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
I tried your ground beef with basmati and chickpeas tonight and my kids went for seconds!🙏
Love that it was a hit with the whole family! I know how hard it can be to make kids happy at the dinner table!
I make this recipe at least once a week. It’s a great dish if you don’t feel like cooking a bit elaborate meal, but it still delivers on flavour and satisfaction! Depending on how much I want to cook, sometimes I’ll make it like deconstructed kousa by adding in chopped zucchini and tomatoes. Other times I’ll add some raw vegetables on the side like sliced cucumbers and grape tomatoes. Always served with a side of hummus and greek yogurt. 🙂
Yum, I love all of your variations and pairings!! Thanks so much, Kristina!
This is very easy to make and came out very tasty. I also used your 7-spice recipe. Next time I will add more chickpeas or more meat so it’s higher protein.
Yay, so happy you liked it!! Love the idea of adding more protein. Yum! Thanks, Sherry!
Made this recipe for our family tonight. It was very delicious. I also added mushrooms. Definitely making it again!
Yum! Love the addition of mushrooms. So happy you all liked it!!
I have this recipe saved and plan to make it very soon. My question is what if I want to use brown rice instead? How is that changing reflected in the recipe? Thank you.
Hi there! You can use a long grain brown rice but you may have to increase the cooking time. I recommend checking the rice’s package to help you adjust the timing.
Made this recipe just as it’s written and it’s so very good. Used chicken bone broth for more protein. Thank you for the incredible recipe. So easy and so yummy.
Yay, so happy you loved it!! Thank you!
My sister made this for us a few years ago and shared this recipe with me. It is soo easy and always comes out absolutely delicious, this is on repeat at our house.
Aww, I love that! Thank you, Faye!!
Question about the rice, your instructions say reduce heat to low and then simmer. Do you mean lower the heat and let simmer? Low on my stove is not quite a simmer. Do you mean simmer or turn to low? Thanks for the recipe, I made it but couldn’t get the rice quite right. It was still delicious but I want to make it as you instructed. Thank you!
Yes, I mean reduce to a simmer. Low is a simmer on my stove. Sorry for the confusion!
This recipe is very good and have been making it on a regular basis. My family loves it too
Aww thank you, Sandra! So happy your family loves it!!
The best. As is. Easy and delicious. Every single time. I like to eat it in a piece of romaine lettuce as a lettuce wrap …. with a generous amount of fresh parsley and feta of course! Yumna, you’re the best! ❤️ your biggest fans from Dearborn!
Yum, love that!! Romaine lettuce wraps sound so good. So happy you love the recipe! Thank you, Stephanie!!
This was such a nice, easy recipe! It made a nice dinner and plenty for lunches. I made the dry garbanzo beans in my mini crockpot this morning. I substituted my homemade, canned beef broth. I also used 6 spices (minus allspice) as that’s all I had. I will definitely make this again, especially when I’m meal prepping for the week ahead.
Yay! So happy you liked the recipe and found it easy to make. Love that you’re planning on meal prepping it in the future! Thank you, Lisa!!
My husband and kids loved this! I made it in the Instant Pot sautéed it as directed and then 4 minutes on high and let it natural release 10-15 minutes. So fast and easy. I served it with corn as a side.
Yay, so happy you and your family loved it!! So glad it worked in your Instant Pot. Thank you for sharing the cook time that worked for you!!
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://feelgoodfoodienet.bigscoots-staging.com/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.