In my new take on a classic, I use quick cooking rice so there is nothing ‘slow’ about my Slow Boat to China recipe. Easy comfort food that is perfect for busy nights.
I call this a ‘retro’ recipe because I think anytime I bring it up-someone my age inevitably knows exactly what I’m talking about. When I say, ‘the rice one with celery’ or any other version of that. Both my grandmothers made it, then my mom and now me.
Doesn’t making food from your childhood bring back the best memories? Sometimes I get the recipe directly from the source or like this one I had to wing it. While it was a staple I had growing up it is one of those recipes that has possibly changed so much over the years that it probably isn’t the original at all.
When I first wanted to make it I did some research and found that most of the recipes used the same basic ingredients-rice, beef, celery, cream of mushroom and soy sauce. My first couple test runs were…bland. And frankly, nothing like I ate as a child. It was missing the ‘Stroganoff ‘ element that I remembered. So that’s easy, add sour cream! Now use quick cooking rice and I had myself a dinner that was quick and delicious.
How to make Slow Boat to China:
Start first by cooking the rice according to package directions. Add 2 beef bouillon cubes to the rice and water so that while it cooks the cubes dissolve and the flavor gets throughout the rice.
In a skillet cook the ground beef until completely cooked all the way through. Chop the onions and clean and chop the celery while it cooks. Once the beef is cooked thoroughly remove from heat then drain the beef and set aside.
Take a paper towel and clean any grease out of the bottom of the pan so you can use it to cook the onions and celery. Add 1 Tbs butter and start melting it.
Place the onions and celery in and start sautee and cook until tender, around 7 minutes. I like to lave the celery just a little crunchy.
Return the drained beef to the pan.
In a bowl combine the items for the sauce: cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Mix until well combined.
Pour over the beef mixture. Once the rice is cooked add both cups to the pan with the beef and sauce mix.
Stir it all up then cook for another 3-4 minutes to warm everything through completely.
Serve Slow Boat to China with some warm buttered biscuits or croissants.
Tips for making Slow Boat to China:
- Make sure to drain the beef once it has cooked so there isn’t too much grease in the final dish.
- I’ve gotten some feedback that this recipe could be a little creamier, so I have updated to add another 1/2 cup of sour cream to the dish.
And here you….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Thank you to this weeks Sunday Supper host. Check out all of the other recipes to make any night of the week.
Simple Rice Recipes for Dinner #SundaySupper
What’s for dinner?
- Butternut and Brown Rice Soup by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Crispy Rice Bites by Hardly A Goddess
- Easy Pork Fried Rice – Gluten Free by Cricket’s Confections
- Granny’s Sausage & Rice Casserole by Gourmet Everyday
- Italian Rice Pilaf with Toasted Almonds by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Nasi Lemak – Malay Coconut Milk Rice by Sprinkles and Sprouts
Rice is for dinner!
- Olive & Date Rice Side Dish by My Life Cookbook
- Qatiqli Hu’rda (Uzbek Rice Soup with Yogurt) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
- Savory Rice Porridge by Pies and Plots
- Slow Boat to China by Bottom Left of the Mitten
- Slow Cooker Jamaican Rice and Peas Soup by Palatable Pastime
- Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore over Rice by My Blissful Mess
- Sushi Roll Rice Bowl by The Freshman Cook
- Tex Mex Chicken Skillet by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
- Easy Paella Recipe with Beef and Shrimp by Sunday Supper Movement
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
Slow Boat to China
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick cooking rice cooked according to package directions
- 2 beef bouillion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 3 stalks celery washed and chopped
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom
- 1 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions. Add 2 beef bouillon cubes to the rice and water.
- In a skillet cook the ground beef until completely cooked all the way through. Once the beef is cooked thoroughly remove from heat then drain the beef and set aside.
- Chop the onions and clean and chop the celery.
- To the same pan add 1 Tbs butter and start melting it. Place the onions and celery in and start sautee and cook until tender, around 7 minutes.
- In a bowl combine the items for the sauce: cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Mix until well combined. Pour over the beef mixture.
- Once the rice is cooked add both cups to the pan with the beef and sauce mix.
- Stir it all up then cook for another 3-4 minutes to warm everything through completely. Serve with some warm buttered biscuits or croissants. Enjoy!
Last Updated on April 22, 2020 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
Yum! So creamy and delicious. Definitely comfort food!
Yes, agree Liz! Thank you.
I love how simple this is, yet it sounds fabulous! Can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Christine! Yes very simple and delicious.
This is awesome because it is truly an all in one meal!
Yes it is, perfect for busy nights.
Love that you added the sour cream! Brilliant and a beautiful dish!
Thank you Teri! It does add another level of flavor with the sour cream.
So true! I recently made a recipe from my childhood and it brought back so many memories! I am loving the look of this dish.
Thank you so much Cathleen!