Description
Porcupine Meatballs are tender ground beef meatballs studded with rice, baked in a savory tomato sauce until perfectly cooked and flavorful. This comforting classic dish combines simple ingredients for a hearty meal that's easy to prepare and 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
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, finely diced onion, uncooked long-grain rice, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated but do not overwork the mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Form meatballs: Shape the meat mixture into approximately 1-inch diameter meatballs, making about 20 to 24 meatballs depending on size. Set them aside on a plate or tray.
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, low sodium chicken stock, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, onion powder, additional salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Layer sauce and meatballs: Pour half of the prepared sauce into the bottom of the sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Arrange the raw meatballs evenly on top of the sauce layer in a single layer. Then spoon the remaining sauce over the meatballs, ensuring they are mostly covered.
- Bake the meatballs: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour until the meatballs are fully cooked, the rice has softened and absorbed flavors, and the sauce is bubbling gently.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the foil and garnish the baked meatballs with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot as a comforting main dish with your choice of side.
Notes
- Ensure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Use long-grain rice as it cooks evenly within the baking time.
- You can substitute beef broth for chicken stock if preferred.
- Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after baking for best texture before serving.
- This recipe freezes well before baking; bake from frozen but add 10-15 minutes to baking time.
