Tender beef meatballs with rice in a rich and delicious tomato sauce – A perfect recipe for the whole family.
Porcupine Beef Meatballs
Despite the name, these delicious meatballs definitely do not contain any porcupine, intead they get their name from because they resemble little porcupine balls from the rice that is combined into the meatball mix.
These are one of my kids favourites. I mean what is not to love about meatballs in a yummy rich sauce. So simple to make an will be a regular feature on your meal plan.
Best Rice For Porcupine Meatballs
I use just basic long grain rice for these meatballs, this is neither Jasmine (a sticky long grain rice) or Basmati which is an extra long grain rice.
Sides for Meatballs
Because these meatballs contain rice, they are quite filling, so my family likes to enjoy these just a they are in a bowl with a little grated cheese (parmesan or cheddar0 on top and then vegetables on the side.
You can serve these with any vegetables you like, but some of my favourites are:
- Grilled Zucchini
- Roasted Green Beans
- Roasted Asparagus
- Broccoli or Cauliflower
If you prefer a more substantial side, these are great with some mashed potatoes, or a baked potato too.
YIELD: SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For the meatballs
500g (17.5oz) extra lean beef mince (ground beef)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (puree)
60ml of water
90g (½ cup) of uncooked long grain rice
1.5 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of onion powder
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
pinch of black pepper
spray oil
For the sauce
400g (14oz) of passata (sieved tomatoes)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (puree)
300ml of chicken stock
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
salt and black pepper
fresh chopped parsley to serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs together in a bowl and form into meatballs (I make 16).
Spray a frying pan over a medium high heat with spray oil, add the meatballs a lightly brown.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together ina large bowl.
Pour into the frying pan, bring a to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer for approx 30-35 minutes, carefully turning once to cover in sauce.
Sauce should have reduced down and thickened around meatballs and rice in meatballs should be cooked after this time. If it the sauce reduces too much just add in a little more stock or water.
Taste and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
Sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley
Enjoy with your favourites sides.
Notes:
WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs – due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1 SERVING
Amount Per Serving
Calories:304/Total Fat:7g/Saturated Fat:3g/Trans Fat:0g/Unsaturated Fat:0g/Cholesterol:21mg/Sodium:844mg/Carbohydrates:31g/Fiber:2g/Sugar:9g/Protein:28g