Mediterranean spiced rice is one of those recipes that save time and taste remarkable. It consists of long-grain rice, ground beef, Mediterranean spices, vegetables, raisins, and toasted pine.
Spices needed to make Mediterranean Rice
The flavor in this recipe comes mainly from the spices used. Therefore, I decided to include an entire section to talk about the spices needed to achieve Mediterranean spiced rice.
To add flavor to the rice, a combination of both ground and whole spices is needed. For ground spices, the following is required:
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Sumac
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Salt & Black Pepper
Meanwhile, to increase the flavor, the following whole spices are needed:
- Cinnamon Stick
- Cloves
- Cardamom
- Star Anise
The Elements of a Mediterranian Rice
Now that we have discussed the spices. Let’s talk about the ingredients needed to make this recipe.
- Ground Beef
- Jasmine Rice or Basmati Rice: Any type of long-grain rice will work for this recipe. I used Jasmin rice, but it will also work with Basmati rice.
- Red Onion: I use red onion because it is usually what I always have in my pantry. However, you can use white or yellow onion.
- Garlic: Have you ever seen a Mediterranean recipe without garlic? Probably not.
- Rosemary (Optional): The use of rosemary is optional in this recipe. However, I use it as it adds a nice flavor and smell to the ground beef.
- Minced Parsley: Parsley is one of those herbs commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine because it adds flavor.
- Diced Potato and Carrots: To make this meal fulfilling, we will add vegetables. The vegetables I used are Potato and Carrots. Make sure to chop both the potato and carrots so that they cook properly. You can increase the veggies in this spiced rice recipe by adding capsicum and zucchini.
- Roasted Pine: The roasted pin is added to the dish after it is cooked as garnish. It provides a nice crunch and taste to the whole plate.
- Raisins: The raisins are also added as a garnish. They provide a nice sweetness against all the spices.
Making the Mediterranean Rice
This is one of those dishes that can be done in a single pot. However, before we dive into making spiced rice, rinse and wash the rice. Keep the rice in water for about 30 minutes before starting to make this dish.
In a cooking pot, add the olive oil and let it heat for about one minute at medium-low heat. Then add the diced onions and garlic. Sautee the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until they are translucent in color.
Next, add the rosemary, cinnamon stick, clove pieces, cardamom, star anise, and ground beef. Cook for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the meat is cooked.
Then, add the parsley and stir. Then add the potatoes, carrots, and rice.
Next, add two cups of boiling water and stir all the ingredients.
Then, close the lid and allow the Mediterranean rice to cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Once the water is absorbed, turn the heat off, keep the lid on and allow the spiced rice to rest for about 5-7 minutes before serving.
Don’t forget to add the raisins and roasted pine to the spiced rice before serving. Also, you can pair this recipe with cucumber and yogurt salad for a middle eastern experience.
More Dinner Recipes
Mediterranean Spiced Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Jasmine Rice Long Grain Rice
- 4 tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 2 Chopped Red Onions
- 4 Chopped cloves of Garlic
- 2 Sprigs of Rosemary
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 3 pieces of Cloves
- 2 pieces of Cardamom
- 1 Star Anise
- 400 grams of Minced Beef
- ½ teaspoon of minced Parsely
- ¼ teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon of Ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon of Sumac
- ½ teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of Ground Clove
- 1 teaspoon of Salt
- 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
- 2 Potatoes cut into cubes
- 2 Carrots cut into cubes
- 2 cups of Boiling Water
- ⅓ cup of Roasted Pine
- ⅓ cup of Dried raisins
Instructions
- Wash the jasmine rise and let it sit in water for about 30 minutes. Then remove the water and rinse the rice.
- In a cooking pot, at medium-low heat, add the olive oil. After, one minute add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent in color.
- Next, add the rosemary, cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise, ground beef to the cooking pot, and combine. Cook the ground beef for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Afterward, add the parsley, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, Sumac, ground cinnamon, ground clove, salt, pepper, and combine. Let the parsley cook with the ground beef for about 2 minutes.
- Then, add the potatoes, carrots, jasmine rice, and boiling water. Stir everything making sure that the potatoes and carrots are covered in water. Add the lid to the cooking pot and allow the spiced rice to simmer at low heat for about 10-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
- Before serving, let the rice rest with the lid on and heat off for about 5 minutes. This prevents it from becoming squishy. Then, transfer the spiced rice to a serving plate and garnish it with raisins and pine.
Notes
- The spiced rice can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for four days.
Freya says
This was really delicious and so much different to the usual “ground beef” recipes, although I used vegan mince!
Lucy says
This is such a delicious, hearty and comforting meal. It's packed full of flavour with such a wide range of healthy ingredients and different textures. Your photos with the instructions make it so easy to make, thank you.
Aya says
Thank you!
Amy says
This was absolutely delicious! I love my spices so I had all this in my pantry so thought I'd give it a go for dinner. And what a hit it was! I never think to add potatoes to a rice dish... not sure why when it's so good!
Aya says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 😀
Kay says
Seems like a long list of ingredients but so worth it! The spices make this rice so flavoursome!
Jerika says
It looks so yummy and flavorful! I want to try this recipe as soon as possible.:) Thank you!