These porcupine meatballs use everyday ingredients, come together fast, freeze well, and are great for making ahead!

Can't get enough hassle-free meatball recipes? Try these Grape Jelly Meatballs next.

baking dish on marble surface with several porcupine meatballs in sauce

Why you'll love them

These old fashioned porcupine meatballs were designed to help stretch your dollar by making meat go further. The best part might be how are hands-off they are once you get them in the oven since there's absolutely no messy frying involved! They're paired with a simple tomato sauce that's savory and flavorful with just a few pantry seasonings.

Ok, so why are they called porcupine meatballs, anyway? It's because the rice cooks and sticks out so they look a bit like porcupines. That's about it, which is actually pretty charming for a name. Basically, they're a fun recipe that the kids will enjoy as well. For how few ingredients you need to make them, these easy meatballs are a weeknight winner any time of the year.

Ingredients you'll need

For the meatballs

Lean ground beef - the meatballs are cooked right in the sauce, and you don't want the sauce to be too oily, so we like 90% lean
Long grain white rice - jasmine, basmati, or generically labeled "long grain white rice" is what you're looking for
Egg - binds the meatballs so they don't fall apart
Seasonings - chopped onion, minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, salt & pepper make up the tasty flavorings

For the sauce

Canned tomato sauce - for my UK/Australian readers, tomato sauce here in North America is similar to passata
Chicken broth - it helps thin the sauce and infuse flavor
Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder - to level up the savory flavor even more!
Brown sugar - takes the acidic edge off the canned tomatoes to balance everything out

Pro tip that you shouldn't skip over!

The key to this recipe is getting a really tight seal on the foil. I cannot emphasize this enough. You can also use the lid your baking dish came with. This ensures that the rice cooks properly in the baking dish. Basically, it means the heat gets trapped and circulates right in the dish and doesn't escape.

How to make porcupine meatballs

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

glass mixing bowls with ingredients for porcupine meatballs

Add meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Gently combine the meat mixture with your hands without overworking it.

porcupine meatballs on a baking tray next to a glass bowl with sauce

Form into meatballs that are 1.5" and place into a 9x13" baking dish, evenly spaced out. Add all sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well.

porcupine meatballs on a tray before and after baking

Pour the sauce directly onto the meatballs in the baking dish. Cover with foil tightly and bake until the rice is fully cooked and they're tender.

Stovetop method

In a pot/Dutch oven, brown the meatballs in batches. Use about a tablespoon of olive oil for each batch. Transfer them to a plate.
Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, then add in the garlic, tomato sauce, and chicken broth.
Add the meatballs back to the pot, and cook over a low heat until they're cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Substitutions and variations

You can swap the ground beef for ground pork or ground turkey if you prefer.
Change the flavors up a bit by replacing the salt with seasoned salt or another salty seasoning such as Cajun seasoning such as Tony Chachere's Original.
If using brown rice, the meatballs may take up to 2 hours to cook, and you may need to add a little more liquid to the sauce partway through baking. Or pre-cook it before adding it into the meatballs.

What to serve with this recipe

Since they contain rice, they're delicious served with vegetables. Try a bed of wilted spinach or these Easy Glazed Carrots.
You could, of course, serve them with Mashed Potatoes, though!
I like them paired with a simple side salad as well. This Olive Garden Salad Dressing is one of our favorites.

Leftovers and storage

These meatballs will last in the fridge for 4-5 days in a covered container.
You can reheat them in a small saucepan over a low heat until warmed through, or the microwave works too.
They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply store in desired size portions in airtight containers and reheat when ready. You can thaw overnight if you'd like.

More delicious meatball recipes to try

close-up of a meatball on a spoon with a baking dish full of baked porcupine meatballs in the background

Questions about this porcupine meatball recipe? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love it if you left a review.

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