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Meatballs and Rice

Juicy venison or beef meatballs baked together with tender, seasoned rice, bell peppers, and onions for a nourishing, filling dinner the family will crave. Finished with parsley and feta, this hearty meal is comfort food at its best.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 506
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1⅓ cups long grain rice, uncooked
  • 1½ cups beef stock, heated
  • 1¼ cups water, heated
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • ¼ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp oil, for frying
  • 1 lb ground venison or beef
  • ¼ cup yellow onion, finely chopped (for meatballs)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • ¼-⅓ cup feta, crumbled well (plus extra for garnish if desired)

Equipment

  • Skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
  • 12×8 inch baking dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • colander

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Rinse the uncooked rice well in a colander to prevent it from becoming sticky. Heat the broth and water in a saucepan.
  2. Add diced bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic to a 12×8 inch baking dish. Stir in butter, salt, pepper, rinsed rice, and the heated broth mixture until the butter melts. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix ground meat, chopped onion, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, egg, and crumbled feta. Form into 1–1.5 inch balls.
  4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
  5. Remove the rice from the oven, uncover, and nestle browned meatballs into the rice. Add up to 1/3 cup extra water if needed. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 10–20 minutes, until rice is al dente and meatballs are cooked through.
  6. Garnish with parsley and extra feta before serving.

Notes

Any ground meat will work—venison, beef, chicken, or turkey. Use any broth you prefer. If you don’t like cinnamon, skip it. You may need to add 1/4 cup more water during cooking if the rice hasn’t softened. Garnish with extra feta for a tangy finish.
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