Description
This Easy Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs recipe combines tender ground beef meatballs with uncooked rice cooked directly in a flavorful tomato sauce using the Instant Pot. The result is a comforting, hands-off meal perfect for busy weeknights. Juicy meatballs infused with Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce are pressure-cooked to perfection, making this a simple yet delicious dinner that pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes, rice, or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Cooking Sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, uncooked rice, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 12 to 14 meatballs, each about 1½ inches in diameter. This size ensures even cooking inside the Instant Pot.
- Add Sauce and Meatballs to Instant Pot: Pour half of the tomato sauce along with all the water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on top of the liquids. You can stack them slightly if necessary. Then pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the meatballs.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes. This method cooks the meatballs thoroughly and allows the rice inside to soften perfectly within the sauce.
- Release Pressure Safely: When cooking is complete, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes to ensure gentle finishing of the meatballs. Then carefully switch the valve to Quick Release to expel any remaining pressure.
- Serve: Open the Instant Pot and serve the meatballs warm with extra sauce spooned over mashed potatoes, cooked rice, or enjoy them on their own as a hearty meal.
Notes
- For extra flavor, stir in 1 teaspoon brown sugar and a dash of vinegar into the tomato sauce before cooking to balance acidity.
- These meatballs freeze well either raw or cooked. If cooking from frozen, increase the pressure cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
