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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Tas kebab with rice pilaf

Tas kebab is a beef stew simmered with tomato, onions and peppers, served with a buttery rice pilaf. This recipe serves 4, takes 90 minutes and is easy to make for about €3.20 per serving. The key to success is slow cooking the meat and letting the onions caramelize fully.

Tonight we're making tas kebab, beef slow cooked with tomato and onions, served with a buttery rice pilaf that melts in your mouth.

Tas kebab with rice pilaf
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
660 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Tas kebab is beef that simmers quietly in a tomato sauce brightened by onions and peppers, until it turns fork tender. The rice pilaf served alongside, toasted in butter before cooking, gives you pearly, fragrant grains that soak up the sauce without turning mushy.

This is the kind of dish to start on a Sunday afternoon, while the pot does all the work on its own. Kids usually love the mild tomato sauce and the tender meat, and the leftovers taste even better the next day.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef stew meat, cubed 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Green bell pepper 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the beef in batches in the oil in a Dutch oven, then set aside. 12 min

    Don't crowd the pot, the meat needs to brown rather than boil.

  2. Sauté the sliced onions and peppers, then add the garlic and tomato paste. 10 min

    Cook the tomato paste for a minute, it loses its sharpness and deepens in color.

  3. Return the meat to the pot, add the tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper and a glass of water, then cover. 1 h 15

    After an hour, taste the meat, it should cut easily with a spoon.

  4. Rinse the rice and toast it in the butter until the grains turn translucent. 3 min

    The grains should look pearly before adding liquid, this keeps them from sticking.

  5. Pour in double the volume of salted water, cover and cook over low heat. Let it rest before serving with the beef. 15 min

    Place a kitchen towel under the lid to absorb the steam, the rice will be fluffier.

Our tips to get it right

  • Choose a well marbled braising cut, like chuck or cheek, so it stays tender through the long simmer.
  • Cut the peppers into thin strips rather than big chunks, they break down better into the sauce over the hour and fifteen minutes of cooking.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, remove the lid for the last fifteen minutes so it can reduce.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for cubed lamb, the flavor turns richer and the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with chickpeas and cubed eggplant, and cut the simmering time to 30 minutes.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the sauce over pasta instead of rice pilaf, it's a nice change and comes together faster.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber yogurt salad
  • Flatbread for scooping up sauce
  • Mint tea

Storage

Tas kebab keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the sauce actually tastes better reheated the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, but freeze it separately from the rice, which doesn't hold up as well. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make tas kebab ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually a good idea. Make the beef sauce a day ahead, it tastes even better the next day. Cook the rice pilaf right before serving so it stays fluffy and separate.

What cut of beef works best for this stew?

Go for a braising cut like chuck, shoulder or cheek. These cuts contain collagen that melts during the long cook, making the meat tender and rich.

Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes?

Yes, use about 500g of peeled, seeded fresh tomatoes in place of the crushed tomatoes. The sauce will be a bit thinner, so let it simmer a few extra minutes if needed.

How do you keep the rice pilaf from getting sticky?

Rinse the rice well, then toast it in butter until the grains turn translucent. This coating step keeps the starch from making the rice gummy as it cooks.

How long does it take to make a tas kebab with rice pilaf?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a tas kebab with rice pilaf?

About 660 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a tas kebab with rice pilaf cost?

About €3.20 per serving, or €12.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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