Lebanese Hashweh Recipe

Introduction

Lebanese Hashweh is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish cooked with spiced ground meat, vermicelli, and toasted pine nuts. This comforting meal combines fragrant basmati rice with warm spices and fresh herbs for a satisfying and traditional taste of Lebanese cuisine.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup ghee (or butter)
• 1/2 cup vermicelli pasta (broken into 2-inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice (uncooked)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cups boiling water (or chicken stock)
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
• 2 tbsp ghee (or butter, divided)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 medium yellow onion (minced)
• 1 lb ground beef or lamb
• 2 tbsp Lebanese 7 Spice
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup parsley (minced for garnish)
• 1 lemon (cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Set the rice aside to drain.
2. Step 2: In a large, deep pan, melt 1/4 cup ghee or butter over medium heat. Add the broken vermicelli pasta and stir constantly until it turns a deep golden brown. Be careful to avoid burning.
3. Step 3: Add the rinsed rice to the pan along with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Stir to combine with the toasted vermicelli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often to toast the rice lightly.
4. Step 4: Carefully pour in the boiling water or chicken stock and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for 15 minutes. After cooking, fluff the rice with a fork.
5. Step 5: Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and sauté until they release a nutty aroma and turn golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Step 6: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee or butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
7. Step 7: Add the ground beef or lamb, Lebanese 7 Spice, kosher salt, and black pepper to the onions. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat until it is fully browned.
8. Step 8: Stir the toasted pine nuts into the cooked meat mixture, then remove from heat.
9. Step 9: To serve, you can either spoon the meat hashweh directly over the fluffed rice pilaf on a serving platter or combine the meat and rice together before plating.
10. Step 10: Garnish with fresh minced parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the dish.

Tips & Variations

• Use chicken stock instead of water for extra depth of flavor in the rice.
• Try using lamb for a richer, more traditional taste or ground beef for a milder flavor.
• Toast pine nuts carefully as they burn quickly; remove them from heat as soon as they turn golden brown and aromatic.
• Serve with a side of fresh yogurt or a crisp salad to complement the warm spices.

Storage

Store leftover hashweh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of water if the rice feels dry during reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different type of rice?

Basmati rice is preferred for its aroma and texture, but you can substitute with long-grain white rice. Avoid short-grain rice as it tends to be stickier and less fluffy.

What is Lebanese 7 Spice?

Lebanese 7 Spice is a blend of aromatic spices typically including cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, and cumin. It adds warmth and depth to the meat mixture.

Lebanese Hashweh Recipe

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4.7 from 124 reviews

Lebanese Hashweh is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring fragrant basmati rice toasted with vermicelli pasta, cooked in spiced broth, and topped with a savory ground beef or lamb hash infused with Lebanese 7 spice and toasted pine nuts. This flavorful, aromatic one-pot rice pilaf with meat makes for a hearty and comforting meal perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

• Author: Mia
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Lebanese

Ingredients

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Rice Pilaf

• 1/4 cup ghee (or butter)
• 1/2 cup vermicelli pasta (broken in 2 inch pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice (uncooked)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cups boiling water (or chicken stock)
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley (minced)

Hashweh (Meat Mixture)

• 2 tbsp ghee (or butter, divided)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 medium yellow onion (minced)
• 1 lb ground beef or lamb
• 2 tbsp Lebanese 7 Spice
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Garnish

• 1/4 cup parsley (minced for garnish)
• 1 lemon (cut into wedges)

Instructions

1. Rinse the Rice: Place the basmati rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Set the rice aside to drain.
2. Toast Vermicelli: In a large, deep pan, melt 1/4 cup ghee or butter over medium heat. Add the broken vermicelli pasta and stir continuously until it turns a deep golden brown color, ensuring it does not burn.
3. Add and Toast Rice: Add the rinsed rice to the browned vermicelli along with kosher salt, black pepper, and ground cinnamon. Stir well to combine and toast the rice for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently to enhance flavor.
4. Cook Rice: Carefully pour 3 cups of boiling water or chicken stock into the pan. Stir once, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
5. Fluff Rice: After cooking, remove the pan from heat and fluff the rice gently with a fork. Stir in 3 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley for freshness.
6. Toast Pine Nuts: While rice cooks, in a separate deep skillet, melt 1 tablespoon ghee or butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and sauté, stirring frequently, until they turn a rich golden brown and release a nutty aroma. Remove and set aside.
7. Sauté Onion: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee or butter over medium heat and sauté the minced yellow onion for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
8. Cook Meat: Add the ground beef or lamb to the onions. Season with Lebanese 7 spice, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat with a spoon until browned and cooked through.
9. Combine Pine Nuts with Meat: Stir the toasted pine nuts into the meat mixture. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. Assemble and Serve: To serve, either spoon the savory hashweh meat mixture over the mounded fluffed rice pilaf on a serving platter or gently combine the rice and meat together. Garnish with minced fresh parsley and provide lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the dish.

Notes

• Using boiling chicken stock instead of water enhances the flavor of the rice pilaf.
• Adjust the spice level by controlling the amount of Lebanese 7 spice used.
• For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and increase the pine nuts or add sautéed mushrooms.
• Purchase vermicelli pasta or substitute with angel hair pasta broken into small pieces.
• Ghee provides an authentic nutty flavor but butter works well as a substitute.
• Let the rice rest covered for a few minutes after cooking for better texture.
• Serve with a side of fresh salad or yogurt for a balanced meal.

Keywords: Lebanese Hashweh, Hashweh recipe, Lebanese rice dish, basmati rice pilaf, vermicelli rice, ground beef recipes, Middle Eastern rice, spiced rice with meat, Lebanese 7 spice dish