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.