Porcupine meatballs have a hearty flavor and a tender texture.
These tasty meatballs are made with ground beef, rice, onion and seasonings then baked in a rich tomato sauce.
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Porcupine Meatballs Are A Family Fave Because…
- These meatballs are savory and tender with lots of flavor.
- They are cooked in a rich sauce for an easy meal.
- Added rice makes them hearty and delicious.
Ingredients for Porcupine Meatballs
These meatballs differ from our usual meatball recipe because there is rice in the meat mixture and no porcupines ;).
- Meat Mixture: I use lean ground beef for these meatballs since a little bit of fat adds flavor and keeps them moist. You can use ground pork or turkey in place.
- Rice: I use long grain rice in these meatballs. They can be made with leftover cooked white rice or raw, uncooked rice. *See recipe notes.
- Sauce: The sauce is easy to make. Tomato juice gives it the right consistency, tomato soup adds a bit of sweetness and a slightly creamy texture, and tomato sauce adds acidity and tang. You can use homemade tomato sauce if you’d like.
Cream Sauce Variation
Swap the tomato based sauce for a creamy mushroom soup sauce and serve it over pasta.
Combine 1 can mushroom soup, 1 cup beef broth, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix until smooth and pour over meatballs. Bake as directed.
How to Make Porcupine Meatballs
- Combine meatball ingredients and form into balls (recipe below).
- Place meatballs in a casserole dish.
- Combine sauce ingredients and pour over meatballs.
- Bake for 1 hour.
Serving Suggestions
- I prefer to serve these meatballs over additional rice or pasta. You can also serve them with mashed potatoes or oven-roasted potatoes.
How to Freeze Porcupine Meatballs
These porcupine meatballs will freeze well. Prepare the meatballs as directed, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for 3 months.
More Meatballs To Love
Did you enjoy this Porcupine Meatballs Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Porcupine Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup cooked white rice see notes for raw rice
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Sauce
- 10.75 ounces condensed tomato soup 1 can, do not add water/milk
- 1 cup vegetable juice such as V8
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, onion, garlic powder, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into 20 meatballs and place them in a baking dish, approximately 2 quarts.
- In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup, tomato sauce, vegetable juice, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Garnish with parsle and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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I love this recipe and make it a couple times a month. I serve over rice and both kids get excited for this meal with one being extremely picky.
Hi!
Love your recipes! Thank you!
One question about the rice in this recipe. If cooking the rice, is it 1/2 cup before cooking? The ingredients list makes it sound like 1/2 cup rice after cooking.
Thanks!
Julie B.
Hi Julie, the recipe as stated is ½ cup cooked rice. If wanting to use uncooked rice you can follow the directions in the notes.