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Easy Porcupine Meatballs in rich tomato sauce with rice stuffing and beef.

Easy Porcupine Meatballs — Rice Stuffed Tomato Sauce

Comforting meatballs filled with rice simmered in a rich tomato sauce, perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatball Mixture
  • 1 lb Ground beef or turkey Ground turkey works great, or a beef and pork mix.
  • 1 cup Long grain white rice Can substitute with jasmine rice or brown rice (needs more cooking time).
  • 1 large Egg Can substitute with yogurt or mayo if needed.
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped Can substitute with onion powder if fresh onion is unavailable.
Tomato Sauce
  • 1 can Tomato sauce Can use crushed tomatoes and water, or marinara (watch salt and sugar).
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp Salt Adjust to taste.
  • 1 tsp Pepper Adjust to taste.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, rice, egg, onion, salt, and pepper.
  2. Gently mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
  3. Roll the mixture into meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
Cooking
  1. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, pour tomato sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Carefully place the meatballs into the sauce, ensuring they are submerged.
  3. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice is tender.

Notes

The rice absorbs flavor from the sauce, and leftovers taste even better. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Avoid packing meatballs too tightly for best texture.