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.
- 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.
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Porcupine Meatballs
These porcupine meatballs are tender rice-meatballs baked in a zesty tomato sauce.
For The Meatballs
For the Sauce
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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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.
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Divide the meat mixture into 20 meatballs and place them in a baking dish, approximately 2 quarts.
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In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup, tomato sauce, vegetable juice, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
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Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
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Garnish with parsle and serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Seasoning: I find the soup and vegetable juice to have enough salt for my liking. You can add salt and black pepper if desired.
Raw Rice: If using raw rice, use ½ cup of uncooked long-grain white rice to the meatball mixture in place of cooked rice and add ½ cup water to the sauce. Add the meatballs to a large Dutch oven or pot, cover, and cook over a low simmer on the stovetop for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Cooked Rice: Any variety of cooked rice can be used in this recipe in place of white rice.
Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 294 | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 561mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 990IU | Vitamin C: 26.2mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 4.3mg
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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