Description
A hearty, budget-friendly Porcupine Meatballs Recipe inspired by Great Depression cooking, made with ground beef, rice, and rich tomato sauce. These tender, spiky meatballs feed a family for under $15 and deliver nostalgic comfort with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20 lean)
- 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- Dried oregano, basil, and paprika to taste
Instructions
- Sauté diced onion and garlic in a Dutch oven until softened.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, and seasonings; bring to a simmer.
- Mix ground beef, uncooked rice, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until just combined.
- Form mixture into 1.5–2 inch meatballs.
- Nestle meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce.
- Cover and simmer 45–60 minutes until rice is tender and meatballs reach 160°F.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Freeze uncooked meatballs for fast weeknight dinners. Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Keep meatballs small to ensure rice cooks evenly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60–75 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 393
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: porcupine meatballs, budget dinner, comfort food, ground beef recipes, family meals