Meatballs with Rice in Gravy
A simple, tasty, and hearty dish for every day! Meatballs with rice in gravy are a quick and budget-friendly way to feed the family. Fresh vegetables and herbs make a great side dish, and since rice is already inside the meatballs, they pair perfectly with mashed potatoes too.
Updated : 10 September, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
600 grams
Ground meat
150 grams
Rice
1
Onion
1
Eggs
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Sauce
1 liter
Meat broth
80 grams
Tomato sauce
50 grams
Wheat flour
1
Onion
1
Carrot
2 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
2
Laurel leaf
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
You can use any ground meat: pork, beef, or a mix (as I did). Besides salt and pepper, feel free to add your favorite spices.
Step 2
Rinse the rice thoroughly. Boil in salted water for about 10 minutes until half-cooked, stirring occasionally. Drain in a sieve and let cool.
Step 3
Peel and finely dice the onion. If you or your kids don’t like onion, you can skip it.
Step 4
In a bowl, combine ground meat, onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well with your hands until smooth. Optionally, add a pressed garlic clove.
Step 5
Shape the mixture into even round meatballs, slightly larger than a walnut.
Step 6
Prepare the gravy ingredients. You can replace broth with water. Vegetable or chicken broth also works. Tomato sauce can be swapped with ketchup, tomato paste, or crushed fresh tomatoes.
Step 7
Wash, peel, and grate the carrot on a large grater.
Step 8
Peel and finely dice the onion.
Step 9
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.
Step 10
Add onion and carrot, sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring.
Step 11
Add flour and cook for another minute, stirring. For thinner gravy, use less flour or more broth.
Step 12
Add tomato sauce and stir. Cook for another 1 minute.
Step 13
Gradually pour in hot meat broth while stirring constantly.
Step 14
Season the gravy with salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
Step 15
Place the prepared meatballs into the gravy. Bring everything back to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Step 16
Simmer the meatballs covered for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked. Enjoy!