Beef Rice Pilaf – Beef Plov Recipe (video)

beef rice pilaf with garlic; beef plov

The most delicious beef rice pilaf recipe! Plov is an aromatic rice pilaf recipe that originated from Uzbekistan centuries ago but it has also become a staple dish in Russia and Eastern Europe. I even have this recipe in my new cookbook, Beyond Borscht! This traditional and classic Beef Plov recipe is so delicious, aromatic and will not disappoint! Plov is traditionally made with lamb but this beef version is also delicious! Want a chicken version? Check out my ‘Easy Chicken Plov’ recipe!

Watch My Beef Plov Video Tutorial

Watch myYouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions for making this delicious beef rice pilaf! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my website emailing list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!

Ingredients for Beef Rice Pilaf

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious rice dish:

  • Rice: use a long grain rice for this recipe. My favorite is basmati rice.
  • Beef Tri Tip: beef roast will also work well for this recipe. If you want to be more adventurous, try making this recipe with lamb shoulder instead.
  • Garlic: garlic is a must for this recipe! The more, the better!
  • Onions & Carrots
  • Beef Broth: for cooking the rice pilaf. You can also use plain water but the beef broth adds lots of flavor!
  • Garbanzo Beans: also known as chickpeas. I used canned chickpeas for this recipe. If desired, also remove the thin peel off the beans before adding them.
  • Paprika, Ginger, Cumin, Coriander, Mustard: this beef plov is super aromatic and delicious thanks to all the spices!
  • Golden Raisins: this ingredient is optional but delicious! Traditional Uzbek plov is made with dried barberries but as they can be hard to find, the raisins are a good alternative.

How to Make Beef Plov

Making this beef rice pilaf is super easy and done in two steps! The first step is braising the beef. It needs to be extra tender and should fall apart easily. The second step is where you add the rice!

  1. First, start by preparing the meat. I recommend using a Dutch oven or deep sauté pan for braising the meat. Cube it into chunks, then brown all over and season well with salt and pepper. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
  2. Next, sauté the carrots, onion and garlic until the mixture is tender and golden. Return the beef back into the pan.
  3. I season my plov with cumin, coriander, ginger, paprika and mustard to add amazing flavor and aroma. The beef needs to be braised for about an hour to an hour and a half in beef broth, until it’s tender and falls apart easily.
  4. Next, it’s time to add the rice and garbanzo beans. Sprinkle the rice over the beef but do not stir the ingredients together. The rice needs to cook sitting on top of the meat and carrot mixture.
  5. The rice should be completely covered with the beef broth by about a 1-cm. Add more broth or water as needed.
  6. Cook the rice covered until all the liquids have been absorbed and the rice is done, about 25 to 30 minutes. I like to leave my pan covered and resting for another 10 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork.
traditional beef plov with garlic and garbanzo beans

Serving Beef Plov

Once the beef rice pilaf is all done, it’s time to enjoying it! Take a large spoon and mix together the beef with the rice, creating a uniform mixture. Serve it with a side of dill pickles and pickled tomatoes for a very traditional meal. I also like to have sour cream on the side. Add a bit of cracked black pepper on the top, too!

More Recipes

Enjoyed my recipe for Beef Plov? Check out some of my other Eastern European and Russian recipes you’re sure to enjoy!

Enjoyed this recipe? Please share and save it to Pinterest!

Beef Rice Pilaf Plov video recipe
Print
beef rice pilaf with garlic; beef plov
5 from 1 vote

Beef Rice Pilaf – Beef Plov Recipe (video)

20 minutes prep + 2 hours 15 minutes cook
6 servings
Learn how to make delicious and aromatic beef plov or beef rice pilaf! This Russian rice dish is made with tender chunks of beef with garlic, onion and carrots.

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 pounds stew beef, tri tip or beef roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • cooking oil, for frying
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 to 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 8 to 10 small cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup garbanzo beans, chickpeas, drained
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 cup long grain basmati rice
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins, optional
  • pickles or tomatoes for serving, optional

Instructions

  • Season the cubed beef generously with salt and pepper. Preheat large, nonstick heavy sauté pan or Dutch oven to medium/high heat and add a splash of olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the beef and fry, stirring frequently, until it develops a dark brown color. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Next, add the onion, carrot and garlic. Sauté until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Return the beef to pan, add the spices and stir everything together with a spatula, cooking for 1 minute. Add the broth to the pan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender.
  • Once meat is tender, stir in the garbanzo beans and the white raisins, if desired. Sprinkle the uncooked rice over the meat and broth. DO NOT stir the rice and meat together, simply sprinkle the rice in an even layer over the meat, and arrange it so it is submerged under the broth. The rice should be covered with about 1-cm of liquid; add more broth or water as needed.
  • Cover and continue to cook over medium/low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is done and all liquids have evaporated. Do not stir the rice while it’s cooking. Stirring is avoided to create light and airy rice that is not mashed together: don’t worry, it will not burn!
  • Allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes once done cooking. When ready to enjoy, fold together rice and beef and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve this beef plov with pickles or pickled tomatoes for a traditional meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1258mg | Potassium: 794mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3492IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 4mg