Description

Porcupine meatballs are a hearty, flavorful dish made with ground beef, rice, and savory seasonings in a rich tomato sauce, named after the rice resembling porcupine quills.

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

½ cup uncooked long grain white rice

½ cup water

⅓ cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon celery salt

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup low sodium chicken stock (or more as needed)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

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Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, water, chopped onion, kosher salt, celery salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are fully combined.
Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs to the skillet. Brown them on all sides, turning occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar to the skillet. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 45 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked and the rice is tender. Add more chicken stock if the sauce becomes too dry during simmering.
Once cooked, remove from heat and serve.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

If the sauce thickens too much when reheating, add more chicken stock to loosen it up.

Can be frozen for up to 3 months (either cooked or uncooked).

For a gluten-free version, ensure you use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 meatballs with sauce
Calories: 350
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 600mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 25g
Cholesterol: 75mg