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Meatballs and Rice is a cozy baked dinner with juicy ground beef meatballs and savory long-grain rice cooked with beef broth, garlic, onion, and bell pepper. The rice starts in the oven first while the meatballs are browned, then everything finishes together in the same dish. The feta and Worcestershire make the meatballs extra savory, while the buttery, seasoned rice has plenty of flavor all on its own.
This is one of those dinners that checks a lot of boxes for me. It’s filling, easy enough for a regular weeknight, and everything comes together in one baking dish without needing a separate sauce or a bunch of sides.
Table of Contents
- Why These Meatballs and Rice are So Flavorful
- Ingredients Worth Talking About
- How to Make Meatballs and Rice
- A Few Things That Make a Big Difference
- What to Serve with Meatballs and Rice
- Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- More Meatball and Rice Dinners to Try
- MOre Meatballs and Rice Dinners to Try
- Meatballs and Rice Recipe
Why These Meatballs and Rice are So Flavorful
This isn’t plain rice with the meatballs spooned over the top. The meatballs and rice are both seasoned on their own, then finish cooking together so there’s plenty of flavor in every part of the dish.
- The meatballs have more going on than just beef and breadcrumbs. Feta adds a salty, creamy bite, while Worcestershire, garlic, dried basil, thyme, and paprika build in plenty of savory flavor.
- The rice cooks in beef broth instead of water. Butter, garlic, onion, and bell pepper go right into the baking dish too, so the rice already has plenty of flavor before the meatballs are even added.
- The rice gets a head start. It bakes first so it has time to absorb the broth and soften before the meatballs finish cooking with it.
- The meatballs are browned first. That adds color and flavor to the outside without cooking them all the way through, so they can finish in the rice without drying out.
- You don’t need a separate gravy or sauce. Between the seasoned rice and meatballs, there’s already enough flavor to build the dish.
Ingredients Worth Talking About
All other ingredients and measurements can be found in the recipe card towards the bottom of this post.
- Ground Beef: This is the base of the meatballs. I like using beef here because it stays juicy while the meatballs brown and finish cooking in the rice.
- Feta: The feta gets mixed right into the meatballs, giving you salty, creamy bites throughout. It’s one of the things that makes these a little different from a more traditional beef meatball.
- Worcestershire sauce: Just a little adds savory depth to the beef and works really well with the feta and herbs.
- Egg + breadcrumbs: These bind the meatballs so they hold their shape while browning and baking. I use regular breadcrumbs, but panko or gluten-free breadcrumbs can work too.
- Dried basil, thyme, and paprika: These season the meatballs throughout without overpowering the feta or Worcestershire.
- Long-grain white rice: This is the rice I tested and recommend. The amount of broth and baking time are written specifically for long-grain white rice, so other varieties may need adjustments.
- Beef broth: I prefer low-sodium beef broth because it gives the rice a deeper savory flavor without making the dish too salty. Chicken broth will work too, but the flavor will be a little lighter.
- Onion, garlic, and bell pepper: These bake right into the rice, adding flavor as it cooks and giving the finished dish a little more texture.
- Butter: A little butter adds richness and makes the rice feel like part of dinner rather than just something sitting underneath the meatballs.
How to Make Meatballs and Rice
Step 1. Start the rice. Rinse the long-grain rice well, then add it to a 12×8-inch baking dish with the diced bell pepper, half of the onion, garlic, butter, salt, and pepper. Pour in the hot beef broth and water, stir until the butter melts, then cover tightly with foil.
Step 2. Give the rice a head start. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. The rice won’t be completely tender yet, and that’s exactly what you want. It needs the extra time before the meatballs go in so everything can finish cooking together.
Step 3. Make the meatballs while the rice bakes. Combine the ground beef with the remaining onion, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, dried basil, salt, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, and crumbled feta. Mix just until everything is evenly combined and the feta is distributed throughout.
Step 4. Brown the meatballs. From the mixture into 1 to 1 ½-inch meatballs. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs for about 3 minutes, turning so you get color on several sides. They do not need to be cooked through at this point.
Step 5. Nestle the meatballs into the rice. After the rice has baked for 30 minutes, remove the foil and gently tuck the browned meatballs into the partially cooked rice. If most of the liquid has been absorbed but the rice is still noticeably firm, add up to ¼ cup more broth.
Step 6. Finish everything together. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 12-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. I start checking around the 12-minute mark since oven temperatures and baking dishes can affect the timing. Finish with parsley and extra crumbled feta if you like.
A Few Things That Make a Big Difference
- Don’t overwork the meatball mixture. Mix just until everything is combined. Packing or mixing the beef too aggressively can make the meatballs firmer instead of tender.
- Keep the meatballs similar in size. Aim for about 1 to 1½ inches so they brown evenly and finish cooking at roughly the same time.
- Brown them, but don’t cook them through. The skillet step is mostly about getting color and building flavor. The meatballs finish cooking in the rice, so fully cooking them first can dry them out.
- Cover the rice tightly for the first bake. Trapping the steam helps the rice absorb the broth and start softening before the meatballs are added.
- Check the rice before the final bake. After 30 minutes, it should be partially cooked with the most of the liquid absorbed. If it still feels quite firm and the dish looks dry, add a small splash of broth before adding the meatballs.
- Cook until the rice is done. Baking times can vary slightly, so look for tender grains rather than pulling the dish out just because the timer went off.
What to Serve with Meatballs and Rice
This is definitely hearty enough on its own, but if you want something on the side, I’d keep it simple. A crisp Kale Caesar Salad adds some freshness, while Garlic Rolls or Air Fryer Garlic Bread are perfect for soaking up any extra buttery broth from the rice.
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
This recipe reheats really well, which makes it a good one to prep for busy nights or divide into lunches for the week.
- Make ahead: Mix and shape the meatballs up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. You can also chop the onion, bell pepper, and garlic ahead of time so most of the prep is already done.
- Store leftovers: Keep the meatballs and rice together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Add a small splash of broth or water before reheating to help keep the rice from drying out. Cover and warm in the microwave, or reheat in a covered baking dish in the oven until heated through.
- Freeze: Freeze the meatballs together for up to 2-3 months. Let everything cool completely first, then store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Meatball and Rice Dinners to Try
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Meatballs and Rice
Equipment
- skillet or heavy bottomed pan
- 12×8 baking dish or similar in size
Ingredients
Rice
- 1⅓ cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 2 cups beef stock , heated (to melt butter)
- ¾ cup water, heated
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- ¼ yellow onion, finely chopped, more will be used for the meat balls below
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 Tbsp salted butter
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped, for garnish before serving
Meatballs
- 1 Tbsp oil for browning
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ yellow onion, finely diced
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup feta, crumbled well , *extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Rinse the uncooked rice well in a colander, this is so the grains don't get sticky and mush while baking. Add the water and broth to a large sauce pan and heat to a light simmer on the stove.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onions for both the rice and the meatballs (saving half some for the meatballs), dice bell peppers and mince the garlic. Place half the onions, all the bell peppers and garlic in a casserole dish 12×8 inch or similar in size baking dish. If you go smaller, cooking time will increase.
- Add the butter, salt, pepper, uncooked rinsed rice to the baking dish follwed by heated beef stock with water. Mix well until the butter is melted.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. While rice is baking, prepare the meatballs. Please note, if you use a smaller dish the baking time will need to increase a bit.
Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef. Add in the leftover chopped onion, all the seasonings, egg, Worcestershire Sauce, breadcrumbs, crumbled feta. Mix well with hands, ensure the feta is evenly spread throughout.
- Heat oil in a skillet or heavy bottomed pan. Form meatballs into 1-1.5 inch balls and add to a plate. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs into the hot skillet, you may need to cook two batches.
- Turn the meatballs around the skillet to ensure all the sides are browned, about 3 minutes. Set the browned meatballs on a clean plate. Once they are all browned, carefully add them to the rice dish in the oven at the 30 minute mark.
- Pull the rice out of the oven, uncover it, and gently nestle all the meatballs into the rice. Add in the broth if needed ( 1/4 cup only if all the liquid is absorbed and rice is still a smidge al dente)
- Continue to cook for another 12-18 minutes or until rice is al dente and meatballs are cooked through. Oven temps will vary so please check on the meatballs and rice after 10 minutes. Once it's finished garnish with parsley, extra crumbled feta. Feel free to add some extra salt and pepper if preferred. I like to serve mine with a drizzle of sriracha but this is optional!
Notes
- Use long-grain white rice: The liquid amount and baking time are written specifically for long-grain white rice. Other varieties may need different amounts of broth and different cook times.
- Broth: Low-sodium beef broth gives the deepest flavor. Chicken broth can work too, but the finished dish will taste a little lighter.
- Ground meat: Ground beef is the tested option. If you use ground turkey or chicken, cook the meatballs to 165°F and expect a slightly leaner texture.
- Baking dish size matters: A smaller or deeper dish can increase the cooking time because the rice cooks differently when it’s packed more tightly.
- Check the rice before the final bake: If most of the liquid has been absorbed but the rice is still quite firm, add up to ¼ cup more broth before adding the meatballs.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2–3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! These were so flavorful and satisfying! I was missing parsley so I had to omit it this time, but will add it next time! Highly recommend.
Hi Savannah! I am thrilled to hear this, these meatballs are my favorite comfort meal. Thanks for letting me know!
I so want to make dish, but the cooking of the rice is totally unclear to me. Is the rice cooked in the very first step? That is not stated at all in any of the steps. Rinsing the rice is directed in the first step, but nothing said about combining it with broth or water. Can you clarify this for me? Thanks
Hi Evelyn! Thank you for bringing this to my attentions, I have updated things a bit to make it much more clear. Enjoy 😊
I didn’t have parsley or feta, but wow these were so good. I was skeptical about the cinnamon but MAN, OH, MAN. Game changer! This recipe is our family’s new go-to meatball recipe! Yummy and fast for any day of the week.
Thank you for the great feedback! So happy you enjoyed
My husband and I loved this dish! It comes together so easily. I have to admit that because of time constraints, I used frozen meatballs, but I do want to make your homemade version soon, Bailey.
The rice is so flavorful, even without a sauce, and came out beautiful both times I made it. The first time I followed the recipe exactly except for the frozen meatballs, but the second time, I didn’t have a bell pepper for the rice so I used two stalks of celery and it was just as delicious.