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Minced meat meatballs with rice in a frying pan

Meatballs with Rice in Tomato Gravy (Stovetop)

Easy and quick, for a holiday or any weeknight! These rice-and-meat meatballs cooked right in the skillet come out hearty and delicious. You can make a big batch and freeze them raw—when you're ready, just drop them into the sauce and simmer.

Julia M.

Recipe author

Minced meat meatballs with rice in a frying pan

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Ground meat

500

Rice

0.5

Onion

Eggs

Salt

Dry spices

Onion

Carrot

Tomato paste

Flour

Water

400

Vegetable oil

Salt

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 46 % 13 g

Carbohydrates 32 % 9 g

174 kcal

GI: 30 / 60 / 10

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make rice-and-meat meatballs in a skillet? Start by gathering everything you need. Use whatever ground meat you like—chicken, beef, turkey, or pork. I'm using ground pork.
Step 2:

Drop the rice into boiling water and add a little salt. Cook for 10–15 minutes until half-done (follow the timing on the package). The rice will swell but the centers will still be firm. Drain it in a colander to let the excess water run off.
Step 3:

To make the meatballs, combine the ground meat with the finely chopped onion.
Step 4:

Then add the cooked rice and the egg. Season with a little salt and spices to taste—I use a bit of ground pepper and some paprika.
Step 5:

Mix everything well, then throw the mixture against the bottom of the bowl a few times to firm it up. This keeps the meatballs from falling apart as they cook.
Step 6:

Separately, finely chop the second onion and grate the carrot. Pour a little vegetable oil into a hot skillet and fry the onion and carrot for 2–3 minutes.
Step 7:

Then sprinkle a little flour into the pan and stir it in.
Step 8:

Add the tomato paste and pour in the water. Stir everything together and bring to a boil. You can add more water if you like.
Step 9:

Shape the meat mixture into small meatballs and add them to the skillet, right into the simmering sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, turning them once or twice as they cook. If the liquid boils down too much, add a little more hot water. The more water you add, the more gravy you'll have—and it's delicious!
Step 10:

The meatballs are ready! They go great with any side dish. Enjoy!

Important! The wrong pan can ruin even the best recipe. For all the details on choosing the perfect skillet for different dishes, read more here.
Important! To make rice dishes turn out great every time, read our article on the fine points of choosing and cooking rice.