Greek Rice and Beef with Mint, Feta, and Olives

Greek comfort food at its finest. Cinnamon and nutmeg-spiced ground beef mixed with roasted tomatoes, feta, mint, olives, and rice.

Time: 35-40 Minutes

This dish is Gluten-Free

Calories: 719 Fat: 35g Carbs: 59g Protein: 50g

Feta is a brined curd white cheese made from sheep’s milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat’s milk. It originated in Greece. Feta is used as a table cheese as well as in salads and pastries. Most notable is its use in the popular phyllo-based dish, spanakopita. It can also be served cooked or grilled, which is fun when served with crusty bread.

Ingredients

Grass Run Farms Ground Beef

Feta cheese

Greek spice blend

Mint

Parsley

Green olives

Roasted tomatoes

Jasmine rice

Garlic

Shallot

Featured Ingredient Partners:

Ground Beef: Grass Run Farms - Dorchester, IA

Toast To lightly heat grains in a sauté pan or pot until they are lightly toasted and aromatic.

Zest The peel of, or grating of a citrus peel for flavor.

Julienne To slice into thin strips about the size of matchsticks.

Small pot with lid

Large sauté

Step 1: COOK THE RICE

Read through the entire recipe before getting started. In a small pot over medium high heat add 1 tsp. of oil and the rice. Stirring constantly toast the rice for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes. While the rice is cooking move on to mise en place, step #2.

Step 2: MISE EN PLACE

Wash and dry all produce. Remove parsley from stem and chop. Remove mint from stem and chop. Peel and julienne the shallot. Halve or quarter the green olives. Chop the roasted tomatoes. Mince the garlic. Zest the lemon then cut in half and juice. Remove the ground beef from the package, place into a medium sized mixing bowl and blend with the Greek spice blend.

Step 3: COOK THE BEEF

In a large sauté pan over medium heat add 1 Tbsp. of oil. Add the beef and season with a large pinch of salt and small pinch of black pepper. Cook the beef for 8-10 minutes while breaking up with a wooden spoon and allowing it to crisp up. Remove the beef from the pan with a slotted spoon then discard the grease. Place the cooked beef into a small bowl and set aside.

Step 4: SAUTE THE VEGETABLES

In the same pan that you cooked the beef, still over medium heat, add 1 tsp of oil. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 5: FINISH THE RICE

Add the beef back into the sauté pan along with the olives, roasted tomatoes, mint, parsley, lemon zest, 1 tsp of lemon juice, jasmine rice and crumbled feta. Mix well to combine.

Step 6: PLATE YOUR DISH

Dived the beef and rice between two bowls. Enjoy!