Spinach Stew with Ground Beef and Rice
Kıymalı Ispanak Yemeği·(kee-mah-luh is-pah-nahk yeh-meh-ee)
Tencere Yemekleri & Sulu Yemek (The Weeknight Pot)
In a Turkish home, the smell of sizzling onions, ground beef, and tomato paste means a comforting pot meal is on the stove. This dish is the ultimate testament to the Ottoman culinary philosophy of using a little meat to fiercely flavor a mountain of vegetables. Forget the soggy, boiled spinach of bad American diners. Here, the greens are gently wilted in their own moisture alongside savory beef juices, with just enough rice to soak up the glorious, orange-tinted sauce. Crowned with cold garlic yogurt, it’s weeknight perfection—an unapologetic, authentic taste of the homeland.
Before you start
Wash the spinach like a Turkish grandmother.
Submerge the spinach in a basin of cold water with a splash of white vinegar. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the grit falls to the bottom, then lift the leaves out of the water. Never pour the dirty water back over the clean leaves.
Tear the greens by hand.
Avoid using a knife. Tearing the large leaves into rough halves prevents the edges from bruising, darkening, and taking on a metallic taste.
Ingredients
- mature fresh spinach1 1/2 lb
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- ground beef1/2 lb
- garlic2 med cloves
- tomato paste1 1/2 tbsp
- short or medium-grain white rice1/4 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Aleppo pepper1/2 tsp
- water1 cup
- plain whole-milk yogurt1 cup
- garlic1 med clove
Method
- 01
Sauté the onion and brown the beef completely.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it into fine pieces, until it releases its water and browns completely.
- 02
Fry the tomato paste to awaken its flavor.
Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the raw, metallic edge and build a deeply caramelized aroma.
- 03
Wilt the spinach in its own moisture.
Stir in the rinsed rice, salt, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper. Add the torn spinach in handfuls, covering the pot for 60 seconds at a time to let the steam wilt each batch before adding the next.
- 04
Simmer until the rice is tender.
Pour the hot water over the wilted spinach. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes.
- 05
Let the stew rest off the heat.
Turn off the stove but leave the lid on. Let the pot rest for 10 minutes to allow the starches from the rice to settle and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- 06
Prepare the garlic yogurt crown.
While the stew rests, whisk the plain yogurt with the grated garlic and a pinch of salt until smooth. Serve the warm stew in shallow bowls, topped with a generous dollop of cold yogurt.
Notes
Respect the paste.
Frying the tomato paste in the fat isn't an optional step; it's a fundamental Turkish technique that builds the umami backbone of the stew.
Don't drown the spinach.
Spinach is mostly water. Adding too much liquid up front results in a watery boil rather than a rich stew. Let the greens release their own juices first.
From Turkish Heritage Kitchen.