One Pan Meatballs and Rice
This one pan meatballs and rice is an easy family dinner made with juicy pork meatballs, tender rice, and a simple tomato sauce. Everything cooks in the same pan, making cleanup easy while creating a comforting meal packed with flavor.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 500 g ground pork
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 60 g breadcrumbs
- 15 g finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 large eggs
For the Rice and Sauce
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1½ teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 200 g long-grain white rice
- 400 ml water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 pound (500 g) ground pork, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, ½ cup (60 g) breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons (15 g) finely chopped parsley, and 2 large eggs. Mix until just combined, then shape the mixture into 11–12 meatballs.
- Heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 chopped medium onion, 1 diced red bell pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- While the meatballs are browning, add 2 medium tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended tomato mixture into the pan and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in 1 cup (200 g) long-grain white rice, 1¾ cups (400 ml) water, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 18–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and let the pan rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve warm.
Notes
Mix Gently: I like to mix the meatball mixture just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the meatballs firm instead of tender.
Brown for Flavor: I always let the meatballs brown before adding the tomato sauce because those golden edges give the rice much better flavor.
Use Long-Grain Rice: Long-grain white rice works best for me here because it cooks evenly and stays fluffy instead of sticky.
Check the Rice: If the rice is still a little firm but the liquid has absorbed, I add a small splash of water, cover the pan, and cook it for a few more minutes.
Let It Rest: I like to let the pan rest covered before serving so the rice can finish steaming and settle nicely.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 1680mg | Potassium: 764mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2751IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg
