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Meat, Italy

Sartù di riso (Neapolitan rice timbale)

Sartù di riso is a Neapolitan rice timbale filled with beef meatballs, peas, and mozzarella, serving 4 people in 1 hour 40 minutes, at medium difficulty, for about €3.30 per person. The key to success is cooking the rice only halfway before baking and buttering the pan well so it unmolds cleanly.

Let's make sartù, Naples' famous rice timbale, with meatballs, peas, and melty mozzarella inside.

Sartù di riso (Neapolitan rice timbale)
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
730 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Under a golden crust of parmesan rice, sartù hides a soft center of beef meatballs, peas, and stretchy mozzarella. It's a generous, layered dish that takes a bit of organizing but rewards you fully once it comes out of the pan in one piece. At Mon Chou, we love recipes like this one that turn a Sunday into a real cooking project.

It's the kind of dish that shines at a family Sunday lunch or a dinner with guests, whenever you have a little extra time to prepare ahead. Kids usually love discovering the melted mozzarella and the small meatballs hidden inside the rice. Plan to make it on a day when you can stick around while it bakes.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 350 g
  • Tomato passataoften in the pantry 600 g
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Ground beef 350 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 3
  • Mozzarella 150 g
  • Grated parmesan 60 g
  • Butter 30 g

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the onion until soft, add the tomato passata, and simmer to make a sauce, setting a third of it aside. 20 min

    The sauce should stay fairly liquid so it can soak into the rice.

  2. Mix the ground beef with breadcrumbs, one egg, and salt, shape into small meatballs, and brown them. 8 min

    Keep them marble sized, they tuck in more easily throughout the timbale.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water until halfway done, drain, and mix it with two thirds of the sauce, the parmesan, and two beaten eggs. 8 min

    Only cook the rice halfway, it will finish in the oven without turning mushy.

  4. Butter a baking pan, line it with rice, fill the center with meatballs, peas, and diced mozzarella, then cover with more rice.

    Press firmly with the back of a spoon so there are no gaps.

  5. Bake at 180°C, let it rest, unmold, and top with the remaining sauce, served with a green salad on the side. 40 min

    Wait five minutes before unmolding so the timbale holds together.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the rice thoroughly after its partial cooking, since soggy rice would make the timbale mushy once baked.
  • Press each layer of rice firmly against the sides of the pan, that's what gives the timbale enough structure to unmold cleanly.
  • Dice the mozzarella small and pat it dry, otherwise it releases too much water during baking.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for Italian sausage meat for a bolder flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meatballs with vegetable balls or simply add more peas and mozzarella.
  • For a quicker, kid friendly version, skip shaping meatballs and stir in some cooked ground meat directly into the filling.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • Sparkling water with lemon
  • Grilled vegetables on the side

Storage

Sartù keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can freeze it in portions once fully cooled. Reheat in the oven rather than the microwave so it keeps its structure.

Questions about this dish

Can you make sartù ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the timbale the day before and keep it in the refrigerator, then bake it the next day. Add a few extra minutes of baking time since it starts out cold.

Can you use a different meat instead of ground beef?

You can use ground pork or a mix of beef and pork, the result stays close to the original. Avoid very fatty meats, since they release too much liquid during baking.

Why cook the rice only halfway?

The rice finishes cooking in the oven, absorbing the tomato sauce as it bakes. If it's already fully cooked before going in, it turns mushy and loses its structure.

Does sartù freeze well?

Yes, you can freeze it in individual portions once it's completely cooled. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven to keep a good texture.

How long does it take to make a Neapolitan rice timbale (sartù di riso)?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Neapolitan rice timbale (sartù di riso)?

About 730 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Neapolitan rice timbale (sartù di riso) cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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