Saucy Porcupine Meatballs
These meatballs are stuffed with plenty of rice, which, as it cooks, pokes out of the meatballs, making them look like prickly little porcupines. The little meatballs are cooked in a mildly tangy tomato sauce that’s a sure crowd-pleaser.
From EatingWell: March/April 2012
Yield: 6 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 3/4 hours
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 3/4 cup long-grain brown rice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds lean (90% or leaner) ground beef
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a Dutch oven.
- Combine rice, onion, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add beef; gently mix to combine (do not overmix). Using 1 tablespoon each, make about 40 small meatballs. Add to the sauce, making sure all the meatballs are mostly submerged.
- Cover and bake, gently stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, 2 to 2 1/4 hours.
Nutrition Per serving:
322 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 69 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 4 g fiber; 334 mg sodium; 811 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (42% daily value), Vitamin C (33% dv), Iron & Potassium (23% dv), Magnesium (20% dv)
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat