Lemony Brown Rice Bowl with Plant-Based Meatballs and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ cup panko bread crumbs 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin, greens divided¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water, divided2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided, plus 2 tablespoons juice¼ teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 12 ounces plant-based ground meat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed3 garlic cloves, minced2 cups vegetable broth ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
Before You Begin
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
Instructions
- Stir panko, 2 tablespoons scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons water, 1½ teaspoons lemon zest, salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer meatballs to large plate.
- Cook rice in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, remaining 2 cups water, lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon lemon zest and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Nestle meatballs into skillet, cover, and cook until rice is tender and no liquid remains, 15 to 25 minutes. Off heat, scatter sun-dried tomatoes over top and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining scallion greens and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
½ cup panko bread crumbs
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin, greens divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided, plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
Ingredients
½ cup panko bread crumbs
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin, greens divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided, plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
Ingredients
½ cup panko bread crumbs
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin, greens divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups water, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, divided, plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced thin
Why This Recipe Works
This meal of herbed meatballs and nutty brown rice is an archetypal example of the one-pan dinner genre—a pantry-friendly, easy, and flavorful dish that gets right to the point with no fuss. To give the meatballs a brighter, lighter profile, we mix the plant-based meat with fresh herbs and lemon zest. We brown the meatballs all over to build up a nice crusty exterior and create some fond and then, to prevent the meatballs from overcooking, we remove them from the pan while we soften the aromatics. We give the rice a head start in vegetable broth infused with more lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice and then nestle the meatballs into the gently simmering rice, cover, and let the dish finish cooking through, hands-off. Sun-dried tomatoes add color and chewy savor, and last-minute sprinkles of parsley and scallion greens finish the dish on a fresh note.
Before You Begin
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
Instructions
- Stir panko, 2 tablespoons scallion greens, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons water, 1½ teaspoons lemon zest, salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer meatballs to large plate.
- Cook rice in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, remaining 2 cups water, lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon lemon zest and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Nestle meatballs into skillet, cover, and cook until rice is tender and no liquid remains, 15 to 25 minutes. Off heat, scatter sun-dried tomatoes over top and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining scallion greens and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve.
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