Mediterranean Beef Bowl with Harissa Oil
A quick 25-minute Mediterranean beef bowl featuring baharat-spiced ground beef, fresh vegetables, and homemade harissa oil over whole grains. Perfect for busy weeknights with excellent meal prep options.
Ingredients
Harissa Oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste adjust for heat preference
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or red pepper flakes
Beef Mixture
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion large, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves large, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper large, diced
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 90/10 blend recommended
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baharat or ras el hanout
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Fresh Toppings
- 3 Roma tomatoes medium, diced
- 3 Persian cucumbers small, diced
- 3 radishes medium, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup olives Castelvetrano or Kalamata
Base & Finishing
- 2 cups cooked whole grains bulgur, farro, barley, or brown rice, warmed
- tahini sauce or feta dressing for serving
Instructions
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and let it shimmer. Stir in harissa paste and Aleppo pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and let it warm. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until vegetables soften and onion turns translucent.
- Add tomato paste to the vegetables and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water and stir until paste fully incorporates with no lumps.
- Add ground beef to the pan and season with salt. Break beef into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes to allow browning. Then break up and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes total until beef loses all pink color. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle baharat and smoked paprika over the beef. Stir continuously for 2 minutes to bloom the spices and coat the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
- Combine diced tomatoes and cucumbers in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil. Toss gently. Slice radishes thinly, chop herbs, and prepare olives.
- Divide warmed grains among 4 shallow bowls, creating a slight well in the center. Spoon seasoned beef generously over the grains. Drizzle cooled harissa oil over the beef (about 1 teaspoon per bowl). Add tahini sauce or feta dressing in attractive drizzle patterns.
- Arrange tomato-cucumber mixture around the edges. Add sliced radishes and scatter olives throughout. Finish with a generous handful of fresh herbs on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage & Reheating: Refrigerate beef mixture in airtight container for up to 4 days. Store grains separately for up to 5 days. Keep fresh vegetables unwashed until ready to use. Harissa oil keeps refrigerated for 1 week. Reheat beef and grains separately for best texture.
Substitutions: Use ground lamb or turkey instead of beef. For plant-based option, use cooked green or black lentils. If you can't find baharat, make your own with equal parts cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and paprika, or use ras el hanout or garam masala.
Spice Level: The base recipe has warmth rather than aggressive heat. Serve harissa oil on the side for customizable spice levels. Omit harissa oil for milder version.