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–+ servings
White bowl with cooked brown ground beef, white long grain rice, chopped salad with lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers and a drizzle of a beige sauce on top with two spoons at the side, a striped tea towel beside the bowl on a blue background.
5 from 1 rating

Quick Ground Beef Bowls (Middle Eastern)

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This ground beef is perfect seasoned with middle eastern spices and cooked just right (with crispy bits!) for the ultimate bowl. Serve over fluffy rice with a crisp chopped salad and a creamy tahini sauce for the easiest dinner!
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ lbs lean or medium ground beef, 680 grams
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or substitute 1 tablespoon tomato paste

To Serve:

Instructions
 

  • Start by heating a large skillet (14 inch skillet preferred!) on medium-high heat and add the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Make sure you wait a few minutes until the pan is hot before you add the ground beef so that it does not simply steam in the pan.
  • Add the 1 ½ lbs lean or medium ground beef to the hot pan and break it up with a wooden spoon to prevent large clumps. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. You will notice that the moisture will start to be released at this point.
  • Add in the 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon curry powder. Stir to combine and cook for a further 6 minutes. At this point you will notice the juices drying up and the oil/fat left in the skillet separating from the beef.
  • Spread out the beef and leave it undisturbed to continue browning for another minute or two. Begin to stir once you see browning happening on the bottom layer, which will add texture and flavour. Add the 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (or sub tomato paste if you really don't have it), stir and cook for a further 2 minutes. Avoid drying out the meat so don't cook too long!
  • Serve the ground beef over rice, a side salad and tahini sauce OR this shawarma sauce for a full meal. The sides can all be prepared while the beef is cooking.

Notes

  • Cooking the ground beef properly will make or break this meal! Make sure you use a large skillet, and cook it following the recipe directions to ensure you get properly caramelized beef with crispy bits and lots of flavour. 
  • While the beef is cooking, it's the perfect time to be preparing your sides. I love serving it with fluffy white rice, a crisp fresh salad like my arabic salad, and tahini sauce. But feel free to play around with it, crispy potatoes make a great side as well as a garlic sauce like toum.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 465mg, Potassium: 333mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 33IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 3mg
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