Description
These Easy Baked Porcupine Meatballs are a comforting classic made with lean ground beef, rice, and a savory tomato sauce. Baked to perfection, they offer a hearty, flavorful meal that’s simple to prepare and perfect for family dinners. The meatballs are tender and juicy, with the rice cooking right inside for a delightful texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 egg
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 (14 ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the oven rack in the middle to ensure even baking.
- Prepare the Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef, uncooked rice, egg, chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Form the mixture into approximately 20 meatballs, each about 1.5 inches in diameter, and arrange them in a 9×13-inch baking dish as you go.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate medium bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and brown sugar until well blended. Pour this sauce evenly over the meatballs in the baking dish.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or a suitable lid to trap moisture, which is essential for properly cooking the rice inside the meatballs. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Check and Continue Baking if Needed: After 1 hour, check to ensure the rice inside the meatballs is fully cooked and tender. If the rice is still undercooked, recover the dish and continue baking, checking periodically until the rice softens to your liking.
Notes
- Ensure the baking dish is tightly covered to allow the rice to cook properly inside the meatballs.
- You can use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a leaner option.
- For a spicier sauce, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce mixture.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Serve with steamed vegetables or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.