Ground Beef, Spinach & Rice

This is a take on a classic Greek dish, spanakorizo, combining spinach and rice, and usually meat. In this version, the ingredients are mostly cooked separately, ground beef is used, and a healthy amount of fresh dill and lemon adds brightness to the dish. Feel free to play around with the ratios, more spinach, more meat, you can't go wrong.

Ingredients

Ground Beef - 1lb - 80-90% lean

Rice (any type works, long grain, arborio, brown) - 1 cup

Spinach - Fresh - 10oz to 16oz

Onion - medium sized - diced

Garlic - 2 cloves - minced

Olive Oil

Dill - 2 handfuls , chopped

Salt

Black Pepper

Steps

Prepare the rice separately, it can be prepared ahead of time or at the same time as the other ingredients.

Prepare a large saute pan or stock pot, that can hold all of the beef and rice.

Start it on medium-high heat. When the desired temperature is reached, add olive oil and then ground beef. Incorporate the ground beef into the oil, keep breaking it down into smaller crumbs.

After the ground beef starts to take on color, add more olive oil, the add the onions and garlic. Keep stirring. Add Salt, black pepper.

Optionally, use a spoon or slotted spoon to soak up any fat or sediment from the ground beef.

Once the onions are softened and translucent, add the spinach in portions, allow them to cook down , add more olive oil and a touch of water if needed.

Once the spinach is wilted, add the rice and blend in.

Add fresh dill, mix and serve with lemon.