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
-
Taco Soup – don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, it’s amazing!
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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
- 500g (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!!!!🤣
It must just be me based on the review comments. I feel lik my rice is no where near cooked enough following the instructions so I’m cooking it for a lot longer which then requires more liquid. I love this dish but just not sure what I’m doing wrong if everyone else seems to be ok with the initial cook time…
Cooked this for the first time last night. We live on a catamaran and just wanted something quick and easy to cook with beef mince. Used lots of veggies pumpkin, carrot, green beans, cauliflower, capsicum, celery, zucchini. It was superb ….Thankyou
This was splendid. I took a few liberties and melted some Mexican blend cheese on top and served it with corn chips, coriander, guac and sour cream. Will DEF make this one again!
Hi Nagi, I have made this recipe a few times now because it is so simple and soooo delicious. My husband and I both really enjoy it. It is great that you can use pretty well any vegetable you have on hand. Very nutritious too! Thanks for such easy and delicious recipes!
Delicious! Perfectly cooked rice with the most delicious flavour.
5 stars for another brilliant recipe.
Omg this ROCKS! I accidentally put a whole teaspoon of cumin in instead of a half of one and it have it a real Mexican rice vibe. Not mad at all. Brilliant as usual Nagi! x
Thank you Nagi for this wonderful one pot comfy dish! I added a dash of turmeric for colour and chilli powder for some heat 👌
Finely something tasty, bold ! I just added slightly more salt and cayenne pepper… I also did it with beef pieces instead of minced but it’s due to my husband preferences…
Tastes a lot better when you make this topping… zest and juice one lime and mix it into half a container of sour cream. Add a dollop on top of each bowl!
My fiancee and I love this recipe. We tend to swap in pak choy or bok choy for our veggies, and we also love it with a runny fried egg on top. Om nom nom
The easiest and greatest recipe for a quick meal and then leftovers for rest of the week. Flavors are great and really healthy.
have been using this recipe for the past two yrs, the ingredients are simple and the dish has always turned out tasty,thank you so much
Fantastic I’ve made it 3 times including tonight. The youth at my shelter loved it veggies and all and my own kids love it as well. No arguing at the table. Thank you🤗
I was looking for something a bit different to do with beef mince and came across this recipe.
Made it last night and it’s delicious (husband went back for seconds). Not that I’m surprised, I’ve tried many recipes from this website and I have yet to be disappointed! X
Made this on the camping gas stove outside while our kitchen is out of use while replacing flood damaged cabinetry in Northern Rivers. My partner and I loved it. He usually doesn’t like the same meal twice in a week but this is now the exception. Thanks for sharing Nagi.
Such a great economical dish! Used turkey mince instead of beef, and used up the veg in the fridge at the same ratios as the recipe. Had it in baked potatoes (with optional cheese and sour cream on top). Gobbled up by fussy kids and very light on washing up. A serious winner!
It’s raw and mushy… I followed everything exactly so don’t know why it’s like this..
So easy and YUM. Even hubby who is trying to steer clear of rice and meat couldnt resist having a second serve. Thank you!
Another great recipe. I didn’t have cayenne pepper so substituted some chilli paste. I used frozen pea corn and capsicum mix and added a grated carrot. Just needed a bit extra water. Simple easy and delicious. 👍