Porcupine Meatballs
A classic meatball with a twist, these fun porcupine meatballs are laced with tender white rice and flavorful spices, then baked on a bed of homemade red sauce.
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Table of Contents
- About Porcupine Meatballs
- What are porcupine meatballs?
- What tools you’ll need
- What to serve with these meatballs
- How long are porcupine meatballs good for?
- Can you freeze porcupine meatballs?
- Notes & tips for porcupine meatballs
- More tasty recipes with beef
- How to make porcupine meatballs
- Recipe Details
About Porcupine Meatballs
With a combination of ground beef, seasonings, and long grain rice, these porcupine meatballs are not only delicious – but each bite counts as a serving of meat and grains.
Talk about tasty efficiency!
Plus, porcupine meatballs have a trademark look that lives up to their name, making them as fun to serve as they are enjoyable to eat.
What are porcupine meatballs?
This recipe has a pretty unique name, and it’s a fitting choice to match how they look: each meatball appears to have “spikes” like a porcupine.
Essentially, porcupine meatballs (also called porcupine balls) are classic meatballs with rice baked inside. Uncooked rice is used when forming the meatballs, so when they bake and the rice expands, it gives the meatballs a spiny look. And while they might look a little different than your average meatball, fans of beef and rice are going to love how this spin on the classic tastes.
You can serve porcupine meatballs however you like, but traditionally, they’re baked and served on a bed of red sauce.
What tools you’ll need
Meatballs are easier to make than you’d think, and only require six tools from your kitchen.
So before getting started, just make sure you have:
- Two mixing bowls, with at least one of them on the larger side.
- A spatula for mixing the meatballs and a whisk for mixing the sauce.
- A spoon for scooping and forming the meatballs.
- A 9×13 baking dish (or similar size) for baking.
What to serve with these meatballs
Although they look a tad different, you can treat these meatballs just like you would any “normal” meatball. So when picking foods to accompany them, any of the following classics would be great:
- Garlic bread, whether it be cheesy or extra buttery.
- Steamed or grilled veggies (green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, etc).
- Sweet or savory salads.
- On a bed of your favorite pasta.
- In a meatball sub.
How long are porcupine meatballs good for?
Once prepared and cooled, porcupine meatballs can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days.
Can you freeze porcupine meatballs?
Yes, you totally can! These meatballs freeze very well. And better yet, whether you’re freezing them cooked or uncooked, the process is the same:
- Place room-temperature meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (Note: this means that if you’ve already cooked the meatballs, they should first be cooled to room temperature.)
- Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer until meatballs are frozen.
- Remove baking sheet from freezer, then move the frozen meatballs to a ziplock bag.
- Seal bag and store in the freezer for up to three to four months.
When you’re ready to use the meatballs, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then you can cook or use them like normal.
Notes & tips for porcupine meatballs
- This recipe is great for increasing the yield. I’ve doubled and tripled the recipe with great success.
More tasty recipes with beef
How to make porcupine meatballs
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – Prepare the simple red sauce by whisking together the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Once done, set the sauce aside.
Step 2 – Start the meatballs by mixing together the following in a large bowl: rice, water, onion, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika.
Step 3 – Add the ground beef and canola oil to the bowl, then use a spatula to mix everything together, making sure to thoroughly break apart the beef and distribute it throughout.
Step 4 – Scoop up some of the meatball mixture and roll it into a ball. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then place the prepared meatball in the dish. Repeat this step until all the meatball mixture is used, spacing the meatballs about one inch apart.
Step 5 – Pour the red sauce over the meatballs. If needed, gently shake the dish to help distribute the sauce evenly.
Step 6 – Bake!
Step 7 – Serve and enjoy!
This post first appeared on The Slow Roasted Italian website and has been syndicated here.
Porcupine Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, divided
- 1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce until sugar has dissolved. Set bowl aside.15 ounce tomato sauce, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoon light brown sugar, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- In a large bowl, add rice, 1/2 cup water, onion, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika. Use a spatula to toss the ingredients together until mixed.1 cup water, 1/2 cup long grain white rice, 1/3 cup yellow onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Add grown beef and canola oil to rice mixture, then mix thoroughly until beef has broken down and ingredients are incorporated throughout.1 pound ground beef, 2 tablespoon canola oil
- Use a spoon to scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of the meatball mixture, roll and mold it into a ball, then place the formed meatball into prepared baking dish9x13 baking dish. Repeat this step until all meatballs have been formed, spacing each meatball about 1 inch apart.
- Pour the prepared red cause over the meatballs. Give the baking dish a gentle shake to distribute the sauce throughout the dish.
- Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 30-35 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve porcupine meatballs immediately with chopped parsley as garnish (optional).1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
