Leek risotto with ground beef is a great harmony of flavors and textures. This one-pan dish is the definition of a comfort meal, and a great way to include this superfood into your diet. Shall we?
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Background
Leek risotto is a great, versatile dish. (If leeks are new to you, once you try them, you'll start using this onion-like vegetable regularly!) Plus, adding ground beef to it makes this already hearty dish even more filling.
The leeks, when cooked down to softness, meld seamlessly with risotto ingredients, especially the soft rice. As the risotto simmers, ground beef infuses its juices into the vegetables and rice, resulting in a phenomenal texture and taste.
Since leek risotto is a one-pan dish, it's a complete meal in itself. However, if you want to make it even more flavorful, add an appetizer such as this tasty salad, a slice or two of homemade bread, or both.
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make the leek risotto.
- Leeks: two stalks (stems) are enough, three if you're adventurous.
- Ground Beef: any fat composition will work. Substitute with ground pork, chicken, and/or turkey.
- Additional Vegetables: onion, garlic, and tomatoes.
- Rice: look for round-grained rice like Arborio. Avoid long-grained rice.
- Herbs and Seasonings: paprika, ground pepper, parsley, and bouillon. Substitute bouillon with stock powder or Vegeta.
- Butter: real butter only. Substitute with ghee, lard, and/or oil.
Instructions
Below are the easy steps for making the leek and ground beef risotto.
Step 1. Heat butter. Add onion and garlic and simmer.
Step 2. Add meat and simmer. Add veggies and simmer.
Step 3. Add rice, seasonings, and water. Simmer for 35-40 more minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Leeks have a mild, onion-like flavor, although less pungent. They're slightly sweet, and have a delicate herbal undertone. Think of them as a milder combination of onions and scallions.
You can pair leeks with almost anything. Here are some ideas:
- Ground or minced meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey);
- Other vegetables (mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, onions);
- Grains (rice, quinoa, etc.);
- Seasonings (oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme);
- Broths and liquids (vegetable, beef, chicken broth, white wine, etc.);
- Dairy (cheeses like Parm and feta, heavy cream, etc.).
Handling
Serve: serve leek risotto with ground beef warm to hot along with bread and salad.
Store: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: reheat using your preferred method.
Great Side Soups
Here are some soups that go great with the ground beef leek risotto:
P.S. Here are a few more leek gems I found around.
Thoughts?
If you make today's leek risotto recipe with ground beef and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
You can also leave a comment, I read EVERY one! Finally, if IG is more your thing, consider tagging us @balkanlunchbox.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Leek Risotto with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil, ghee, or lard
- 1 yellow onion medium, minced
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 12-14 ounces ground beef
- 1-2 tomatoes skinned and diced, or canned tomatoes
- 2-3 leek stalks (stems) sliced into rounds
- ½ cup rice round grain
- 1-1.5 cups water
- 1 bouillon cube or 1-2 tablespoons Vegeta, or 1-2 tablespoons stock powder
- 1 tablespoon red paprika
- ground pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons parsley minced
Instructions
- In a larger pan heat butter over medium. Add onion and garlic and simmer 2-3 minutes.
- Add meat and simmer for 5 minutes, while breaking up the meat and stirring. Add tomatoes and leeks and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Add rice, seasonings, and water and continue simmering. Simmer for about 40 minutes, or until rice is warm and most of the water evaporates, while occasionally stirring.
Ejla says
Making this tonight, pretty excited.
Aida says
Did you like it?
Ejla Foco says
This was a hit! Making again tonight. 🙂
Aida says
Nice! Glad you liked it. 🙂
Dawn Conklin says
I have never cooked with leeks before, but I am sure I have had them in something at some point. Glad you decided to eat leeks again and share this, it looks delicious 🙂
It's funny how something can turn us away from a food for so long. For me it was veal. I got really sick one night as a kid and we had veal for dinner that night. It took me years to try it again - and I still barely eat it!
Aida says
Dawn, this risotto is really a great way to do leeks as they don't overpower the dish.
I know what you mean about food aversions. I had the same thing with milk, and cannot stand it to this day.
Martin says
Very tasty
Simple to make
Will definitely go on repeat list
Aida says
Thanks Martin, glad you like.
Maddie says
This was such a comforting dish to come across. Thanks for sharing!
Aida says
Anytime. Glad you like it Maddie!
Carolyn Haas says
Yummy! I made half of the recipe for two of us and it was perfect. Used hot Hungarian paprika and that gave a nice little kick!
Aida says
Nice! We love Hungarian paprika too, it's the best. Thanks for letting us know recipe worked when halved, it'll be helpful to other readers.
Jasna says
Thank you for the very yummy recipe. I never liked leek before I made this recipe. My granddaughter (3 years ) loves this. I need to make always for her
Aida says
Aw Jasna, thanks for letting us know! Kisses for the little one.
Tom says
i made this last night and it was a hit with both my wife and me. The quintessential comfort food. It's hard to go wrong with meat, rice, a ton of leeks, and good spices.
I used canned, diced, fire roasted tomatoes. I just wasn't feeling the nasty looking tomatoes at the grocery store and used half sharp paprika, which added a nice zip and a little heat to the risotto.
It was especially good with an over-easy fried egg and a dollop of creme fraiche on top.
My only quibble with the recipe is that you didn't specify how much water to add after adding the arborio rice. I started with the amount of liquid recommended for a 1/2 cup of rice on the package, added the juice left from my can of tomatoes and eventually, over time, added at least another 3/4 to a cup of stock. No complaints, it turned out just fine.
On another topic, I initially stumbled across your blog looking for a local restaurant called the Balkan Treat Box. I'm in suburban St. Louis, MO and we had quite an influx of Bosnian refugees in the mid '90's. They have been such a great addition to our area. So many great restaurants and wonderful people added to our community. Do you have any relatives/associates in the St. Louis area?
Aida says
Hi Tom,
so glad that the recipe was a hit with you and your wife. Thanks for the update, I bet a lot of our readers will find your notes helpful!
Thanks for catching the water error, we fixed it.
No St. Louis connection here, although you're right, it has a large population from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I moved to DC when I arrived to the US back in mid 90s, and my family is divided between DC and Sarajevo.
I too divide my time between the two cities.
Have you thought about growing your own tomatoes?