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Meat meatballs with rice and gravy

Meatballs with Rice in Gravy

A simple, tasty, and filling dish for any day of the week! Meatballs with rice in gravy are a fast, budget-friendly way to feed the family. Fresh vegetables and herbs make a great side—after all, there's already rice in the meatballs. But they're just as wonderful with mashed potatoes.

Maria

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Ground meat

600

Rice

150

Onion

Eggs

Ground black pepper

Salt

Meat broth

Tomato sauce

Flour

Onion

Carrots

Vegetable oil

Bay leaf

Ground black pepper

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 23 % 6 g

Fats 42 % 11 g

Carbohydrates 35 % 9 g

167 kcal

GI: 11 / 67 / 22

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make meatballs with rice in gravy? It's easy! Start by gathering the ingredients from the list. Use any ground meat you like: pork, beef, or a pork-and-beef blend like I did. Beyond salt and pepper, feel free to add your own spices to taste.
Step 2:

Rinse the rice well. Boil it in salted water until about half-cooked, roughly 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Drain it in a sieve and let it cool.
Step 3:

Peel the onion and cut it into small dice. If you or your kids aren't fans of onion, you can leave it out entirely.
Step 4:

In a bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand until smooth. If you like, work in a clove of garlic pressed through a garlic press.
Step 5:

Roll the mixture into smooth, round meatballs a little larger than a walnut.
Step 6:

Now gather the ingredients for the gravy. You can use plain water in place of the broth. Vegetable or chicken broth works too, not just meat broth. Swap the tomato sauce for ketchup, tomato paste, or chopped fresh tomatoes if you prefer.
Step 7:

Wash, peel, and coarsely grate the carrot.
Step 8:

Peel the onion and cut it into small dice.
Step 9:

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.
Step 10:

Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes.
Step 11:

Add the flour and cook, stirring, for another minute. For a thinner gravy, use less flour or more broth.
Step 12:

Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for one more minute.
Step 13:

Pour in the hot broth, stirring constantly.
Step 14:

Season the gravy with salt and pepper, add the bay leaves, and bring to a boil.
Step 15:

Lower the meatballs into the gravy. Bring everything back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Step 16:

Cover and simmer the meatballs for 20–25 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy!

Tip: For rice dishes that come out perfect every time, it pays to learn how to pick the right rice and cook it well.
Every oil is good only up to a certain point—its smoke point, where it starts to burn and form harmful compounds. It's worth knowing the right temperature for frying and which oils are best (and which to skip).
Tip: The wrong pan can ruin even the best recipe. Choosing the right skillet for the job makes a real difference.