Meatballs in Cream Sauce (Baked in the Oven)
Tender and juicy meatballs with rice, baked in a creamy tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best!
Updated : 19 June, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
Meatballs
300 grams
Pork mince
300 grams
Beef mince
0.5 cup
Rice
1
Onion
1
Eggs
2
Garlic
to taste
Salt
to taste
Dry spices
Sauce
1
Onion
1
Carrot
2 tablespoon
Wheat flour
1 tablespoon
Tomato paste
150 milliliters
Heavy cream
20 grams
Vegetable oil
100 milliliters
Water
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Advices
Advice
If you're using ready-made spice mixes, be sure to read the label. Many mixes already contain salt, so be careful not to oversalt your dish.
Preparation
Step 1
You can use ground meat of any kind: pork, chicken, beef, or turkey. I use a mix of pork and beef.
Step 2
Pre-cook the rice. Add rinsed rice to boiling water and cook for about 10–12 minutes, almost until done. Then drain in a colander and let it cool slightly.
Step 3
In a bowl, mix the ground meat and cooked rice. Peel and finely chop the onion, then add it to the mixture. Crack in the egg, season with salt and spices to taste, and crush in a few garlic cloves. Mix everything well and firmly beat the mixture into the bowl – this helps the meatballs stay firm while baking.
Step 4
Use any oven-safe baking dish (I use a ceramic one). Form meatballs and place them in the dish.
Step 5
Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot. To make the sauce, sauté the vegetables in a pan over low heat for a couple of minutes.
Step 6
Add the flour to the sautéed vegetables and stir.
Step 7
Then stir in the tomato paste.
Step 8
Add a bit of hot water or broth. Simmer the creamy tomato sauce for 2–3 minutes.
Step 9
Pour in the cream. Season with salt and spices. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. The higher the fat content in the cream, the richer the sauce will taste. I use 33% fat cream.
Step 10
Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the dish. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 35–40 minutes. Adjust for your oven.
Step 11
Remove the cooked meatballs from the oven, take off the foil, and serve hot. Add any side dish you like. Enjoy!