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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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://miarosetti.com/lebanese-hashweh-recipe/