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honey garlic meatball rice bake - featured image

Honey Garlic Meatball Rice Bake


  • Author: Bella
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

This Honey Garlic Meatball Rice Bake is a comforting, one-pan family dinner featuring juicy homemade meatballs, fluffy rice, and a sticky-sweet honey garlic sauce. It’s easy to prepare, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef or pork (or turkey/chicken for a lighter version)
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (regular or panko)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrot
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (optional)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 23 green onions, thinly sliced (optional, for topping)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional, for topping)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped onion, salt, pepper, and milk. Mix gently until just combined.
  3. Shape mixture into 20-24 small meatballs (about 1.5 tablespoons each).
  4. In the prepared baking dish, add uncooked rice, chicken broth, diced bell pepper, peas, shredded carrot, and 1/2 small diced onion. Stir to combine and spread evenly.
  5. Arrange the meatballs evenly over the rice mixture, gently pressing them so the bottoms touch the liquid.
  6. In a small bowl or saucepan, whisk together honey, soy sauce, 4 minced garlic cloves, ketchup, sesame oil, ginger, and water.
  7. Drizzle the honey garlic sauce evenly over the meatballs and rice.
  8. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until meatballs are browned, sauce is bubbly, and rice is tender. Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end for more color, if desired.
  10. Let the bake rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh herbs if desired.

Notes

For gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs and tamari. For dairy-free, omit Parmesan or use a plant-based version. You can use store-bought meatballs (thawed) for a shortcut. Brown rice or other grains can be substituted with adjustments to liquid and bake time. Let the bake rest before serving for best texture. Leftovers keep well and freeze beautifully.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: About 1/6 of the pan
  • Calories: 425
  • Sugar: 18
  • Sodium: 850
  • Fat: 10
  • Saturated Fat: 4
  • Carbohydrates: 55
  • Fiber: 3
  • Protein: 24

Keywords: honey garlic meatball rice bake, easy family dinner, one-pan meal, casserole, comfort food, meal prep, Asian-inspired, weeknight dinner