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    Home » By Cooking Method » One Pan » Skillet Turkey Meatballs & Rice

    Skillet Turkey Meatballs & Rice

    Published: Mar 23, 2020 · Modified: Jan 8, 2021 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    480 shares
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    One-Skillet Turkey Meatballs & Rice Pin Image

    This skillet turkey meatball and rice recipe is a quick and simple dinner to throw together. Healthy turkey meatballs is combined with brown rice and parmesan cheese for a dinner your whole family will love.

    turkey meatballs and rice in a cast iron skillet on a white background

    Because you all have been enjoying the recipe I recently shared for healthy turkey meatballs, I thought I’d show you all one way you can incorporate them for a quick dinner. This recipe for turkey meatballs and rice is simple to throw together, and even easier to clean up since it’s all made in one pan. I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine does.

    Lemon is added to the skillet with the rice and broth to give this dish a brightness. You can adjust the lemon juice you add to the rice based on the tartness of your lemons, or how much (or little) some people in your family enjoy lemon flavor. Also, feel free to use scallions or onions in this dish; I’ve used both and they’re equally delicious.

    If you try and enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and rating below. Good luck and happy cooking 🙂

    What’s in Skillet Meatballs and Rice?

    The ingredients list for this healthy turkey meatball recipe is minimal. All you’ll need to make these skillet meatballs are:

    • Pre-made turkey meatballs
    • Long grain brown rice
    • Garlic
    • Lemon juice
    • Chicken stock
    • Parmesan cheese

    Make Your Meatballs First

    • Ground turkey – I prefer 93% lean
    • Bread crumbs – I like Panko best
    • Egg – this is crucial for keeping the meatballs moist, which I’ll get into below
    • Fresh scallions and parsley, but go ahead and use dried herbs as well if that’s all you have on hand
    • Lemon zest and salt and pepper.

    Combine all your ingredients in a bowl, then roll meatballs into 1.5″ spheres. Either bake in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes, or pan fry for about 10 minutes.

    How to Make Meatballs with Rice

    Once you’ve formed the healthy turkey meatballs, brown them on all sides in a well oiled skillet. Remove them from the pan, then add the rice, stock, onions (or scallions), and lemon juice.

    Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the meatballs back to the pan at this point and cook for another 20 minutes.

    Sprinkle with grated Parmesan just before serving, if desired.

    Can I Use White Rice Instead of Brown?

    Yes, but note that white rice cooks much quicker than brown rice so you’ll need to adjust your cook time accordingly.

    healthy turkey meatballs and rice in a white bowl with black fork on a white background

    Other Tips for Making This Turkey Meatballs and Rice Recipe

    If you’re in a time crunch, you could use store-bought frozen meatballs instead of making your own. Just be sure to read the ingredients list to make sure you’re buying a high-quality meatball!

    I used my homemade turkey meatballs in this skillet dinner recipe, but your favorite ground beef or lamb meatballs can also be used.

    Enjoy these skillet meatballs with rice as is, or serve with a simple side salad or steamed veggie.

    Other One-Pan Dinner Recipes:

    • Instant Pot Chicken Meatballs and Rice
    • Ground Beef Picadillo with Cauliflower Rice
    • One-Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
    • One-Pan Roasted Chicken, Rice, and Veggies
    • Sweet Potato Vegetarian Chili
    • …All of my one-pan recipes! 
    brown rice and turkey meatballs in a cast iron skillet

    Skillet Turkey Meatballs and Rice

    This one pan meatball and rice skillet dinner is as comforting as it is easy to throw together. Make a double batch of the meatballs to have extra on hand for leftovers.
    4.92 from 24 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 6
    Author:Andrea

    Ingredients

    • 1 batch of healthy turkey meatballs
    • 1 cup long grain brown rice , rinsed
    • 3 minced garlic cloves
    • ¼ cup diced onions
    • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 4 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)
    • Parmesan cheese to taste (as much as ¼ cup or just some shreds)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Assemble your turkey meatballs and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
    • Remove from refrigerator and heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add meatballs to pan and saute for 5-7 minutes, turning on all sides to evenly brown but not cook through.
    • Remove meatballs from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate.
    • Heat empty skillet on medium heat, adding a swig of oil if needed, and add rice, cooking for a minute or two just until translucent. Add scallions or onions and garlic and cook for about another minute. Stir in broth and lemon juice and bring to a slow boil.
    • Reduce heat to low and cover & simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove lid and add meatballs to pan. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, until rice is tender.
    • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley and/or scallion greens if desired.

    Notes

    Other Tips for Making Turkey Meatballs and Rice

    If you're in a time crunch, you could use store-bought frozen meatballs instead of making your own. Just be sure to read the ingredients list to make sure you're buying a high-quality meatball!
    I used my homemade turkey meatballs in this skillet dinner recipe, but your favorite ground beef or lamb meatballs can also be used.
    Enjoy these skillet meatballs with rice as is, or serve with a simple side salad or steamed veggie.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!
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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charisma says

      December 27, 2021 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I was tired and didn’t know what to cook. I googled random ingredients I had and BAM – here I am. It was very simple to make and even better to enjoy.

      Reply
    2. Tanya says

      November 17, 2021 at 7:25 pm

      3 stars
      The rice to liquid quantity didn’t turn out good.. Usually its 1 cup rice to 2 cups liquid.. I filled this recipe and it was like a soup.. The flavor is good though..

      Reply
    3. Karri says

      November 03, 2021 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      This is a fave comfort food! I make it as is, but usually use white rice, since my kids put up a stink about brown. Its so delish!

      Reply
    4. Lindsay says

      April 20, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      A delicious one pot meal that’s actually easy to make. I used plain frozen turkey meatballs and added spinach, oregano, and Dijon mustard. Topped with shredded parmesan and green onions as suggested. There seemed to be way too much liquid at the end, but I was able to take the lid off and reduce it down. Next time will try 2 or 3 cups of stock instead of 4.

      Reply
    5. Jen says

      April 03, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve probably made this about 20 times I love it so much. It has become my go-to comfort meal!

      Reply
      • Andrea Howe says

        April 12, 2021 at 4:42 pm

        I’m so glad you and your sweet family love it so much! Thank you for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    6. Amy says

      March 04, 2021 at 8:25 am

      5 stars
      This dish has the perfect combination of flavors and textures, the freshness of the hint of lemon combined with the flavorful garlic, onion, and chicken stock with the rice – it’s so flavorful! The meatball recipe is replacing any of my others, this will be my go-to from now on, and I can’t wait to try it as a patty. I did make a couple of modifications based on what I had in my pantry, but nothing that changed the recipe too far from the original. It’s easily modified without changing the integrity of the original, which makes it another win.

      Reply
    7. Deborah Jackson says

      August 17, 2020 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is soooooo good – i made it with white rice , and half the amount of salt – the only changes I made, wow we loved it!! We just kept saying mmmm mmmm as we ate – absolutely delicious – Thankyou!!!

      Reply
    8. Emily Bruno says

      May 23, 2020 at 8:00 pm

      5 stars
      A new fav weeknight meal for sure!

      Reply
    9. Lauren Grant says

      May 13, 2020 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      We made this for dinner last night and OH MY GOSH, we devoured it. SO good, thank you!

      Reply
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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

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