Lebanese Hashweh Rice (Spiced Rice with Ground Beef and Pine Nuts)

A decadent and impressive spiced rice dish that literally translates to “stuffing”. Layered with warm spices of cinnamon and allspice, savory ground beef and toasted pine nuts.

What is Hashweh

A gorgeous spiced rice dish with Levantine decent that is also called hashwee. The rice is flavored with warm spices such as cinnamon and allspice and is layered with ground meat and topped with toasted pine nuts.

The word hashweh literally means stuffing and is fantastic stuffed into zucchini, eggplant or layer hashweh over creamy tahini. Hashweh is also served for the holidays and makes a fantastic dinner centerpiece.

Lebanese Spiced Rice Ingredients

Ghee: Is clarified butter and is classic in this recipe. Though butter or olive oil will work too, but the olive oil may offer a stronger and fruitier flavor.

Ground Beef: Lean ground beef is browned with the rice, but I’ve made this with ground lamb adn a combination of the two.

Basmati Rice: Our favorite style of rice because it is light and fragrant.

Onion and Garlic: Classic aromatics, I used a red onion in this recipe for the color and sweetness but others should work well.

Warm Spices: Cinnamon, cumin, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper is what gives this dish its exciting and warm flavors.

Pint Nuts: Toasted in ghee until golden brown. Slivered almonds would be fantastic to add or substitute.

Instructions to Make Hashweh

Over medium heat, add ghee to a medium sized pot. Add in ground beef and onion and cook until beef is fully cooked through. Add in garlic and spices and saute for another minute.

Wash rice very well until water turns clear and add rice to the meat mixture and give everything a good stir.

Pour in stock and add another tablespoon of ghee.

Place lid on and bring to a boil, then reduce down to a simmer and cook until rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, make the toasted pine nuts. Melt ghee in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat and pine nuts. Toss pine nuts around and saute for a few minutes until the pine nuts just start to turn golden brown. As soon as you can smell the pine nuts, remove them to another plate and let cool. They will be very hot.

Once done, let rice sit for a few minutes and then fluff with a fork. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and fresh chopped herbs.

What to Serve Hashwee With

Serve hashweh with creamy tahini sauce and homemade pita bread to dip in everything.

More Mediterranean Rice Recipes

Tahdig (Persian Rice)

Persian Jeweled Rice

Lemon Rice Pilaf with Dill and Pistachios