Classic Oven Baked Porcupine Meatballs
When you’re feeding a family, keeping meals delicious and affordable is always the goal. These classic oven baked porcupine meatballs hit that sweet spot perfectly.
With a few basic ingredients, you can whip up a dinner that’s not only budget-friendly but also a huge hit with the kids. Ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce come together to create a dish that’s both satisfying and easy on the wallet.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is all about stretching your dollar without sacrificing flavor. Ground beef is one of the most affordable proteins you can buy, and adding rice to these meatballs helps make them go even further. That means you get more bang for your buck, which is always a win when you’ve got growing kids to feed.
Plus, these meatballs are oven-baked, which means you can get them cooking while you focus on other things. We know how it is—between school pickups, homework, and after-school activities, you don’t always have the luxury of standing over the stove.
This recipe is straightforward, requires minimal prep, and delivers maximum flavor with very little effort.
Easy Steps, Big Flavor
One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to be a chef to make it taste amazing. You just mix, roll, pour, and bake. Seriously, it’s that simple.
You mix the ingredients, shape them into meatballs, cover them in tomato juice, and pop them in the oven. In about an hour, you’ve got a dish that’s ready to go and good enough to please even the pickiest eaters.
And let’s be honest, when the kids are hungry and asking, “What’s for dinner?” there’s nothing like having a reliable recipe that you know will turn out great every time. These meatballs don’t need any fancy ingredients or complicated steps—just solid flavors that come together perfectly.
Porcupine Meatballs Serving Ideas
We usually serve these meatballs with a side of mashed potatoes or steamed rice, mainly because it’s quick, easy, and helps soak up all that tasty tomato sauce. You can also pair them with some simple veggies, like steamed carrots or green beans, to make sure you’re covering all the bases in terms of nutrition.
The leftovers (if there are any) make a great lunch the next day. Just heat them up and serve them on a sub roll with a bit of cheese for an easy meatball sandwich that the kids will devour.
Easy Meatballs Recipes: Budget-Friendly and Kid-Approved
We’re all looking for ways to make our grocery budget stretch further without compromising on taste. That’s exactly what makes these porcupine meatballs such a hit in our house. The ingredients are all things we usually have on hand, and you can easily adjust the seasoning or add extras based on what’s in the pantry.
If you want to make it even more filling, you can bulk up the meatball mixture with some finely chopped veggies like bell peppers or zucchini. Not only does it make the meal go further, but it’s also a sneaky way to get the kids to eat their veggies without complaints.
Quick Tips
- Keep it simple: This recipe works best with basic pantry ingredients, so there’s no need to overthink it.
- Adjust the sauce: If your family likes a thicker sauce, use less tomato juice or add a touch of tomato paste to the mix. Baking longer with the cover off also reduces the sauce, but leads to overcooking of the meatballs.
- Make ahead: These meatballs freeze well, so consider doubling the recipe and freezing half for a busy night when you need a quick dinner solution.
Classic Oven Baked Porcupine Meatballs
6
servings15
minutes1
hourIf you’re looking for an old-school favorite that’s both hearty and simple, you’ve found it! Our porcupine meatballs recipe delivers mouthwatering flavor with minimal fuss, making it the ultimate meatball recipes easy option. These savory bites bake up perfectly in the oven, filling your home with delicious aromas.
Ingredients
2 lb lean ground beef
4 Tbsp dried parsley
1 small minced onion
2/3 c uncooked Minute Rice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
3-4 c tomato juice
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix all ingredients except tomato juice together thoroughly and form into balls.
- Place into a well greased casserole dish in a single layer.
- Pour enough tomato juice over the meatballs so they are just covered.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then cover with a well-fitting lid or aluminum foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- This recipe results in a thin tomato sauce; much of the tomato juice is soaked up by the rice, and it is further reduced during baking. If you want to thicken the sauce, you can remove the meatballs and return the uncovered pan back to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until desired thickness is achieved.
No-Fuss, All Flavor
If you’re looking for a recipe that’s both kid-approved and easy on the budget, these classic oven baked porcupine meatballs are the way to go. With just a few basic ingredients, you can put together a meal that everyone loves without spending all evening in the kitchen or emptying your wallet.
That’s the kind of cooking that makes sense for busy families—simple, affordable, and always delicious.
Looking for other kid-friendly meatball recipes? Then check these out!
