Go Back Email Link
overhead view of rice meatballs with potatoes and peppers in a large pot
Print

Balkan Rice Meatballs with Peppers & Potatoes

A flavorful one-pot meal of tender rice meatballs baked with sweet peppers and potatoes in a rich tomato broth. Cozy, family-friendly, and full of Balkan-inspired flavor.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Baking, Fusion
Keyword Balkan, Ground Beef, Ground Meat, Potatoes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 564kcal

Equipment

  • large oven safe baking dish with lid Pictured is the Le Creuset braiser which is 30 cm / 11 inches across and has a capacity of 3.3 liter / 3.5 quart.

Ingredients

meatballs

  • 500 grams ground beef
  • 0.5 cup short grain rice
  • 1 egg
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 1 yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or substitute 1 tablespoon dried
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill or substitute 1 tablespoon dried
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint or substitute 1 tablespoon dried
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

broth/base

  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon butter for optional thickening (beurre manie)
  • 1 tablespoon flour for optional thickening (beurre manie)

vegetables

  • 2 red peppers sliced
  • 2 green peppers sliced
  • 4 potatoes cut into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Finely chop onion and garlic. Slice peppers and cut potatoes into wedges. Set aside.
  • Whisk together in your baking dish the tomato paste, 1 cup of water, and broth seasonings - set aside.
  • In a bowl, mix ground beef, rice, egg, onion, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and oregano. Shape into golf ball sized meatballs.
  • Place meatballs into the liquid in the baking dish. Pour into the dish and add a bay leaf.
  • Cover and bake meatballs on their own for 20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and check the water level. If the sauce has reduced significantly, add about ¼ to ⅓ cup more hot water and stir gently to combine.
  • Optional for thicker sauce: In a small bowl, mash together 1 tablespoon of soft butter and 1 tablespoon of flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manié). Stir this into the broth in the pan until mostly dissolved.
  • Add sliced peppers and potato wedges around the meatballs. Optional more even potatoes: For more even cooking toss the potatoes in a separate bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, dried oregano and smoked paprika before adding them to the pan.
  • Return to the oven and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and everything is golden.
  • Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with more fresh herbs if desired.