipe! Easy to make, quick and yummy! I love your website. Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful recipes.
Aww you’re welcome, Kelly! So happy you liked the recipe!!
Is there a way to make this with brown basmati rice? If so, what would the adjustments be?
Hi Hanaa! You can use basmati brown rice but you will likely have to increase the cooking time. Check the package for the ideal timing. Enjoy!!
How do I make this instapot friendly?
I have yet to make this in an Instant Pot, but I definitely think it could work! I recommend sautéing the beef, onions, and spices then pressure cooking all of the ingredients together. Good luck!
The only difference between stovetop method and instant pot is that you cook it at high pressure for 4 minutes after combining all ingredients.
I’m hoping to try this recipe this week. We have a child who can’t eat legumes (chick peas included). Will the recipe work without them?
Hi there! Yes, you can simply skip adding the chickpeas.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it this weekend!
Have made this twice to rave reviews! It is so easy and so delicious. Love the 7 Spice!!!
This was a complete hit in our family, even with our picky eaters. Super easy and delicious. I may have gobbled up two bowls before even sitting down.
I always LOVE to hear this!
DELICIOUS! I used extra lean ground beef and only had cilantro instead of parsley. Recipe was super easy and so yummy. Also I added a little bit of sumac on top. 👌🏾🤤
Sounds amazing, thanks for sharing!
Lovely and easy recipe as always – thank you! I add a cup of frozen peas, and serve with yogurt.
So happy you love this one!
This was absolutely amazing! Quick, easy, cheap! I didn’t have 7 spice so I made some with your recipe link for it. 10/10! It’s definitely going into rotation. Next time I will add some zucchini or red peppers and see how that tastes.
We topped it off with lemon and it was perfect, thank you for sharing!
It’s a staple in my house, so happy you love it as well!
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!
Excellent flavor! I added zucchini but otherwise made as directed. This made so much food and was a breeze to prepare and clean up! Thank you for sharing. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much, Hannah! Love the addition of zucchini!
So delicious!! My 16 month old loved it and I added peas and carrots to it as well. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly as written!
Thank you so much! Love the addition of peas and carrots!
Hi Yumna. I have made this recipe several times along with your 7 spice. Today I noticed that there is black pepper on the ingredients list so I just added it at he end. I didn’t see it on the procedure. Overall, this is a great quick recipe for Sundays. I like saving some in the freezer for when I don’t have time to cook. Thank you!
what is a serving size. one cup?
Hi Mia, great question! Yes, the serving size is approximately 1 cup for this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I’m excited to try this! I want to add some veg directly into the dish while it cooks – what might I add? (When I make Mexican rice, I add a can of diced tomatoes with chiles, and diced bell pepper – anything like that?)
Hi Lauren, great question! You can add in whatever veggies you have on hand – mushrooms, kale, and zucchini all would be good. Hope you enjoy!
My family and I loved it! Loved the 7 spice mixture. Thought it would add a bit too much spice, but it was just right. Tired of taco flavored beef so this made for a welcome change. The addition of the chick peas added some protein as well. The only thing I might add would be a little of lemon to brighten up the flavor. Will def make again.
So glad you enjoyed it! Love the idea of adding some lemon!
This is one of my favorite recipes and is in my regular rotation. My Syrian/Lebanese husband loves it and our 1 year old daughter does too!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you’re all enjoying it!
Yumna- is it possible to do this in a instapot? Would you need to change the fluid amount?
I have yet to try it using that method, but I definitely think it could work!
Hi, love your recipes,have made so many of them!
I made this tonight and it’s delicious and so easy to make.
My question is around freezing, can this be frozen? And what would be the best way?
Thank you!
Thank you so much! Yay!! Yes, you can freeze this meal – I would just store it in a re-usable container.
Delicious, minimal ingredients, and comes together so quick! My kind of meal. Thanks for sharing!
That is exactly what I was going for. Yay!! Thank you.
Excellent, delicious, super easy – and money saving! (Posting from the UK where we have an energy/cost of living crisis so this delicious dish which is one pot and stove top only (no oven) is just perfect.) Thank you.
Thank you so much! That is perfect. You’re welcome!!
Really tasty and quick to make and the kids loved it!!!! Thank you Yumna!
Yay!! You’re so welcome!
Another 5 stars recipe from your site. We tried this one today and came out perfect. It’s delicious and filling. Thank you!
Thank you so much! That is perfect. You’re welcome!!
My family loves this recipe! Tonight I’m making it again but with ground turkey instead (that’s all I have). Any changes to the recipe if using a different protein?
Thank you so much! Let me know how that goes. The recipe should be fine as is, but the cooking time may change slightly.
I made this tonight and it was delicious… my husband and boys loved it! Thank you!!
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad you all enjoyed!
Hello Yumna! You never mention about draining the fat from the beef. I wonder if the taste will change? I usually drain 2 tbs oil from 1 lb ground beef 85/15.
Hi! I do not drain any fat from the beef in this recipe. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to give that a go!
This recipe looks delish! But can I use other rice like jasmine or black rice instead? Oh and any substitute for the 7 spices? Thanks 😊
Thank you! I recommend any long grain rice because it has a firmer texture as well as less starch compared to short grain rice. I have a recipe for How to Make 7 Spice on my website, so you can a dash of those seasonings instead!
This was DELICIOUS. My family is middle eastern And this reminds me of my grandmothers cooking. Thank you!
Thank you! That’s incredible!
Wow holy cow! This is outstanding.
I was looking for a recipe use use ground beef and rice. I am so glad I stumbled upon this. Reminds me of Indian Jeera rice, with more flavor. I didn’t have chickpeas so I omitted them. I used your 7spice recipe. I only mixed enough for roughly 1 teaspoon. I did not have all spice so I substituted with a few dashes of Chinese 5spice, powdered ginger and a little more clove and cinnamon.
I have saved this recipe. Will be in rotation and made as written in the future.
Thank you
Thank you so much. That still sounds perfect. Can’t wait to hear what you think once you make it as written in the future!
Hi! I enjoy your page! Just wanted to let you know I made your rnecipe Mediterranean Ground Beef and Rice. And it was delicious!!!! Having it for lunches this week. My husband an I love Mediterranean food! Since we live in Ohio, we’re limited to a few Mediterranean places. This will definitely be a staple recipe in my kitchen 🤤
So glad you’re enjoying this recipe! I love that!
So good! I went heavier on the cumin/lighter on other spices but will follow recipe measurements a bit more next time. Kids loved it. A one-pot wonder!
Thank you! Glad the kids loved it too!
Haven’t made the beef or beef and rice dish yet, but I have a question. In the beef filling recipe, I think it calls for 1 Tbs. of 7 Spice seasoning. In the beef and rice recipe, I think the 7 Spice seasoning is 1 tsp. Should it be 1 Tbs. for either, or is the spice for beef and rice just 1 tsp. (1/3 the amount of the beef filling amount)?
It is 1 tsp of 7 spice seasoning in this recipe. However, if you would like a stronger 7 spice flavor, you can definitely add more!
I adore that warm cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice flavour with meat so I had to try this. I used your 7 spice recipe. I also made your fattoush salad as a side (I did have to sub for sumac and pomegranate molasses) but this soooo good. Quick, easy and very tasty. I loved the addition of chickpeas. The salad went so well with it.
I will definitely be making this again. I’m excited to have leftovers for lunch.
My picky kid didn’t “love” it but he ate it with no complaints so I considered that a win.
I love that! Sounds like the perfect meal! And glad your kid was able to eat it too!
I substituted the 7 spices for taco seasoning and it was still great. The kids added cheese and salsa and we had burritos.
The 7-spice blend is the KEY. I used a wild rice/brown rice blend – excellent. Added more of the 7-spice because the smell was SO amazing and really made the flavor “full” – if that makes sense. Super easy. Thanks!
Yes, agree! You’re so welcome!
I make this vegan by using Impossible Burger and always add a can of diced tomatoes, chickpeas and mushrooms – LOVE the 7 spice combo. “So good!” Thanks for the recipe.
Love how you made it work! Yay!! You’re so welcome.
What is the 7 spice seasoning you use for the beef and rice recipe. and where do you purchase it?
Thank you.
It’s a homemade one made with allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, ground cloves, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg. The recipe for it can be found on my website under How to Make 7 Spice: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/how-to-make-7-spice/
This is delicious!! I used the plant based meat “Beyond Meat” and it still turned out absolutely great! I’ll be using this spice mix for other things now.
Thank you! I love that!!
This one is so good!! And so easy to make! I made the 7 spices using your recipe as well. I had to substitute all spice with cloves. I loved the spices. Thank you, Yumna!
Thank you!! I’m glad it worked out!
This was delicious. My family really liked the seasoning. I made it with ground turkey. Left out the chickpeas. Served with sundried tomatoes, tzatziki, hummus & the recommended cauliflower recipe which we all liked too. I be making this again!
Thank you! Happy to hear you’ll be making it again!
LOVE THIS! I’ve saved a million of your recipes via Instagram but this is the first I’ve tried. I used beef broth instead of chicken broth. I added some za’atar because I’m always in need of extra flavor. I also added green garlic chives and sun dried tomatoes. I am in love!! Thank you for sharing 💕😋
I’m so glad you decided to give the recipe a try! Za’atar is always a good idea! Yay!!
So easy and so delicious! Our one year old loved it too.
That’s so great! Yay!!
Was delicious- super easy and my kids loved it! So glad to add another one pot dish to my repertoire!
It makes me so happy when the kids love it too! Yay!!
This is the 2nd recipe I’ve tried in your website & my family loved it! I added more of the 7 spice (omitted cumin, we ran out😞) but with the rice & chicken broth it got watered down a bit. We loved it & will def make it again with more of the spices, salt & pepper! Recommend it. ❤️
That makes me so happy! The more spice the better, so let me know how it goes the second time around!
Made as directed and really loved this comfort food recipe. Might add a little more 7 spice next time as well as some vegetables. Thank you for this easy quick recipe.
This is a dish where the flavors truly struck me on day two! I am only one person so it will be lunch for a week, but it’s delicious :). Added tahini sauce with my serving.
That’s great to look forward to!
delicious! really like the spice mix…i switched it up slightly by subbing 1 cup of rice for bulgur which i mixed together with the rice… cant help throw in a drop of spice as well! Served with sauteed creminis on the side. gotta remember to make this again!
Thank you! That sounds like a delicious way to serve them!!
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe
Most welcome!
This was really good. 4 picky eaters in this household. I subbed the onions for onion powder. Didn’t say to drain the beef grease, but I did. Only used 1 1/2 cup of chicken stock since I precooked my jasmine rice. Brought to boil then added 4 scoops of rice and switched to low for 5 mins. And sprinkled extra 7 spice (I made the recipe in the ingredient list) overtop near the end before my final mix. Kids didn’t care for the chickpeas so I ate them. But overall this was a hit. Kids want me to make this a rostering dish (without chickpeas).
I’m glad to hear it was a hit nonetheless! Hope it does become a rostering dish!
Hello,
Can this be frozen?
For sure! You can simply reheat it on the stovetop to serve when ready to eat.
I just made this and it was very good, thank you. Was surprised none of my Lebanese cookbooks had anything similar because I remember eating rice with chickpeas (without the beef and onions) growing up.
But i made it as specified, only adding homemade plain yogurt on the side. Was very good with the parsley too, glad my parsley is still alive in this cold weather (and now I will move it inside for the winter).
Glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of those simple comforting meals that my family absolutely loves
Yumna: I made your Lebanese rice on the weekend and it was good I love the chickpeas…my mom and Teta don’t add the chickpeas but I thought it was a nice addition!! I was impressed with myself 😂
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!!
This is pretty darn good. My family loved it, and it works well with a light side salad too.
Yay, so happy to hear that. Thanks so much!!
Super easy and delicious! Everyone enjoyed this!
So glad to hear it. Thank you!!
Tastes like the one from my childhood ! Thank you ! I added mint, trader the parsley for coriander.
I’m sure adding some pine nuts would make it perfect !
Thanks a lot for sharing
Aww that’s perfect! Love to hear that. Thank you!
This was super simple and tasty! I always get nervous about cooking rice on the stove but your recipe came out perfect. What do you recommend in terms of water/broth if I were to cut the rice down to 1 cup?
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! You can reduce the water by half to 1 cup and 3/4. If you drain the beef fully from the fat, you can even use 1 1/2. I usually use 95% lean beef and don’t drain the fat when making this recipe since it flavors the dish.
I did this rice yesterday and it was super easy and delicious!! It taste great the next day too! Thank you Yumna ?
Glad to hear it. Thank you!!
This was such a quick and easy one pot meal. Love the addition of chickpeas to it.
Hi, if I can’t find the 7 spice is what would be good to use in it’s place?
This is how I make my own 7 Spice.
1 tablespoon Allspice
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons nutmeg
But you can also use any of these spices or a combination of these spices. I would recommend equal parts black pepper, cinnamon and coriander as a great substitute to keep it simple.
Great, thanks so much!
I made this ground beef/chickpea and spiced rice dish yesterday and WOW -It was a hit!! Adding it to my recipes if you don’t mind 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you!!
Made this yesterday for lunch and it turned out so delicious. It was so easy to make too. I had with a side of salad and a mixture of tahini and yogurt. We absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for sharing such easy, healthy and quick recipes
So glad to hear that you made it and enjoyed it. Thank you so much!!
I have a quick question. I Googled 7 spice and I received several different choices. Which one did you use?
I would pick a Lebanese 7 Spice if possible or anything Mediterranean. You can also use allspice in its place or cinnamon.