Recipes Main Dishes Meatball Recipes Porcupine Meatballs 4.6 (292) 246 Reviews 39 Photos These porcupine meatballs are by far the best I have ever had. This recipe was given to my mom when she married back in 1970. The recipe includes directions for stovetop cooking and baking in the oven. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does. Submitted by Melinda S Updated on January 17, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 39 39 39 39 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 12 meatballs Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe This porcupine meatball recipe has stood the test of time for good reason: It’s easy, budget-friendly, and absolutely delicious. Once you try this nostalgic recipe, it’ll become a staple in your home. What Are Porcupine Meatballs? Porcupine meatballs are ground beef-rice balls cooked in tomato sauce. The meatballs, a staple during the Great Depression because of the few ingredients required to make them, get their name from their appearance to porcupines (the rice makes the balls appear prickly). How to Make Porcupine Meatballs You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make porcupine meatballs: Make the meatballs. Heat oil and brown the meatballs in a hot skillet. Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet. Continue cooking until the meatballs are cooked through. Recipe Tip You can make these porcupine meatballs in the oven, if you prefer. Here's how:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Shape meatballs as directed above and place them in an 8x8-inch baking dish. Mix tomato sauce, stock, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar in a bowl; pour over meatballs. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. What to Serve With Porcupine Meatballs Serve the porcupine meatballs with toothpicks as an appetizer, over a bed of rice or your favorite pasta, or in a sub sandwich. Really, you can enjoy the meatballs however you like! The possibilities are endless. Qi Ai/Allrecipes How to Store Porcupine Meatballs Store porcupine meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. Can You Freeze Porcupine Meatballs? Yes! Porcupine meatballs freeze well. Flash freeze the cooked meatballs on a baking sheet for a few hours or up to overnight, then transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. If you like, you can also freeze the porcupine meatballs before cooking. Simply cook them from-frozen on the stove whenever you want to whip up a quick dish. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise “It was a good, simple recipe to follow,” raves Gregory Forster Jr. “The rice came out at just the right tenderness.” “Like others, my mom also used tomato soup, but using tomato sauce instead really makes a difference,” says Amber G. “I can honestly say these are better than the ones mom used to make (sorry, mom)!” “I made these exactly as written and served over sautéed cabbage and onions,” according to Charlie. “Very good and I will make a double batch next time.” Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 1 pound lean ground beef ½ cup uncooked long grain white rice ½ cup water ⅓ cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon celery salt ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup low sodium chicken stock, or more as needed 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Directions Gather all ingredients. ALLRECIPES / QI AI Mix ground beef, rice, water, onion, salt, celery salt, garlic powder, and black pepper thoroughly in a bowl until well combined. Roll mixture into 12 meatballs. ALLRECIPES / QI AI Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place meatballs into the hot skillet; cook, turning once halfway through cooking, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Drain and discard excess grease. ALLRECIPES / QI AI Pour tomato sauce, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar into the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until meatballs are no longer pink in the center and rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in more stock if sauce becomes too dry. ALLRECIPES / QI AI Enjoy! ALLRECIPES / QI AI From the Editor This recipe was tested in our test kitchen in November 2023 and updated to use low-sodium stock instead of water in the sauce and added sugar to balance the acidity. I Made It Print 627 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 364 Calories 18g Fat 16g Carbs 35g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 364 % Daily Value * Total Fat 18g 23% Saturated Fat 6g 28% Cholesterol 101mg 34% Sodium 1280mg 56% Total Carbohydrate 16g 6% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Total Sugars 6g Protein 35g 71% Vitamin C 10mg 11% Calcium 52mg 4% Iron 5mg 29% Potassium 947mg 20% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.