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Spiky Meatballs

Why make traditional meatballs when you can create ones with a little flair? These spiky meatballs look a little bit like porcupines. The rice makes the meatball even hardier than normal.
In a pinch, you can use a jar of spaghetti sauce in place of pureed fresh tomatoes in this dish. The yield here is about 18 - 1 ½” meatballs.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lb 80/20 ground beef
  • ¾ cup uncooked long-grain rice
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup white onion, (minced)
  • 1 tsp parsley flakes
  • 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp each garlic powder & onion powder
  • Salt to taste
  • tbsp olive oil

INGREDIENTS - SAUCE

  • 3 ½ cups fresh pureed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp finely minced onion
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • Fresh pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Set your oven to 350F.
  • While it’s warming, mix your beef, rice, milk, onion, parsley, and 1 tsp of the Worchestersauce together. Make sure everything is well-combined.
  • Shape into your meatballs, about 1 ½” in size.
  • Warm the olive oil over medium heat. Lay the meatballs to sautee inside. Leave yourself enough room to turn them. You may have to do two batches.
  • When they are golden (about 10 minutes), transfer them to an oil-treated baking dish.
  • Whip up your sauce in a blender with all the ingredients, including the last 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
  • Pour some sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Add the meatballs and cover them evenly with the rest of the sauce.
  • Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
  • Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil.
  • Continue baking uncovered for 15 minutes.**
  • ** If you’d like to add cheese, now’s the time. Mozzarella is an ideal choice. These go well with a pasta salad.