Middle Eastern Bowls with Spiced Beef
This recipe for Middle Eastern Bowls with Spiced Beef has all your Middle Eastern favorites like hummus, rice, salad shirazi, and ground beef seasoned with warm Middle Eastern spices all in one delectable bowl.
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Ground beef seasoned with flavorful Middle Eastern spices top a bed of rice along with hummus, a chopped cucumber salad (Salad Shirazi), feta cheese, pita bread, and pickled turnips, these Middle Eastern Bowls with Spiced Beef have all your favorites in one bowl!
In the way that my husband likes to turn his meals into a sandwich (bacon & eggs get piled on sourdough, The Best Italian Meatballs go between slices of garlic bread), I like to turn my meals into “bowls”- a bed of rice topped with an assortment of salads, veggies, sauces, and sometimes, meat.
My love of bowls started over 20 years ago when I started getting burrito bowls at Chipotle. After that, I started turning my meals into bowls whenever I could.
There used to be a place in Annandale, Virginia where I would order a plate that came with rice, kabobs, and grilled vegetables, and for an additional charge, you could get extra sides to go with it like cucumber yogurt sauce, salad shirazi, hummus, and their spicy green hot sauce.
I, of course, would buy them all. My husband would give me the arched eyebrows that say, “Do you really need all of those?” Yes. Yes I did.
Anyways, these experiences at restaurants turned into make-your-own bowls at home, which by the way, bowl = party on my plate.
I’ve made Fajita Burrito Bowls with Mexican flavors, and my new bowls, Middle Eastern Bowls with Spiced Beef, are just as amazing.
This recipe starts with long-grain rice (jasmine or basmati are my favorites), hummus – homemade or store-bought, , salad shirazi (shown below), Middle Eastern spiced ground beef, and whatever other toppings you like.
“Middle Eastern” is a vague description of these bowls, as they have influences from all over, including the Mediterranean.
They are a fantastic way to break out of the rut of traditional ground beef recipes.
What are good toppings for these Middle Eastern Bowls?
- Feta cheese
- Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips
- Kalamata or green olives
- Pita bread
- Harissa Garlic Hummus
- Tabouli (tabbouleh)
- Toasted Za’atar Pita Chips
- Tzatziki (it’s Greek/Mediterranean, but a wonderful addition)
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NOTES:
- Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that contains sesame seeds, sumac, thyme, oregano, and other spices. You can make your own or order it HERE from Amazon.
- If you can’t find Persian cucumbers, use small snacking cucumbers or an English cucumber instead.
- The bright pink sticks shown in the bowl are Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips. They make a great crunchy, tangy addition to the meal.
Middle Eastern Bowls with Spiced Beef
Ingredients
Salad Shirazi
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
- 4 Persian cucumbers chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
- sumac couple of dashes
- 1/2-1 lemon juiced
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- *The Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips need to be made at least a day in advance. The recipe is in the "notes" in the post above.*
- Make the salad shirazi first by combining all of the salad's ingredients and refrigerate. Make the rice by following the directions on package and set aside when done. While rice is simmering, make the spiced beef.
- To make the spiced beef, add the meat, onion, and garlic to a frying pan and season with za'atar, cumin, turmeric, paprika, ground coriander, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the ground beef is fully cooked and the onion has softened.
- Make bowls by topping prepared rice with your desired amount of salad shirazi, spiced beef, hummus, and any other topping you desire. Garnish with some fresh parsley and ground sumac. Enjoy!
- Great toppings for these bowls: pita bread or pita chips, feta cheese, pickled turnips (recipe in post), tzatziki, olives.
Did you make this recipe? Rate it and let me know in the comments below! ♥
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Restaurant worthy! I made a slight change as I had chuck roast already very thinly sliced and ready to cook so used this instead of ground. I added 1tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 tsp baking soda to tenderize the meat while marinating for a couple of hours. This goes into the rotation! Thank you!
I am so happy to hear your meal was a success and that it worked well with your meat. Thank you for letting me know!