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Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs are hearty and delicious meatballs filled with rice and served with a rich tomato sauce. This is a classic meal that the family will love!!
Hey everyone! Chelsea back from Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’ve got a childhood favorite recipe to share with you all and I’ve simplified it even more making these meatballs IN the crockpot!
First off, if you aren’t familiar with porcupine meatballs, there aren’t actual porcupines in them 🙂 They are basically just meatballs with rice IN the meat mixture and as they cook they get a little spikey and look like little porcupines :).
My mom used to make these all the time growing up and they are one of my favorites. Think typical meatballs but with rice and served with a tomato sauce over even more rice!
Perfect comfort food that won’t even heat up your kitchen! Which I think is especially important as it heats up this summer! The crockpot also ensures the meat is super tender and delicious which you can’t get by cooking these meatballs in the oven!
Thank you slow cookers! ??
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Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup uncooked white rice
- ⅓ cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1 cup water
- 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- cooked rice, for serving
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil (550 degrees Fahrenheit.) Line a sheet pan with tin foil and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the 1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup uncooked white rice, ⅓ cup finely chopped white onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, l1 large egg, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon dried basil. Knead the mixture until just combined avoiding over-mixing (makes the meatloaves denser)
- Scoop the meat mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized scoops and roll into balls. The mix should make about 20 meatballs
- Place all of the formed meatballs on the sheet pan, generously spray with non-stick cooking spray, and then broil in the oven for 6 minutes turning the meatballs halfway through baking. Remove.
- Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Add in the 1 cup water, 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce, ¼ cup light brown sugar, and ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce and stir.
- Layer the meatballs on top of the tomato mixture. Spoon the sauce over the meatballs and cover the crockpot with the lid.
- Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Remove from the slow cooker and serve over a bed of cooked rice,. Garnish with salt and pepper if desired and fresh parsley to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More delicious slow cooker recipes from Chelsea’s Messy Apron:
Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Can I roll the meatballs a night ahead? Or will that ruin the rice in it?
No, a night ahead should be fine!
I’d like to make this. I’m in Australia and I don’t know what the recipe means when it comes to cans of tomato sauce.
Do you mean canned crushed tomatoes? Or actual tomato sauce that you’d put on hot chips? Thank you!
Hi! Tomato Sauce is something here that is similar to ketchup. I would replace it with some crushed tomatoes or tomato soup! The can size is about 8 ounces.
Has anyone frozen this recipe
I am so happy to find a recipe for porcupine meatballs that doesn’t require canned tomato soup. I am horrified by the calories per serving 1273? Is that right? How many servings does the recipe make? I can’t find that anywhere. Thanks!
Can I form the meatballs with the rice and onion the night before and broil and put in the slow cooker the next day?
If so, how would you recommend I store the formed meatballs in the fridge overnight?
Yes, that sounds great! I would recommend storing the meatballs either on a cookie sheet covered with plastic wrap or in a Tupperware. Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
cooked or uncooked white rice in the meatballs?
Based on the cooking time and liquid, I’m guessing uncooked rice.
I love you , and I love your recipes . Thanks so much. Nice Day. Claudette
Awe! Thank you so much! XOXO
I can’t rate yet because I am not sure it calls for uncooked rice. please help!
Uncooked Rice is perfect! I will add it to the ingredients for everyone to see.
hey girl- these look so yummy!
Cooked or uncooked rice to go in the meatballs for prep?
I have the same question.
I imagine cooked? Did anyone find out or test it?
There is a similar recipe on allrecipes.com that uses uncooked rice in the meatballs. So, I’m guessing uncooked!