Porcupine Meatballs
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Posted: 03/24/24
Updated: 03/25/24
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Savory Porcupine Meatballs are a delicious meatball made with beef, rice, onion and seasonings that is baked in a rich tomato sauce. Serve it over a bed of rice for an easy dinner recipe.
How delicious do these look?! Porcupine meatballs are a savory and simple dinner recipe that are just as hearty as can be. This old fashioned dish is packed with protein and is super filling. We love to serve it over rice or mashed potatoes and then pair it with a side like bacon wrapped green beans. Just the most tasty dinner that is incredibly easy to make.
If you’ve never made homemade meatballs, then this is a fabulous recipe to try. They hold together really easily since they’re made with dry rice. While they cook, the rice cooks inside and creates the most hearty meatballs ever! Plus, they’re cooked in a savory, and slightly sweet, tomato sauce that is just to die for. If you’re looking for a good old fashioned home-cooked meal, then give this a try.
Why You’ll Love Porcupine Meatballs
- This recipe will easily serve 6! If you need to serve more people, then double or triple the ingredients and make as much as you need.
- Porcupine meatballs are perfect for meal prep. They reheat wonderfully and the homemade sauce is sure to keep them moist and flavorful.
- Even picky eaters like this recipe because it is so flavorful. There’s plenty of flavorful ingredients in the meat mixture and the sauce to pack a punch!
Ingredients for this Porcupine Meatballs Recipe
- Lean ground beef – I recommend using lean ground beef so that the meatballs are not too greasy.
- Long grain white rice – Mix in long grain rice to make the pokey little “porcupine” look.
- Diced onion – Finely dice some onion so that each of the porcupine meatballs have plenty of onion.
- Eggs – Eggs act as a binder to help hold together the meatballs and keep their sphere shape.
- Worcestershire sauce – A little Worcestershire sauce adds a nice depth of flavor to these meatballs.
- Garlic powder – You’ll need garlic powder for both the meatballs and the homemade tomato sauce.
- Onion powder – Use some onion powder in both the meatballs and sauce.
- Italian seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can make your own with some oregano, rosemary and other dried herbs.
- Black pepper – Use ground pepper to help season the porcupine meatballs.
- Kosher salt – Some salt will help to bring out the flavors of everything in this delicious recipe.
- Light brown sugar – Sweeten the tomato sauce with a little bit of light brown sugar.
- Water – Thin out the sauce with some water so that it more easily covers each of the meatballs.
How to Make Porcupine Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- Combine the ground beef, rice, milk, onion, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Then shape the meat mixture into meatballs that are about 1-1 ½ inches in diameter. You should have about 20-22 meatballs, all lined up in the previously prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then pour the mixture over the meatballs so that they are each coated well.
- Place meatballs into the preheat oven and bake for an hour and 20 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and serve!
How to Store Leftover Porcupine Meatballs
FRIDGE: Place leftover meatballs into an airtight container with leftover sauce. Allow to cool completely and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
FREEZER: Freeze meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and then transfer to an airtight container with sauce. Freeze leftovers for 2-3 months and allow to thaw completely before reheating.
What to Serve with Porcupine Meatballs
These old fashioned porcupine meatballs can be served with creamy mashed potatoes, over some rice, or even over noodles. Pair the meal with tasty sides like garlic bread or breadsticks and maybe even a crunchy salad.
Veggie sides like green beans with bacon, roasted broccoli and roasted vegetables go great with this dish too. You could even serve it with some fun sides like twice baked potato casserole or au gratin potatoes.
Why are my porcupine meatballs falling apart?
If you have meatballs that are crumbling and not holding their shape, then you may not have added enough of a binder. Make sure to use the exact amount of egg that that this recipe calls for since it is the binder. That will create enough moisture to bind all of the ingredients together and help maintain their shape.
Is it better to fry or bake meatballs?
While the cooking method for meatballs really comes down to personal preference, these meatballs are best in the oven. The uncooked rice needs the moisture from the sauce and the longer cook time that comes from baking. It will make the rice tender and cook the meatballs evenly.
We also had trouble with our meatballs falling apart when making this in a skillet. We prefer baking them for best results!
Pro Tips for the Best Porcupine Meatballs Recipe
- Make sure you create evenly sized meatballs so that they all cook at the same time.
- Use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the finished meatballs to ensure they have cooked through!
- To add a cheesy element, sprinkle some mozzarella and/or parmesan over the top of the dish in the last 15 minutes of baking.
This recipe should be more widely know than it is. Porcupine meatballs are truly are so delicious!
More Meatball Recipes You’ll Love
- This Meatball Soup is an absolute must-try recipe! Just the best way to warm up on a chilly evening and loaded with protein.
- These Crock Pot Swedish Meatballs are super easy to make. A wonderful recipe for a busy evening when you want dinner on the table quickly.
- Use that slow cooker to make Crock Pot Meatballs. The most simple method to make some amazing meatballs!
- Skip the ground beef one evening and make some Ham Balls instead. A fabulous recipe that always turns out just perfect.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Porcupine Meatballs
Easy Porcupine Meatballs are made with rice, ground beef and seasonings and baked in a savory tomato sauce.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- ½ cup long grain white rice uncooked
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup water
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoons ground pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 cans can tomato sauce 15 ounces each
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, water, onion, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper.
- Shape the meat mixture into balls approximately 1-1 ½ inches in diameter balls, 20-22 meatballs, and put in the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs so all the meatballs are coated in the sauce.
- Put meatballs in a preheated oven and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from the oven and serve the meatballs and sauce over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
Tips
FRIDGE: Place leftover meatballs into an airtight container with leftover sauce. Allow to cool completely and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
FREEZER: Freeze meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and then transfer to an airtight container with sauce. Freeze leftovers for 2-3 months and allow to thaw completely before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 347kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 40g (13%), Protein: 30g (60%), Fat: 8g (12%), Saturated Fat: 3g (19%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 125mg (42%), Sodium: 1991mg (87%), Potassium: 1185mg (34%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 21g (23%), Vitamin A: 1070IU (21%), Vitamin C: 17mg (21%), Calcium: 81mg (8%), Iron: 6mg (33%)
Nadine Gilder says
Would Basmatti Rice work in this recipe?
Julie Evink says
Yes you can.
Hannah says
Really good flavor! I used slightly less meat (the Costco 1.3lb packs) so they were a little loose but that was my fault. I was curious though, the ingredients say water and the directions say milk – which is recommended?
Thanks!
Julie Evink says
Either will work, we use water. I updated the instructions. Sorry about that!
Mary says
Do you cover the meatballs before baking
Courtney says
We do not.