Meatballs and Gravy
25 Comments
Posted: 11/24/19
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Craving a classic and true comfort food? Meatballs and Gravy is a recipe that I always make when I’m craving comfort food. Large homemade meatballs with rice that are baked with a gravy sauce on them. It’s a family recipe that I ate growing up and your family will love it too!
I love coming up with new recipes but I think my most favorite recipes are the ones passed down through my family. Don’t you just love old family recipes? Bonus points if they’re handwritten on a recipe card! So, I’m excited today because I’ve got a great one for you that’s near and dear to my heart.
This Meatballs and Gravy recipe is one from my Aunt Pam that my mom made a lot when I was a kid. It’s one of those easy recipes that uses mostly pantry ingredients, which I love. You guys know how much I love a good pantry dinner!
So, it’s an oldie but goodie for sure and I pretty much make these meatballs for my family on repeat like my mom did for us growing up. It’s right up there with my mom’s Swedish meatball recipe, which is another family favorite I love to make. Can you ever have too many meatball recipes? I’m pretty sure the answer to that is: nope!
If you’re craving a comforting dinner you have to try this recipe. For the ultimate meat and potatoes dinner, you should serve these Meatballs and Gravy over mashed potatoes. I like to pair those two with this easy Broccoli Casserole. Gah, just typing that has me craving them all over again!
They’re so easy to make – you don’t have to stand at the stove and brown meatballs, which means no splattering oil! Just mix, roll, and pop them in a baking dish with the rich and savory gravy. Once baked they come out the oven bubbling hot. My family loves this dinner – I think yours will, too!
Make the Meatballs
First step: meatballs! These meatballs are big and hearty and you only need a handful of ingredients to make them:
- Eggs – This is the binder of the meatballs which holds them together.
- Milk – It will keep those meatballs nice and moist.
- Meat – We are using hamburger in this recipe, but if you want to change it up your could use turkey or pork or a combination. A heads up that turkey meat get a little dry and pork is going to be greasier.
- Uncooked white rice – We use a white rice in this recipe. Please do not use instant rice because this will get mushy.
- Spices & Seasonings – A simple mixture of salt, pepper and allspice to flavor the meatball mixture.
- Breadcrumbs – I used a fine ground breadcrumbs for this recipe that was not flavored.
Have you ever made meatballs with rice mixed into the meat? It’s a great way to bulk them up to make them stretch further. Sometimes meatballs with rice are called porcupine meatballs because the rice sort of sticks out once the meatballs are baked. You don’t have to cook the rice first, as the meatballs bake the rice will cook inside of them!
Allspice is a secret ingredient in these meatballs. It’s a spice that tastes like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pepper all rolled into one spice. There’s just a tiny amount (1/2 teaspoon) but it adds warmth and just a hint of flavor that will leave people wondering what the secret ingredient is!
Once you have your ingredients just mix and roll the meatballs:
- I like to whisk the egg and milk first.
- Add the hamburger, rice, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and allspice.
- Mix until the hamburger is combined with the other ingredients. You can use a spoon, but you can also use your hands if that’s easier!
- Roll the mixture into nine meatballs and place them in a 2-quart casserole dish.
Make the Gravy
Step two: Gravy! The gravy for the meatballs is a quick one – you only need three ingredients!
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Water
- Worcestershire sauce
Just mix all three ingredients together and then pour the gravy over the meatballs in the baking dish.
Bake the Meatballs and Gravy
Once you’ve assembled the recipe, bake it for a hour and twenty-five minutes at 350 degrees F.
You can use a meat thermometer to check the meatballs – they should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer you can also just sneak a peek and slice into one – if it’s not pink in the middle the meatballs are ready!
More Meatballs and Gravy Tips & Tricks
- You can make the meatballs ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend making the gravy ahead because it could separate while in the fridge. It’s so easy to make, just whip it up before you put the meatballs in the oven. You may need to add ten minutes or so to the bake time since the meatballs will be cold.
- Leftovers keep well either in the refrigerator or the freezer! Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for two to three days or freeze them for up to two or three months. Just be sure to store them in airtight containers.
- We always use ground beef to make these meatballs, but I think they’d be great made with ground turkey, too!
- If you want a healthy vegetable side dish to go on the side try my roasted cauliflower or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Don’t over pack the meatballs or they will be tough.
I love sharing these old family recipes with you! I hope your family loves these Meatballs and Gravy as much as mine does!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Meatballs and Gravy
Meatballs and Gravy is a classic and true comfort food recipe! Large homemade meatballs with rice that are baked with a gravy sauce on them.
Video
Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 c. milk
- 1 small onion minced
- 1/2 c. raw long grain white rice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 c. fine bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 c. water
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk egg and milk together. Mix in hamburger, onion, rice, salt, pepper, bread crumbs and allspice. Shape mixture into 9 meatballs
- Place in a 2 qt casserole dish.
- Mix soup, water and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over meatballs.
- Bake 1 hour 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 363kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 33g (11%), Protein: 21g (42%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Cholesterol: 73mg (24%), Sodium: 638mg (28%), Potassium: 396mg (11%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 70IU (1%), Vitamin C: 0.9mg (1%), Calcium: 100mg (10%), Iron: 3.3mg (18%)
Ann Y says
I gave it 4 stars because the flavor was great, this was easy to make, but my rice was really crunchy. I used a long grain white rice. Recipe does not say when to add the onion! I will make them again, but next time, I am going to cook onion first, and cook my rice before adding it to the recipe. I am also going to use a larger casserole dish. I think that the 2 qt. was too small so the meatball in the center did not brown up at all.
Julie says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Kristan says
Can this recipe be made in the slow cooker? With this summer heat, I do not want to turn on my oven!
Julie says
Yes, I think that would work! I would sear them first before adding to the crock pot so they don’t fall apart after cooking. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Alicia says
If I use ground pork instead of beef, should I reduce cooking time?…considering beef takes longer time to cook through.
Julie says
Yes, pork meatballs will probably only take 20 mins or so to bake.
Leslie says
Just made these tasty meatballs, rice a bit
underdone But Very good and comforting.
Next time, will try turkey!
Easy and will double sauce.
Thank you for another family favorite!
Julie says
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you loved it!
Patti says
I added a tbsp of dry onion soup mix to the mushroom soup for additional flavor but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. After 1 hour 20 minutes, the rice on the tops of the meatballs wasn’t cooked all the way and was crunchy. The gravy was tasty, but I would double next time as others did. All-in-all this was tasty but – crunchy rice was a big disappointment. I’d par-cook rice next time.
Julie says
I’m sorry to hear that, I haven’t had that issue. I’m glad you still enjoyed it!
Julie says
I’m not a fan of All Spice, so what would you recommend in place of that? Thank you
Julie says
If you don’t care for that flavor, I would just leave it out.
Joan says
We LOVED this recipe and it was easy to make. I doubled the soup mixture to have extra for the mashed potatoes.
Julie says
You can never go wrong with more gravy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jocelyn Balboa says
It looks delicious i wanna try it for my faily
Julie says
Hope you enjoy!
Katherine says
Such a great idea to add the rice. These look so easy and tasty.
Julie Evink says
A family favorite!
Marsha says
These were absolutely delicious and so easy to make!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Brook says
Big hit with my four boys! I ended up using two pounds of meet, a little extra milk and breadcrumbs. I also used basmati rice. Ended up freezing half the meatballs and the amount of gravy used with it was perfect. This recipe will be on rotation at our house for sure!
Julie says
Awesome! I’m glad you loved it!
Kim says
These are really good, but next time I will use two cans of cream of mushroom. We like more sauce.
anne513 says
I made these tonight. I cooked the onion before adding though. It made enough to freeze for two more meals. It was so good. I am now a follower of your blog! Thanks
Purabi Naha says
mmmm…as yummy as it could be! The baked version is worth a try…