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Porcupine Meatballs Recipe

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4.3 from 5 reviews

Porcupine Meatballs are tender, flavorful beef meatballs mixed with rice and baked in a rich tomato sauce, making a comforting and hearty one-dish meal perfect for family dinners.

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (85% or 93%)
  • ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • ½ cup long-grain rice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

  • 29 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 to 3 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Make Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, finely diced yellow onion, uncooked long-grain rice, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  3. Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 1-inch meatballs, ensuring they are uniform in size for even cooking. Set the formed meatballs aside.
  4. Prepare Sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, low sodium chicken stock, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  5. Assemble: Pour half of the prepared sauce evenly into the bottom of the greased baking dish. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on top of the sauce, then spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the meatballs.
  6. Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. The meatballs should be cooked through and the rice tender.
  7. Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot. Enjoy your comforting porcupine meatballs!

Notes

  • Use lean ground beef for best results and less grease.
  • If you prefer, swap long-grain rice for white or brown rice, but cooking times may vary.
  • Covering the dish with foil keeps the meatballs moist and allows the rice to cook properly in the sauce.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
  • For a spicier twist, add red pepper flakes to the sauce.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/porcupine-meatballs-recipe-2/