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Home » Dinners & Main Course » Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
December 7, 2022
5 from 8 votes


Last Updated December 7, 2022 | 2 Comments

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Porcupine Meatballs Pinterest Pin Image
Porcupine Meatballs Pinterest Pin Image

Porcupine Meatballs are an old-fashioned meatball recipe made with seasoned ground beef mixed with long-grain rice and then simmered in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce. Serve these yummy meatballs with roasted veggies and buttery biscuits for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Large white baking pan filled with cooked porcupine meatballs in a hearty tomato sauce.

Porcupine Meatballs Recipe

If you’ve never tried (or heard of!) porcupine meatballs, then you are in for a treat. No, they’re not made with actual porcupine meat. Instead, they’re made with a simple combination of ground beef, seasonings, and long-grain white rice, then smothered in tomato sauce and baked in the oven. So easy! You can even add some shredded cheese or fresh herbs to the meatball mixture.

Tip: If you love meatballs cooked with rice, you’ll also love this albondigas soup recipe.

What are Porcupine Meatballs?

Porcupine meatballs are a classic American casserole dish that originated during the Great Depression. They were originally made with just a few basic ingredients: ground beef, white rice, and canned tomato soup. They are named porcupine meatballs because as they cook, the rice sticks out of them, making them appear prickly, just like the quills on a porcupine.

All of the ingredients for porcupine meatballs recipe separated and measured into individual white bowls

Recipe Ingredients

  • Ground beef – I used 93% lean ground beef
  • Uncooked long-grain rice
  • Garlic
  • Dry minced onion
  • Salt & Black pepper
  • Paprika
  • Tomato sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a medium size bowl, mix all the meatball ingredients by hand or with a spoon until combined.

Two images; the image on the left shows a bowl filled with ground beef, uncooked rice, tomato sauce, garlic, minced onions, salt, pepper, paprika and the image on the right shows meatball mixture for porcupine meatballs.

3. Once the ingredients are combined, form the meat mixture into 1 to 2-inch meatballs (about 15) and set aside.

4. For the sauce, pour all of the sauce ingredients into a 9×13-inch casserole dish and stir to combine. 

Two images; the image on the left shows tomato sauce, brown sugar, garlic, minced onion, salt, pepper, and paprika dumped into a large white casserole pan and the image on the right shows a white casserole dish filled with tomato sauce.

5. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce and cover the baking dish tightly with foil.

White casserole dish filled with tomato sauce and topped with meatballs.

6. Bake the meatballs for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

7. Remove from the oven and garnish with some freshly chopped parsley, if desired. 

White baking dish filled with fully cooked porcupine meatballs in tomato sauce.

How to Store Porcupine Meatballs

Keep leftover meatballs stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. To freeze porcupine meatballs, allow them to cool before transferring them to an airtight ziplock bag or freezer-friendly container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating in a little olive oil on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave until reheated.

Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

  1. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs as detailed in the recipe card below.
  2. Combine the ingredients for the tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup of water directly in the bowl of a large slow cooker.
  3. Form the meatball mixture into small meatballs and nestle them directly into the sauce.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Do not remove the lid during that time. The internal temperature of the meatballs should register 160 degrees F.
Serving spoon scooping out one porcupine meatball from a white baking dish.

What to Serve with Porcupine Meatballs

I usually serve these porcupine meatballs with a side of roasted veggies (roasted zucchini is my favorite, but asparagus or green beans are also yummy). Sometimes I’ll serve them with buttery mashed potatoes or oven-roasted potatoes. Cornbread or warm buttery biscuits are also great options (kids like to make mini meatball sandwiches with the biscuits and the meatballs).

More Meatball Recipes

  • Eggplant Meatballs
  • Cranberry Meatballs
  • Sweet and Sour Meatballs
  • Easy Meatballs Recipe (and How to Freeze Them!)
  • Middle Eastern Curried Lamb Meatballs
  • Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe

If you try making this Porcupine Meatballs Recipe, please leave me a comment below! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!

Two white bowls stacked on top of each other with the top bowl filled with porcupine meatballs made with ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce.
Large white baking pan filled with cooked porcupine meatballs in a hearty tomato sauce.

Porcupine Meatballs

5 from 8 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Porcupine Meatballs are an old-fashioned meatball recipe made with seasoned ground beef mixed with rice and then simmered in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce. Serve these yummy meatballs with roasted veggies and buttery biscuits for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 365 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground beef - I used 93% lean
  • ½ cup long-grain white rice - uncooked
  • 3 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 tablespoons dry minced onion
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Tomato Sauce

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
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Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the ingredients for the meatballs by hand or with two forks until just combined. Do not over-mix, as it may result in less tender meatballs.
  • Once combined, use your hands or a small cookie scoop to form approximately 15 meatballs (about 1-2 inches). Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a large 9×13-inch casserole dish or baking pan. Gently stir to combine.
  • Nestle the meatballs into the sauce and cover the casserole dish tightly with foil.
  • Bake the meatballs for 40 minutes then remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the rice is tender and fully cooked.
  • Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Jessica’s Notes

  • To make this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
  • If you love extra sauce, easily double the ingredients needed for the sauce or have a jar of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce on standby just in case.
  • Keep any leftover meatballs stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or the microwave until reheated.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1119mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 837IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Porcupine Meatballs, Porcupine Meatballs Recipe
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

72 shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Keith says

    January 24, 2023 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    Been making them for many years. Recipe is in the old Campbell Soup Cookbook except yours replaces tomato sauce for the tomato soup used in the original recipe.

    Reply
  2. Wendy says

    December 10, 2022 at 1:16 am

    5 stars
    I love the rice texture in these meatballs. The whole batch was gone before I knew it…

    Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

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