What to Serve with Porcupine Meatballs: 6 Best Side Dishes to try in 2024

Name: 6 Best Sides for Porcupine Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: Mashed Potato; Egg Noodles; White Rice; Crusty Bread; Green Salad; Steamed or Buttered Veggies

Updated Feb 16, 2023Recipe Marker

Are you trying to decide what to serve with porcupine meatballs? Stick around as we share a list of the most popular side dishes that go well with porcupine meatballs.

Porcupine meatballs are simply beef and rice meatballs that are simmered in tomato sauce until cooked.

Aptly called as such, these meatballs have the rice sticking out of them as it cooks, hence the name.

With all the flavors melding well together, you might be wondering what to serve with porcupine meatballs.

Here are some suggestions.

What to Serve with Porcupine Meatballs

1. Mashed Potato

These porcupine meatballs can be served with mashed potatoes and that’s because these soft and smooth mashed potatoes are the perfect vessels to add the sauce and meatballs.

Think of these as a bowl that you can top with the meatballs and the velvety texture of the mashed potatoes will absorb all of the lovely and tangy tomato sauce.

To make these work together, make sure that the mashed potatoes are perfectly seasoned.

From the butter lending creaminess and richness to the dish to the salt adding just the right seasoning, you want these mashed potatoes to stand on their own while complementing the porcupine meatballs.

2. Egg Noodles

You can serve porcupine meatballs on top of egg noodles. Egg noodles are named as such because they get much of their flavor and color from the addition of eggs, which is why they may appear more yellow compared to other types of noodles on the market.

Egg noodles are similar to pasta, but you’ll find a more pronounced taste that complements the porcupine noodles.

It also helps that the starches from the egg noodles help make the sauce from the meatballs cling and coat the strands of noodles properly.

3. White Rice

One of the best dishes to team up with porcupine meatballs is simply white rice.

You might think that this is simple enough, but the truth is that it allows the porcupine meatballs to shine with its relatively mild flavor.

White rice also makes it possible for you to sop up the sauce and its juices, helping you get the most out of the meatballs in the best way possible.

If you’re not a fan of plain white rice, you can amp up the flavor by adding a pat of butter to your serving.

This will add some flavor to the rice and make it somewhat creamy, balancing off the acidity from the sauce of the porcupine meatballs.

4. Crusty Bread

Sop up the wonderful flavors of the porcupine meat with crusty bread.

You can either simply top the bread with some porcupine meatballs, but dipping this into the sauce itself can do wonders since you’ll be getting not just the sauce, but the juices from the meatballs, too.

Some of the types of bread that are just perfect for dipping include sourdough bread, baguette, and French bread.

You can even use Italian bread or focaccia if you want for that extra burst of flavor.

With its crispy and crusty exterior, as well as its lightly salted flavor, this will complement the meatballs.

Take it a step further by turning your porcupine meatballs into a sandwich of sorts.

The crusty bread is a great vessel to use for your sandwich since it holds up well.

5. Green Salad

For those who just want some light dish to pair with porcupine meatballs, salads are your best bet.

These can feature just about any vegetable of your choice, but we think tons of leafy greens balance out the rich and flavorful taste of porcupine meatballs.

Leafy vegetables, such as kale, arugula, and spinach, are excellent choices for this green salad.

These leafy veggies will lend some earthiness to the dish and their different play on textures and flavors will make for an interesting mouthfeel.

You can add more veggies to this salad, such as tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, and some onions. You can even top this off with some croutons for some crunch.

To go on the theme, finish this off with some Italian-style parmesan dressing. This dressing will give some nuttiness through the parmesan cheese and tie in everything.

6. Steamed or Buttered Veggies

Another light option would be to serve steamed or buttered vegetables with porcupine meatballs.

Steaming vegetables let them retain their natural flavor as well as their nutritional value.

Plus, this cooking method helps maintain the color and crispness of the veggies, giving you some crunch even as you eat them.

Sauteing them with butter, on the other hand, will add some richness and creaminess to the dish.

A sprinkling of salt will likewise bring out its taste, making the vegetables more suited for just about any palate.

Some of the most popular vegetables you can use for either of these methods include broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and green or French beans.

The Bottom Line

Porcupine meatballs are rich and savory. By pairing these with any of these aforementioned dishes, you can level up this dish and make it into a full meal.

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