Description
Porcupine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce is a comforting and easy-to-make classic dish featuring tender meatballs studded with rice, simmered in a rich, tangy tomato sauce. Perfect for family dinners, this hearty recipe uses simple pantry staples and cooks entirely in one pot, making cleanup easy and the meal satisfying for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed or diced canned tomatoes
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked long-grain white rice, finely chopped onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined to keep the meatballs tender; avoid overmixing to prevent toughness.
- Shape the Meatballs: Form the meat mixture into golf-ball-sized meatballs using hands or a spoon. Ensure each meatball is compact enough to hold its shape but not too dense.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides in batches without overcrowding. This step seals in flavor but does not fully cook the meat.
- Prepare the Tomato Sauce: In the same pot, sauté additional onion and garlic until softened. Add canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and basil. Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom for enhanced flavor.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Return the browned meatballs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and meatballs are tender.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Use uncooked rice in the meat mixture to achieve the signature ‘porcupine’ texture as the rice cooks inside the meatballs.
- Avoid overmixing the meat mixture to keep the meatballs tender and juicy rather than dense.
- Brown meatballs well to develop deeper flavor and better texture; avoid overcrowding the pan during browning.
- Simmer meatballs slowly on low heat to fully cook the rice and allow the sauce to thicken beautifully.
- Do not skip Worcestershire sauce as it balances tomato acidity and adds savory depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American, Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: porcupine meatballs, meatballs, tomato sauce, comfort food, easy dinner, family meal, one pot meal, ground beef, rice meatballs