Recipes & Cooking Recipes by Ingredient Beef Ground Beef This Porcupine Meatball Recipe Brings Back Delicious Childhood Memories 4.3 (3) 3 Reviews For many of us, porcupine meatballs are a nostalgic favorite. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on January 23, 2024 Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Recipe tested by Sarah Brekke, MS Sarah Brekke, a culinary expert with The Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen, is passionate about food and cooking. Her unique background as both a food scientist and a culinary contributor allows her to blend her passions for both educating readers and creating tasty content. Learn more about the Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Rachel Marek Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 6 Jump to Nutrition Facts Unlock childhood memories with this delicious recipe for porcupine meatballs. Hearty ground beef meatballs are made with long grain white rice and cooked until tender in a sweet tomato sauce. We're sharing how to make porcupine meatballs including how to freeze this budget-friendly recipe for future weeknight meals. What Are Porcupine Meatballs? Porcupine meatballs are ground beef meatballs that are studded with white rice and flavored with onion, garlic, and parsley. They are cooked in a slightly sweet tomato sauce. Some recipes even call for using a can of condensed tomato soup in place of the sauce. They were often seen on Depression-era dinner tables because the ingredients were readily available. Some say they get their name from the way the rice sticks out of the meatballs, giving them their porcupine-like appearance. Porcupine Meatball Ingredients There are two components to this porcupine meatball recipe: the meatballs and the sauce. Meatballs: Mix up the meatballs using uncooked long grain white rice, 85% lean ground beef, finely chopped onions, and water. Season the mix with parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and celery salt. Sauce: Start with a can of tomato sauce and season it with brown sugar andWorcestershire sauce. Do not use marinara or pasta sauce for this recipe. Crispy Ricotta Meatballs with Sheet-Pan Tomato Sauce How to Make Porcupine Meatballs This meatball recipe is made on the stovetop. Here are the basic steps you'll need to follow to make a batch at home. Make the meatball mixture and shape into balls. Brown the meatballs in a skillet. Mix up the tomato sauce. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and simmer until cooked through. How to Serve Porcupine Meatballs Serve the finished meatballs over cooked rice or mashed potatoes. They are also delicious on their own as an appetizer or served over pasta. Our recipe testers have even used leftover meatballs in sandwiches and wraps. Can You Freeze Porcupine Meatballs? You can freeze porcupine meatballs for 2-3 months. To freeze, mix the meatballs and cook them completely on the stove. Place the cooled cooked meatballs on a baking tray and freeze overnight. Once frozen, transfer the meatballs to a labeled freezer-safe bag. Cook them from-frozen in a skillet with the sauce. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 pound 85% lean ground beef 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Directions In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup water, rice, onion, parsley, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Add beef; mix well. Shape mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high. Add meatballs; cook until browned, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine remaining 1 cup water, tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 1/2 tsp. each onion powder and garlic powder. Pour tomato mixture over meatballs. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until meatballs are fully cooked (165°F) and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes, turning once. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 285 Calories 14g Fat 17g Carbs 23g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 285.4 % Daily Value * Total Fat 14.2g 18% Saturated Fat 4.6g 23% Cholesterol 67.3mg 22% Sodium 733.5mg 32% Total Carbohydrate 16.7g 6% Dietary Fiber 1.7g 6% Total Sugars 9.2g Protein 22.8g 46% Vitamin D 0mcg 0% Vitamin C 8.4mg 9% Calcium 47.9mg 4% Iron 3.5mg 19% Potassium 617.9mg 13% Fatty acids, total trans 0.5g Vitamin D 1.5IU Alanine 1.4g Arginine 1.5g Ash 3.5g Aspartic acid 2.1g Caffeine 0mg Carotene, alpha 0mcg Choline, total 79.4mg Copper, Cu 0.2mg Cystine 0.2g Energy 1196.6kJ Fluoride, F 91.2mcg Folate, total 27.8mcg Glutamic acid 3.8g Glycine 1.5g Histidine 0.7g Isoleucine 1g Leucine 1.7g Lysine 1.8g Methionine 0.6g Magnesium, Mg 37.8mg Manganese, Mn 0.2mg Niacin 5.8mg Phosphorus, P 220.7mg Pantothenic acid 0.9mg Phenylalanine 0.9g Phytosterols 9.8mg Proline 1.1g Retinol 2.3mcg Selenium, Se 18.3mcg Serine 0.9g Theobromine 0mg Threonine 0.9g Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1.4mg Tryptophan 0.1g Tyrosine 0.7g Valine 1.1g Vitamin A, IU 448.2IU Vitamin A, RAE 24.5mcg Vitamin B-12 2.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.5mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 28.8mcg Water 199.5g Zinc, Zn 5.4mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.