Dutch Oven Porcupine Meatballs in 1 Hour

A cast-iron Dutch oven is the perfect cooking pot to prepare Porcupine Meatballs. My porcupine meatballs are made predominately from pantry items. So, all you have to do is add some ground beef, and you should be able to whip this family (or anyone’s) favorite up in no time.

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Dutch Oven Porcupine Meatballs

You will love the ease and the minimal equipment and ingredients needed to prepare this recipe.

Cooking Equipment

• Enameled cast-iron Dutch – my all-time favorite enamel cast-iron Dutch oven (article)
• Seasoned cast-iron Dutch oven – my all-time favorite seasoned cast-iron Dutch oven (article)
• Glass or stainless steel bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Oven mitts

Ingredients

• 1 pound or 500 grams of ground beef
• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 2 large cloves of garlic minced
• 1 medium or 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt (iodized)
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 beef stock cubes or 3 teaspoons of powdered beef stock
• 2 to 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil for frying
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 can of tomato soup
• 3/4 cup of water

Instructions

In a glass or stainless steel, bowl combine ground beef, rice, egg, diced onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and the stock cube or stock powder.

When fully combined, use a tablespoon and form your meatballs. You should make around 20-22 balls – make sure they are around the same size for even cooking.

Add oil to the Dutch oven and set the heat setting to low.

Add meatballs to brown them off. Leaving enough room to be able to turn them around – remove them when browned. You will probably have to do them in 3/4 batches.

When complete in the Dutch oven add tomato soup, water, and stock cube or powder, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Stir while the sauce heats through.

Return the meatballs to the Dutch oven and gently spoon sauce over the balls. When the Dutch oven reaches simmering cover then cook for 35 minutes.

Cooking Notes

To avoid the tomato sauce sticking and burning to the bottom of the Dutch oven ensure the heat is not too high or place the Dutch oven on a trivet over the heat.

Preparation time is quick (under 15 minutes), and using your cast-iron Dutch oven, the cooking time is around 30-40 minutes.

If you simmered this recipe in a saucepan or other cooking pot over a cooktop – they would stick, and the rice inside the meatballs would not be soft.

What to Serve With Porcupine Meatballs

This hearty recipe does not need any accompaniment and can be served as is.

You may want this recipe to stretch a little further and add a healthy side. Below are just some of my suggestions – choose your favorite side – any side will complement this recipe.

Steamed Rice

For the ultimate in easy meal preparation, serve your juicy meatballs and sauce with steamed rice.

Check out the way I prepare the perfect fluffy rice every time in my article on how to cook rice in a cast-iron Dutch oven.

Vegetables

• Steamed sweet potato
• Steamed potato
• Bed of baby spinach (the spinach wilts and mushes into the sauce – YUM)
• Green vegetable/s of choice
• Carrots
• Corn on the cob

Porcupine Meatball – Variation

Although this recipe has a tomato base, it does not taste like Italian Meatballs – so why not experiment and turn this recipe into Italian – Porcupine Meatballs?

Keep the recipe base as outlined, then add crushed tomatoes, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, and other Italian herbs.

Save this Pin to your Pinterest board so you can find it whenever you want to make these delicious Porcupine Meatballs 

To Finish Dutch Oven Porcupine Meatballs in 1 Hour

We love these meatballs at our house. They are a firm family favorite. 

After you prepare this meal a couple of times you will be able to make it blindfolded. Make sure you experiment with herbs and spices that you like to use it changes the dish completely.

At Ovenspot, I am committed to bringing you quick and easy recipe ideas using fresh ingredients that are prepared “all in one pot.”

One-Pot Cooking Rocks!