Description
A comforting one-pan meal combining savory homemade or store-bought meatballs with tender, flavorful rice cooked in beef broth, enriched with garlic, peas, and fresh herbs. Perfect for an easy, hearty dinner served with a green salad or wilted spinach.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed and minced)
- 1 pound homemade meatballs or store-bought meatballs
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (rinsed)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (or according to preference)
- 1/2 cup green onions (chopped)
- 1/4 cup parsley (fresh, chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Thaw the Meatballs: If your meatballs are frozen, thaw them partially in the microwave for a couple of minutes. They don’t need to be completely thawed, just enough so they finish cooking evenly with the rice.
- Heat the Skillet: Place a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Allow it to heat until shimmering.
- Sauté Garlic: Add the crushed and minced garlic to the oil and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Cook Meatballs: Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes to start browning them and developing flavor.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Pour in the beef broth along with the rinsed rice, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to lift any browned bits for extra flavor.
- Bring to Boil: Stir everything together and increase heat to high until the liquid reaches a boil.
- Simmer Covered: Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the skillet with a lid.
- Cook Rice: Let the rice cook covered for 15-20 minutes. At around 15 minutes, stir gently to prevent sticking and to check for doneness.
- Season to Taste: Once the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, remove the skillet from heat and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add Peas: Stir in the frozen peas, adding as much as you like. The residual heat will warm them through.
- Add Green Onions and Parsley: Mix in the chopped green onions and fresh parsley if you’re using it. Cover again and let the heat warm them for a few minutes.
- Serve: This dish pairs wonderfully with a big green salad or served over a bed of fresh spinach. You can also stir fresh spinach into the hot rice just before serving to let it wilt.
Notes
- Partially thawing meatballs before cooking helps them warm evenly without drying out.
- Rinsing the rice prevents it from becoming too sticky and helps it cook more evenly.
- Adjust seasoning at the end to ensure the right balance because broth and meatballs can vary in saltiness.
- Adding fresh herbs like parsley brightens the dish but is optional based on availability and preference.
- This is a versatile recipe; feel free to substitute vegetables or add spinach for extra greens.
