Here’s a hearty, classic Porcupine Meatballs recipe — meatballs with rice baked in a savory tomato sauce 🍝
🦔 Porcupine Meatballs
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef & pork)
- ½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
For the sauce:
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- ½ tsp dried basil or Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, mix ground meat, rice, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Shape mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs.
2️⃣ Prepare the Sauce
- In a large baking dish or Dutch oven, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir until well mixed.
3️⃣ Assemble
- Carefully place meatballs in the sauce, spacing evenly.
- Spoon some sauce over the top of each meatball.
4️⃣ Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 1 hour, until meatballs are cooked through and rice is tender.
- Optional: Remove foil for the last 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
5️⃣ Serve
- Serve hot over mashed potatoes, pasta, or with crusty bread.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Rice: Long-grain works best, but medium or short grain is fine.
- Cheese: Sprinkle shredded cheddar or Parmesan on top before serving for extra flavor.
- Slow Cooker: Layer sauce and meatballs in a slow cooker, cook on low 6–7 hours or high 3–4 hours.
If you want, I can also give a lighter version with ground turkey and brown rice that still tastes rich and comforting.
Do you want me to share that version?
