Middle Eastern Beef Bowls with Carrots, Zucchini Rice, and Za’atar

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

25 minutes

SERVES

4 people

Ingredients

1 tbsp The Spice People’s Middle Eastern Za’atar
500g beef mince
1 cup jasmine rice
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 handful parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup labneh – can also use plain yoghurt
2 tbsp dried currants
1 chicken stock pot – can also use a stock cube dissolved in a small amount of boiling water
1 lemon
salt

The love this recipe

In this simple, easy-to-make, easy-to-eat one-bowl dish, minced beef is sautéed until browned and flavourful and teamed with sweet tender carrots and tangy Middle Eastern Za’atar spice blend. Served alongside zucchini-studded fluffy rice, fresh parsley, and lemon-spiked labneh, this dish is wholesome, hearty, nutritious, and so delicious!

I like to use labneh in this recipe, but if you can’t get ahold of it or would prefer, you can use plain yoghurt instead. You can also easily sub-in lamb, chicken, or pork in place of beef if that’s more to your taste.

Directions

Place a medium-sized pot on med-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add your zucchini to the pot and sauté until it begins to soften. Add in your rice, currants, a generous pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water, and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 13 minutes. When it’s finished, remove from the heat but don’t remove the lid just yet – the rice will continue to cook in its own steam.
While the rice cooks, place a pan on medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When hot, add your mince, carrots, garlic, a big pinch of salt, and all but a pinch of Za’atar. Fry for 5-7 mins, only stirring once or twice, until the mixture is browned and fragrant. Add in your stockpot and stir through, cooking for a further 2-3 mins.
While the beef and rice cook, add the juice of your lemon to a small bowl along with your labneh (or yogurt, if using), remaining Za’atar, and a pinch of salt, and stir to combine.
Once everything is done, fluff your rice with a fork, divide between your four bowls alongside your sautéed beef and carrots, lemon labneh, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.