Taco Meatballs

Meatballs go south of the border in this fun, cheesy bake that kids absolutely demolish.

Ground beef gets mixed with cooked rice, beaten eggs, garlic salt, and pureed onions, celery, and green peppers (a sneaky way to get vegetables into picky eaters without them noticing).

Bake the meatballs until firm, then drown them in a bubbling sauce of taco sauce mixed with cream of cheddar soup that turns into a rich, cheesy blanket during the second bake.

Serve them over more rice, tuck them into tortillas, or just eat them straight from the dish with toothpicks.

Chef Tips

• Puree the veggies in a blender. This is genius for hiding vegetables in the meatball mixture. Nobody will know they’re eating a cup each of onion, celery, and green pepper.
• Two-stage baking matters. The first 30 minutes firms up the meatballs so they hold their shape. The second 30 minutes with the sauce lets them absorb all that cheesy, saucy goodness.
• Use leftover rice. Day-old cooked rice is actually better here because it’s drier and won’t make the meatballs soggy.