Porcupine Meatballs Skillet Bake

If you are reading this, then chances are you’ve had a bowl of Porcupine Meatballs! My sister and I loved these as a kid. The name alone is super fun… then the flavors that burst in your mouth bring it all home. We wanted to rekindle a beloved favorite of our childhood. So, we set out to ketofy one of our favorites!

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Ketofied

Traditionally, Porcupines get their name from the rice that’s mixed in and them pokes out of each meatball. Since we don’t eat rice any longer we went to the most widely used keto rice alternative. You guessed it…

Cauliflower

Cauliflower has become a staple in my home. It is a seriously super easy and versatile side dish or addition to many of our Ketofied dishes. We keep frozen riced cauliflower in our freezer at all times. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and makes our lives super easy. We love it!

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Skillet Bake

We decided to deconstruct the porcupine meatballs to make this an uber-simple, lightning-fast, one-pot meal instead. My, oh my, this is super delicious and a perfect meal for a busy weeknight. Not to mention it is a perfect make-ahead freezer meal! Pair this with a simple side salad with our favorite ranch dressing! YUM!!

Blessings!!

Sherri and Steph

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Beef (If you like your dishes meatier, add another half pound)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tablespoon Algae or Olive oil
• 2 cups shredded white cheddar
• 1 small white onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 – 8 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 – 15 can diced tomatoes (another can won’t hurt if you want to add it)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 large head fresh cauliflower (riced) or 2 small bags frozen riced cauliflower
• Salt and Pepper
  

Instructions:

Gather and prepare all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions in the oil until they are translucent and tender then add in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant about a minute longer.

Add in the beef and pork and brown together thoroughly. Add in the tomatoes and tomato sauce along with the herbs and seasonings. Cover and allow this mixture to simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare the frozen riced cauliflower in the microwave.

Side Note: You can squeeze out any excess water from the cooked cauliflower if you would like to. (We did not.) Our frozen cauliflower usually doesn’t have a lot to squeeze off. If using fresh cauliflower rice it in the food processor or shred it on your shredder then place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap and cook for about 6 minutes in the microwave. Remember the cauliflower will be HOT. So when you squeeze out the excess water use a clean kitchen towel and tongs, not your bare hands.

Once the cauliflower is ready, add it into the meat and tomato mixture. Give it all a good stir. Be sure to taste it at this point. Add additional salt and seasonings to taste.

If your skillet is oven-safe, you can simply top the mixture off with the shredded cheese and pop it into the oven for about 30 min. If not, no worries, just Carefully transfer the mixture into a 9X13 baking dish top the mixture off with the shredded cheese and pop it into the oven for about 30 min or until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for about 5 min before serving. If you notice any water (from the cauliflower) sitting on top you can simply soak it up with a paper towel before serving. Don’t worry…it happens.

Macros:
Porcupine Meatballs Skillet Bake
Serving Size: each serving (makes 12 servings)

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