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Meatballs with rice like in kindergarten

Meatballs with Rice, Cafeteria-Style

Meatballs in gravy — as good as they were when you were a kid! These are the kind of saucy meatballs they served us in the school cafeteria, so for a lot of grown-ups (me included) the flavor is pure childhood nostalgia. Make them for your own kids and everyone will be thrilled!

Angel

Recipe author

Meatballs with rice like in kindergarten

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Ground meat (any ground meat — pork, beef, chicken, turkey, or a mix)

700

Rice

100

Water (for cooking the rice)

200

Eggs

Onion

200

Wheat flour (for coating the meatballs — use as much as you need)

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable oil (for browning the meatballs)

Water

Wheat flour

Salt

Sour cream

Tomato paste

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 21 % 6 g

Fats 52 % 15 g

Carbohydrates 28 % 8 g

190 kcal

GI: 25 / 50 / 25

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather your ingredients. Use whatever meat you like — I'm using ready-ground pork here. If you're grinding it yourself, run the meat through the fine plate of a meat grinder.
Step 2:

Now for the rice. Cook it until just half-done in salted water. It really doesn't matter whether you use long-grain or short-grain — it won't change the flavor of the dish. Rinse the rice in a few changes of water, cover it with water, and cook it to al dente. Since we'll be simmering the meatballs later, the rice will finish cooking then and won't turn mushy. If there's any water left, drain the rice in a colander.
Step 3:

Now the onion. The more you use, the juicier the meatballs — but you need to chop it very finely. Grate it, or do what I did and purée it in a blender.
Step 4:

In a bowl, combine the ground meat, cooled rice, and puréed onion.
Step 5:

Add one egg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add your favorite dried herbs.
Step 6:

Now knead the mixture well, working it until everything comes together into a single mass. Taste for salt.
Step 7:

With wet hands, shape small meatballs and roll them lightly in flour.
Step 8:

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides.
Step 9:

Transfer the browned meatballs to a saucepan or a deep, high-sided skillet.
Step 10:

Stir the tomato paste into a cup of warm water.
Step 11:

Pour this sauce over the meatballs, cover the pan partway, and simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes.
Step 12:

Then, in another cup of water, whisk together the sour cream and flour until there are no lumps.
Step 13:

Pour this over the meatballs and simmer until done, 10–15 minutes. Taste the gravy and add salt if needed — but remember the tomato paste is salty, so don't overdo it.
Step 14:

Your cafeteria-style meatballs in gravy are ready! They're delicious with mashed potatoes or pasta. Serve some fresh vegetables alongside, too.
Step 15:

Enjoy, and cook with love!

These meatballs in gravy are wonderful with creamy mashed potatoes (you'll find plenty of mashed potato recipes on our site). They're also great with fresh vegetables. Enjoy, and cook with love!