Baked meatballs and rice is an easy, kid-friendly casserole that’s budget-friendly, comforting, and full of flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners.
Baked meatballs and rice is one of those recipes that just work - easy, comforting, and something the kids actually eat without complaining. It only needs a few simple ingredients, takes almost no time to make, and is perfect for busy weeknights.
I like to serve it with a green salad with Yogurt Dressing or some roasted veggies on the side, but honestly, the meatballs and rice are the star of the show. It’s a recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again.
Ingredients: 13 + oil, salt & pepper | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Servings: 6 | Difficulty: Easy
And if you would like more kid-friendly casseroles, try this Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake or this Bolognese Pasta Bake.
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Recipe ingredients
For the rice layer: Long-grain rice, onion, garlic, butter, oil, seasoning, hot stock, and hot water to help melt the butter and make the cooking process a bit faster.
For the meatballs: Ground meat - I use a mixture of pork and beef, but you can use pretty much any ground meat you like. You will also need onions and garlic, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasoning.
See the recipe card for detailed instructions and full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make baked meatballs and rice?
Bake the rice
Step #1: Place onion, garlic, butter, seasoning, and oil in the casserole dish.
Step #2: Add hot chicken stock and hot water, and stir until the butter melts.
Step #3: Add the uncooked, washed rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cover the dish with foil.
Step #4: Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. While the rice bakes, make the meatballs.
Make the meatballs
Step #5: Combine the ground meat with the remaining meatball ingredients and mix well.
Step #6: Form the balls, scooping about 1 heaped tablespoon or ⅛ cup of the mixture and rolling it with wet hands. I had about 25.
Step #7: Brown for about 5 minutes per batch and turning often so that they can brown on all sides. They should be brown but not cooked through.
Step #8: Nestle the meatballs into the baked rice. Bake for 25 minutes or until the rice and the meatballs are cooked through.
Variations and add-ins
The rice layer is pretty basic: Rice, onions, garlic, butter, spices, and broth. But you can jazz it up a little:
- Stir in 2–3 tablespoons of tomato paste for a slightly richer flavor.
- Add 1 cup of frozen peas or diced carrots - perfect for getting some veggies in.
- Five minutes before the cooking time is up, sprinkle the dish with Parmesan, a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan, or grated Cheddar.
These small additions make the dish even more kid-friendly and flavorful.
Three ways to make the meatballs
There are a few ways to handle the meatballs for this recipe:
- Pork and beef mix: Mix ground pork and beef with your usual seasonings, brown them on the stove, and bake them with the rice. You can also just use pork or beef alone. You can use the recipes for Romanian Meatballs - Chiftele, Beef Koftas, or Pork Meatballs, too.
- Sausage meatballs: Remove the casing from good-quality sausages and shape them into balls. Since sausages are usually seasoned, you don’t need to add much else.
- Ready-made meatballs: Use leftover homemade meatballs or store-bought ones - just make sure they’re cooked before adding them to the rice. Frozen ones can be defrosted quickly on the counter.
Tip: All of these options work, so pick whichever is easiest or what you have on hand.
Store and reheat
Leftovers reheat really well.
- Oven: Spread the leftovers evenly in the dish, cover, and heat at 350°F/ 180°C until warmed through (about 20 minutes).
- Stovetop: Mix the leftovers in a pan, add a splash of chicken broth or water, cover, and heat gently on medium-low. Stir occasionally. If you want it to heat faster, halve the meatballs.
What to serve with baked meatballs and rice
I usually serve it with something green, like a simple salad with yogurt dressing or vinaigrette. Cucumber salad or white cabbage salad is also great.
Most vegetables pair well - try slow-roasted tomatoes, buttered peas, German Brussels sprouts, or even a creamy cauliflower mayonnaise salad.
Baked Meatballs and Rice – Easy Family Casserole
Equipment
- Casserole dish of about 12x8 inches/ 30x20 cm
Ingredients
Rice:
- 1 small onion or ½ medium one
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cup hot chicken stock
- 1 ¼ cup hot water
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ cup long grain rice
Meatballs (Note 1):
- 1.2 lbs ground meat Note 2
- 1 small onion or ½ medium
- 2 large garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup dried breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying the meatballs
- some parsley for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C.
Rice:
- Combine: Finely chop the onion and grate the garlic cloves. Place them in a casserole dish. Add the oil, butter, salt, pepper, hot chicken stock, and hot water. Mix well until the butter is melted. Add the washed rice and dried thyme and combine them well. 1 small onion + 3 garlic cloves + 2 tablespoons olive oil + 2 tablespoons butter + 1 ½ cup hot chicken stock + 1 ¼ cup hot water + ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 ½ cup long grain rice
- Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meatballs:
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, grated garlic, breadcrumbs, lightly beaten eggs, milk, chopped dill, paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well.1.2 lbs ground meat + 1 small onion + 2 large garlic cloves + ⅓ cup dried breadcrumbs + 2 eggs + 3 tablespoons milk + 2 tablespoons chopped dill + 1 teaspoon ground paprika + 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Form meatballs. Take a heaped tablespoon of meat (or about ⅛ cup) and form meatballs with wet hands.
- Fry in a bit of oil, in batches, for about 5 minutes per batch or until brown all over; they should only be browned and not thoroughly cooked through.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Bake:
- Remove and discard the aluminum foil. Nestle the meatballs into the rice and bake for 25 minutes until the rice and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve: Sprinkle with parsley before serving. some parsley
Notes
- Quick sausage meatballs: Remove the casings from about 21 oz/ 600 g sausages, form meatballs, and brown on the stovetop as instructed in the recipe.
Ready-made frozen meatballs: defrost quickly on the counter. Place then on top of the partially cooked rice and continue with the recipe as instructed. - I usually use a mixture of pork and beef. You can also use only beef, only pork, or ground turkey meat.
Kirstie says
Absolutely delicious! My daughter, who is pretty picky, REALLY loved! We will definitely make this again and again!
I will say, I don’t think it needed the milk. I had to add more bread crumbs to be able to form the meatballs. But otherwise this was super easy and so delicious!! Thank you!!
Adina says
I am so happy to hear it, Kirstie. Thank you for the feedback and for the rating.
Blue says
Made this tonight, added baby leeks, thinly sliced button mushrooms and used black rice. Needed more breadcrumbs and didn't add the milk to the mince. Delicious thank you.
Adina says
The additions are great, I bet it was very good. Thank you for the feedback.