Family Creamy Rice Bake with Turkey Meatballs, Spinach, and Parmesan Sweet Potato Topping
A comforting, original baked family dish made for sharing: creamy rice with spinach and onion, topped with juicy turkey meatballs in a mild tomato sauce and finished with a gratinéed Parmesan sweet potato layer.
Ingredients
- 700 g g sweet potato (pelado and diced)
- 180 g g long-grain white rice (enjuagado)
- 500 g g ground turkey (for the meatballs)
- 120 g g fresh spinach (chopped en trozos large)
- 180 g g yellow onion (finely chopped, divided)
- 12 g g garlic (chopped, divided)
- 40 g g breadcrumbs (for the meatballs)
- 1 pieza 1 unit egg (for the meatballs)
- 70 g g grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 180 ml ml milk (whole or semidescremada)
- 30 g g butter (divided)
- 30 ml ml olive oil (divided)
- 400 g g crushed tomatoes (en lata or casero)
- 720 ml ml chicken broth (low sodium if preferred)
- 2 g g dried oregano (divided)
- 2 g g sweet paprika (for the meatballs)
- 1 g g ground nutmeg (for the camote)
- 10 g g salt (or to taste, divided)
- 3 g g black pepper (or to taste, divided)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
- 2
Place the sweet potato in a pot with water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes until very tender. Drain well.
- 3
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, 40 g chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves, sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 25 g Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Shape into 18 to 20 small meatballs.
- 4
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes, turning to sear several sides. They do not need to be fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- 5
In the same skillet, add 15 g butter and the remaining onion. Cook for 4 minutes until softened. Add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- 6
Stir in the white rice and cook for 1 minute to lightly toast it. Add the chicken broth, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a little black pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 12 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
- 7
Add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in 20 g Parmesan cheese. The rice should be creamy and still slightly loose.
- 8
In a small saucepan or in a cleared space in the skillet, combine the crushed tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the browned meatballs and cook 5 minutes more so they absorb the flavor.
- 9
Mash the cooked sweet potato with the remaining butter, nutmeg, 25 g Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and black pepper until you have a thick, spreadable mash. If needed for a smoother finish, add a little of the milk gradually.
- 10
Spread the creamy spinach rice in the baking dish. Arrange the meatballs and their tomato sauce on top. Cover by spoonfuls with the sweet potato mash and gently smooth without mixing the layers. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.
- 11
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 200 °C / 400 °F, until the edges are bubbling and the top is lightly golden. For more color, broil for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely.
- 12
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving so the bake sets and portions more easily.
Chef tips
For a more golden top, drag a fork through the sweet potato mash before baking; the ridges brown better. If the rice thickens too much before assembly, stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of hot broth.
Substitutions
You can swap the spinach for chopped young chard. Parmesan can be replaced with pecorino or another aged grating cheese. If preferred, use medium-grain rice, adjusting broth and cooking time as needed.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ratings & reviews
Sign in to rate this recipe
Sign inRelated recipes
Family Lemon Chicken Gnocchi Bake with Peas and Parmesan Crumble
60 min
Family Sweet Potato, Pulled Turkey and Green Bean Bake with Baked Cottage Cheese Cloud
80 min
Family Pearl Barley Bake with Lemon Chicken, Roasted Peppers and Herbed Cottage Cheese Crust
85 min
Family Gnocchi Bake with Mild Pesto Chicken and Zucchini with Mozzarella Crust
60 min
Family Lentil Bake with Paprika Turkey, Roasted Cauliflower and Cheesy Yuca Topping
90 min
Family Creamy Rice Casserole with Turkey, Broccoli, and Cheddar Oat Crust
60 min