This colourful ground Beef and Rice recipe will be a terrific addition to your ground beef recipes collection! It’s like a pilaf, except loaded with more veggies and packed with more flavour.
I’m a big fan of beef mince – it’s economical and convenient (no chopping!). And this is a great quick way make turn a packet of beef mince into a complete meal!
Ground beef and rice
Flavoured rice. Seasoned beef. AND veggies.
All made in ONE POT.
How handy is that?? This ground beef and rice recipe is a complete meal, with barely any chopping. Full of bright colours, plenty of nutrition, simple and fast to make.
And it tastes SO GOOD!!!
This ground beef and rice is a quick recipe that’s full of flavour and a complete meal in one pot!
I’m a big fan of rice in all forms. Chicken and Rice, rice soup, risotto, flavoured rices (Mexican Red Rice is a firm favourite along with Mushroom Rice!), Arancini balls.
In fact, I’m yet to meet a rice dish that I don’t like!!
But as regular readers know, I’m a rice snob. I may be Aussie, but I’ll always be a rice snob owing to my Japanese background. Dry bread and over cooked veggies I can handle.
Mushy rice – I can’t stomach it.
Rice. Snob. ?
So cooking rice in one pot like I do with this ground beef recipe (along with all sorts of other stuff) means getting the liquid to rice ratios right (and using the right rice) so you end up with perfectly cook fluffy grains of rice that have soaked up all that flavour.
See? Fluffy. Not soft and mushy!!!
How to make it
This is made like a pilaf, starting off by sautéing onion and garlic for the flavour base. Then the beef and capsicum/bell peppers are added, then the rice and liquids and seasoning.
Give it a good mix, plonk the lid on and leave it to do its thing.
No peeking! It’s one of the biggest rice cooking mistakes – if you peek, steam escapes which affects the rice cooking process!
We can never have enough ground beef recipes for quick dinners!
Today’s Beef and Rice recipe is intended to be a quick, no fuss (yet super tasty!) midweek meal. Hence why it’s made in one pot, with ground beef, a combination of fresh and frozen veggies and a mound of baby spinach. Minimal chopping, yet plenty of flavour, a complete meal.
No need for toppings or garnishes. I actually don’t even know what I’d dollop on top. Maybe sour cream or yoghurt. I personally don’t think it needs it because the rice is well seasoned, but it’s optional! – Nagi
PS Foodie translation: Ground beef = beef mince, though I’ve noticed some butchers in Australia nowadays are starting to call it ground beef.
PPS This recipe will work well with any ground / mince meat. Pork, chicken, turkey, even lamb.
And more One Pot Ground Beef / Mince recipes
- Cheeseburger Casserole (Homemade Hamburger Helper)
- Chili Mac – mash up of Mac and Cheese with Chilli Con Carne, so good!
- Asian Beef and Ramen Noodles – one skillet, 15 minutes
- Bolognese Orzo (Risoni)
- Taco Soup – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, it’s amazing!
- Browse all One Pot recipes and Ground Beef / Mince recipes
Beef and rice recipe
Watch how to make it
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Beef and Rice with Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , diced (any type)
- 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , diced (large)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 500 g / 1 lb ground beef (mince) , lean
- 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH cumin, black pepper
- 1 tsp each onion powder, dried oregano (or other herb of choice)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 1/4 cups / 225g long grain white rice (uncooked) (Note 1)
- 2 cups / 500 ml beef broth , low sodium
- 2 cups / 300g diced frozen veggies (I used corn, pea, carrot mix) (Note 2)
- 3 big handfuls baby spinach (~ 90g/3 oz) , or other leafy greens (Note 3)
Instructions
- Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add onion, capsicum and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add beef, cook until brown, breaking it up as you go.
- Add tomato paste, salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
- Turn heat down to medium. Add rice and beef broth, mix well. Add frozen veggies and bay leaf, then stir.
- Place lid on, lower heat to medium low so it's simmering gently. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes (might even take longer) until all liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check). The rice should be just cooked, but will be wet.
- Remove from heat. Quickly toss spinach on top of the rice and put the lid back on. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Fluff rice and mix through wilted spinach with a fork. Adjust salt if desired. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
I drive 100km to the outskirts of Sydney just to take Dozer to this dog wizard, Neil Barnsley of Animal Holistic Therapies. “Enthusiastic” playing + abnormally long legs for a Golden Retriever + being double jointed = regular “active dog” injuries. Whereas conventional vets order costly X-rays (that are only useful if they know where the injury is) or being unable to provide an exact diagnosis, will give a general instruction to keep him quiet (easier said than done!!!), Neil Barnsley has a 100% hit rate in pinpointing exactly where and what Dozer’s ligament/joint/muscle injuries are, through touch alone.
It’s fascinating to watch. Truly a dog genius. And (much) better value than normal vets too – a standard consult is $60, and there’s no expensive medication or Xray costs because he’s a natural therapist!
PS Yes that’s Dozer getting acupuncture. Not even I’VE had acupuncture!!!!?
tried, tested and a massive hit
What a great simple, yet delicious meal
Had everything in stock
Thank you again
Rumour has it the UK may be going it slick down.
These recipes will come in so handy
Greatly appreciated
Can you tell me why you don’t wash the rice? If I wash the rice, will the luquid to rice ratio be off?
Thanks.
I am with u in this one
I only use basmati rice and I always wash the rice to get rid of the starch or that basmati smell .
My rice never clumps up and this fish was a hit
I made this tonight and it’s a hit! The only thing I would do different is cool the rice before adding it to everything. Mine came out a little crunchy following the recipe. And we added sour cream and that made it even better!!
I also forgot to add stars to my comment and meant to say cook the rice not cool the rice lol
I love rice and am always looking for new recipes that make rice a full meal. This was delicious. I omitted the spinach and added fresh broccoli. Instead of tomato paste I used tomato sauce as I already had a jar open in my fridge. This will definitely become a staple in our house.
Hi Krystel, sorry you had issues here – there is enough liquid to cook the rice so it isn’t crunchy! Can I ask if all the liquid was absorbed and what type of rice you used? N x
I used long grain white rice, and followed the receipe as it was written. And all the liquid was absorbed as well
Hello Nagi,
Recently found your website and have tried several of your recipes (all came out great!). I would like to make this recipe but my daughter has a tomato sensitivity. Do you have a suggestion for a sub for the tomato paste? Or would it be too bland if I left it out entirely?
Thanks
Hi Vivian, I haven’t tried with any substitutes sorry but maybe some Worcestershire sauce could work to bump up the flavours. Would love to know if you try it though! N x
I think I forgot to add stars to my last comment so here you go! 🙂
I just made this for dinner and lunches for the week, it was delicious! I used basmati rice and left it in the extra 5 minutes and it came out perfect. I might try using some different spice and veggie combinations with this one, it’s such a great meal prep recipe! Thank you Nagi for all the tasty and easy recipes, you’re always a go-to when I want to try something new 🙂
Yes – it’s so versatile you can add anything you like here. I’m so happy you enjoyed it Catherine! N x
Can beef stock cubes be used to make the beef broth in this recipe? Thanks in advance
Hi Ane, yes – just add water as per the packet instructions to make up the beef stock 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for another yummy and simple dish! All in one pot, I used a deep pot, believe or not, I didn’t even need to clean the stove! Full of flavour and my two-year old had two serves (I half the amount of cayenne pepper). Is it possible to cook this in the oven? Thanks 🙂
Wahoo!!! That’s awesome Shulan (and who doesn’t love a virtually mess free meal) it would work in the oven – I just haven’t tested so can’t give you exact times unfortunately – N x
I LOVE this recipe for a pantry raid. I didn’t have to buy anything! I tried this as a lunch meal to pack for hubby, I think he will love it and I will be keeping some for myself, it’s so yummy!
I did substitute cumin with curry powder and didn’t have as many fresh veg as recipe though, but it is still yum yum!
I also boiled some potatoes to almost cooked and added them at the end with some extra stock.
Thanks 😊
Sounds like you nailed it Amy!
Another amazing recipe! So simple yet so full of flavour 🙂 Yumm This is going to my short list 🙂
SO SO GOOD!
I just made this for me and some friends and we all loved it! I substituted the hamburger with what I had on hand which was elk hamburger, and basmati brown rice. I will definitely make this again!!
That’s so good to hear Ashley!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it lots of times. I’m curious if you could sub lentils for the meat for a vegetarian option. Any suggestions on using dried vs already cooked ones?
Hi Anna, great idea! I’d need to do some testing as the liquid ratios will be out though – N x
It must be a Nagi week 🙂 cooked the sticky pantry chicken last night and this one tonight. Your recipes are easy to make after a hard day at work, taste brilliant and are easy to follow and the notes are so helpful. Thank you.
You’re so welcome Ali!! Thanks so much