The Best, Fastest, Beef and Rice Dinner
Hamburger Rice is the Ultimate Quick Dinner
Hamburger rice is a humble dish, but it is also about as easy and delicious as a quick weeknight meal gets. As its name suggests, at its most basic it consists of ground beef, rice, and little more, which mean it cooks fast; it is one of the few thirty minute meals that actually takes about thirty minutes rather than an hour.
But you can also dress hamburger rice up a million different ways, from sautéing onion with the beef to seasoning it with chili powder and serving it with sour cream and avocado. Try it with kale or spinach, put some grated cheese on top, or just have ketchup or barbecue sauce on the side. You can’t go wrong.
Why I love Hamburger Rice
When I was in elementary school I would go to my grandma’s house every Friday for lunch. She would always make the same dish – long grain white rice, ground beef, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. I ate it once or twice a week for years without getting bored of it, which is saying something. Whenever I make it I still think about those afternoons spent sitting at her table.
So I can’t claim to be completely objective when it comes to hamburger rice, since it has such fond associations. But that’s kind of the point. Hamburger rice is one of the few dishes that’s easy enough to make whenever you’re short on time and good enough to make over and over again. It should be a part of every family’s collective culinary memory!
Tips and Details
Hopefully I’ve convinced you to give hamburger rice a try. I already mentioned how versatile it is, but I also hope to impress upon you the fact that this is not a recipe that needs to be followed closely. Add more or less rice! Season as you wish! Make a double batch and have leftovers! So long as you retain a base of hamburger and rice you cannot go wrong.
Hamburger Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 2 tsp. soy sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Combine rice with 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, an additional 5 minutes.Alternatively, cook rice in a rice cooker.
- While rice is cooking, saute beef in a medium skillet until browned. Pour off some fat if desired, but leave at least a bit in the skillet.
- Add butter to cooked rice and gently mix, then add desired amount of rice to the skillet with the beef. I usually use half the total cooked rice, saving the rest for another use, but you can use as much or as little as you like.
- Season with soy sauce if using. Otherwise salt and pepper to taste, or follow my grandma's lead and add a splash of Worcestershire.
This was so simple yet absolutely delicious! I added extra soy and Worcestershire sauce to it, but it was good just as the recipe calls for as well. This is going to be something we cook often! Thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked it! It’s definitely a staple in our house.
Most definitely a simple yet delicious staple in ours too now! Thank you again for sharing! Merry Christmas to you and your family! 😊
Glad to hear it, Katherine!
Made some today. Tasted awesome. Simple. Wholesome meal.
So good
So simple but so yummy.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this last night it was very good. I used Worcestershire sauce in it and on the side too. added onion powder to it too. will make it again for sure,
Good to hear. My family makes it at least once a week. Thanks for stopping by!
Very good, simple, definitely make again.
Thanks, Patricia! Glad you liked it.
Feel like it needs something else, so I’m adding carrots and beef broth. Green beans on the side. Thanks. Wanted something other than meatloaf.
Thank for making it and for taking the time to comment!
Theer are so many ways to adjust the basic recipe. I’ve joked with my wife that we should do an entire cookbook of variations. (Ground lamb with olives and feta! Ground pork with cumin! etc.)
I didn’t have any soy sauce but I had gluten-free teriyaki sauce I added that with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and butter and some chives and some California blend vegetables with my jovial grain-free orzo! Looks great
My mother made this as I was growing up with 8 siblings it was a fast cheap meal. I did add diced green peppers,,onions and mushrooms. Like you said it’s a great dish as is or it can be a versatile with what ever you want.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m sure my kids will have similar memories.
I am making this right now for supper but I am adding a can of Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilies. I think it will be so yummy!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for stopping by.
Great simple recipe, I cooked it tonight, and added a little chopped parsley to top it off . Delicious.
Thanks for trying it out and for letting me know. Glad you liked it!
I’m out of hamburger buns, so I’m making this with some premade bacon and cheese frozen patties. But honestly, it’s much better with rice than a bun.