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These old-fashioned porcupine meatballs are made with ground beef and uncooked rice, then simmered in a simple tomato sauce. This easy dinner comes straight from my grandma’s kitchen and is still one of my family’s favorites!
A Reader’s Review
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. Thank you so much for a wonderful dish. We love it…
Why You’ll Love Grandama’s Recipe
- A Family Recipe: This old-fashioned recipe came from my grandma and has been passed down through our family.
- Easy on the Budget: Rice stretches one pound of ground beef into enough meatballs to feed the whole family.
- Simple One-Pan Dinner: Everything cooks together in one skillet, and the meatballs are ready in about 45 minutes.
Porcupine Meatball Ingredient Tips
Did you know that porcupine meatballs get their name from the uncooked rice, which expands and sticks out of the meatballs as it cooks?
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef works best and keeps the sauce from becoming greasy.
- Rice: Use uncooked long-grain white rice. Instant rice, cooked rice, and brown rice will not cook the same way in this recipe.
- Onion: Dice the onion finely so it blends into the meat mixture and the meatballs hold together more easily.
- Tomato Soup: Use condensed tomato soup straight from the can. Don’t prepare it according to the directions on the label.
How to Make Porcupine Meatballs
Porcupine meatballs are easier to make than you might think. Mix the ingredients, gently shape the meatballs, and let them simmer in the tomato sauce until the beef and rice are fully cooked.
- Combine: In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt, paprika, pepper, and ¼ cup of the tomato soup.
- Shape: Mix thoroughly and then gently shape about 20 meatballs and place in a large skillet.
- Make Sauce: Mix the remaining soup, water, and Worcestershire sauce, and then pour over the meatballs.
- Cook: Bring the soup to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Gently spoon the sauce over the meatballs once or twice as they cook, but avoid stirring them. Check that the beef and rice are fully cooked before serving.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
The meatball mixture will feel softer and wetter than regular meatballs. That is normal! Shape them gently, place them directly in the skillet, and avoid moving them while they begin to cook.
Tips for Perfect Porcupine Meatballs
- Make them evenly sized: Approximately 20 meatballs will cook more consistently.
- Keep the skillet covered: The steam is important because it helps cook the rice.
- Don’t stir the meatballs: Gently spoon sauce over them once or twice so they don’t fall apart.
- Check the rice: Cut into one meatball before serving. If the rice is still firm, cover and simmer for a few more minutes.
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Porcupine Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¼ cup uncooked long grain white rice
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 large slightly beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed tomato soup, divided
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt, paprika, pepper, and ¼ cup of the tomato soup. Mix thoroughly and shape into about 20 meatballs and place in a large skillet.
- Mix the remaining soup, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the soup mixture over the meatballs.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Gently spoon the sauce over the meatballs once or twice while they cook, but avoid stirring the meatballs. Check that the beef and rice are fully cooked before serving.
- Serve the meatballs over rice or potatoes and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage: Store leftover meatballs with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen meatballs overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Porcupine Meatballs
Porcupine meatballs are delicious served with Air Fryer Cauliflower or mashed potatoes.
Can I use parboiled rice? Would the cooking time change? Looks so yummy. Great comfort food during these trying times. Thank you!
It would speed up the process and may not cook the meat at the same time. It sounds like a great way to help with this recipe. Let me know how it turns out!
I remember learning to make them in Girl Scouts. My mother also made them fairly often, and I liked them enough to continue making. It sounds like LOTS of people’s families across America made them too.
I use tomato sauce and make the oblong balls. I have mashed potatoes and corn for the sides. I love this dish. It’s great for the fall.
Can’t wait to make them MINUS the McCormick spices
My mom made this recipe in the 50’s…without the Worcestershire sauce, garlic power and paprika. She also didn’t add any soup to the balls but rather saved it all for the sauce. To keep her meatballs together, she rolled them in flour before putting them in the pot. Will try your recipe tonight…adding the spices but not the soup. I also add extra soup to the sauce, because my family likes the “gravy” for the mashed potatoes.
My mom used tomato juice. Plain and simple the meatballs gave it the flavor!
What are some good sides that go well with these?? My mom also used to make these when I was young and im trying your recipe out for the first time making them myself!
We love rice with our meatballs!
Our meatballs always crumble after cooking instead of stay solid. How do we alleviate that?
Oh bummer! You are welcome to use one more egg or less rice to help make it more moist. Hope that helps! XOXO
Thanks for the advice. When I turn them while frying, they crumble as well!
I don’t think thses have to be fried firat. They get cooked in the sauce in covered skillet. Good luck.
I would like to freeze these but I’m wondering if I would do that before or after cooking? My mother used to make these years ago and I thought I would make them for her as a surprise. It’s been years since I’ve had porcupines. Thank you for the memory 🙂
Oh that is so sweet of you! She will love that! I would recommend cooking them first then reheating them but you are welcome to freeze it before cooking them too. It is usually easy to reheat frozen meals. Hope she enjoys this special surprise! XOXO
Sounde very good eill try this very soon
I think I will try this minus the Monsanto seasoning…
This recipe looks good. Can’t wait to make this.
Can I use brown rice instead? If so, do you know how many more minutes should I cook the meatballs for?
I’ve made these many times in the past. I don’t use canned soup, so I’m gonna put a little ketchup in the meatballs and I have a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes that I’ll use for the sauce. I’ll jazz it up a bit with some olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and dried basil. Making these in a little while. Gonna be soooo good! My mom used to make these when I was a kid.
I have been making Porcupine meatballs since the late 1970’s! Little bit of a variation, instead of tomato soup, I use tomato sauce (definitely Worcestershire sauce).
The difference is that I put it all in a casserole dish, cover it with aluminum foil for 45 minutes, then 15 minutes with the foil off. I usually bake potatoes at the same time since the oven is going.
Now, since hubby and I are retired, and kids are gone. I make up a batch, separate into smaller portions and Vaccuum Seal them and store in freezer until I need them.
That is a great way to make them! Thank you for your comment!
Would regular rice work opposed to long grain rice?
Yes it would work great! 🙂
Yes, regular rice will work. My mom even used instant rice back in the day! However, I would never use instant rice today because something about it just ”ain’t” right! Not normal!
My mother used to make porcupine balls as well. Such a comfort food on a cold Fall or winter day. She has been gone for many years now, but when I do make them, it brings back such comforting memories for me. She actually did hers in her pressure cooker and would add potatoes in among the porcupine balls and dumplings on the top! Thanks for th memory and the recipe!
I would love to have your mom’s recipe!
I love meatballs! Haven’t tried with rice yet 🙂