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Honey Garlic Meatball Rice Bake

A hearty and flavorful rice bake featuring tender honey garlic meatballs, colorful veggies, and fluffy rice, perfect for family gatherings and easy weeknight dinners.
Calories:
Author: Sandra Myers

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 1 lb 450g ground beef or ground chicken
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Honey Garlic Sauce

  • ⅓ cup honey
  • ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium preferred
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch optional, for thickening

For the Rice Bake

  • 1 cup uncooked white rice long grain or jasmine
  • 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
  • ½ cup diced bell peppers any color
  • ½ cup frozen peas no need to thaw
  • ¼ cup chopped green onions optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  • In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped onion, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and salt.
  • Mix gently, then form 1–1½ inch meatballs (about 20–24). Heat a skillet with a splash of oil and sear meatballs 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned—they don’t need to cook through.
  • In a small saucepan, combine honey, soy sauce, ketchup, water, and garlic. Heat until bubbling. For thicker sauce, stir in cornstarch dissolved in water and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
  • Spread uncooked rice evenly in the greased dish. Scatter bell peppers and frozen peas over the rice, drizzle with olive oil or butter.
  • Pour chicken broth over, stir lightly, and nestle meatballs into the mixture. Pour honey garlic sauce over the top.
  • Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10–15 more minutes until rice is cooked and top is lightly golden. Ensure meatballs reach 165°F (74°C) and liquid is absorbed.
  • Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions.