Porcupine Meatballs
Published Oct 26, 2026
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These are the best porcupine meatballs! They’re easy to make with juicy ground beef and mild Italian sausage, with tender white rice, herbs, and cheese. After searing, the meatballs cook in a savory homemade tomato sauce in the same pan.
Extra Tender and Juicy Porcupine Meatballs
Adding white rice to meatballs is a great way to stretch a package of ground meat, and, IMO, the meatballs taste even better for it! This porcupine meatballs recipe serves six people with just one pound of beef, and the rice adds lightness and moisture. I also add mild Italian sausage for juiciness, and simple seasonings like Italian herbs and Parmesan.
After searing the meatballs, I use the same skillet to make a savory garlic Parmesan tomato sauce from the drippings. There’s only one pan to clean, and all that flavor ends up in the sauce. Return the meatballs to the pan, let them heat through, then serve over mashed potatoes or pasta.
Why Are They Called Porcupine Meatballs?
Porcupine meatballs get their name from the long-grain white rice poking out. In theory, those “spikes” of rice make these juicy beef meatballs look prickly, like little porcupines. Original ground beef and rice balls were a Depression-era recipe with few ingredients, cooked in canned tomato soup. Consider this my updated take on an old-fashioned staple!
Ingredients Needed
Bulking the meat mixture with white rice makes this porcupine meatballs recipe especially wallet-friendly (always a win in my books). Here’s what else you’ll need. See the recipe card for the full details and exact measurements.
For the Meatballs
- Ground Beef – I like to use 80% lean ground beef. There’s enough fat to make the meatballs juicy, but not too heavy or greasy.
- Italian Sausage – I mix the beef with mild ground Italian sausage. If you’re using sausage links, remove the casings. You can also make these meatballs with only beef, or a mix of beef and ground pork.
- Long-grain Rice – Uncooked Basmati is best, or you can use Jasmine rice. Avoid instant rice in this recipe, as it cooks too quickly and becomes mushy. I also don’t recommend brown rice, as it won’t become tender in the time it takes to cook the meatballs.
- Egg – Acts as a binding ingredient. In other meatball recipes, the egg works with breadcrumbs to help the meatballs hold their shape. In porcupine meatballs, rice takes the place of the breadcrumbs.
- Fresh Parsley – Finely chopped parsley adds an herby brightness to the meatballs. You can use another fresh herb, like basil, oregano, or thyme. Finely minced yellow onion or shallot also works well.
- Cheese – Freshly grated Parmesan has the best flavor. Pecorino is a good alternative. Try finely grated Mozzarella if you prefer a meltier cheese.
- Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.
- Worcestershire Sauce – An underrated ingredient in meatball-making. You can skip it in a pinch, but a little Worcestershire sauce goes a long way to deepening the flavors. If you don’t have it, use equal parts ketchup and soy sauce.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Oil – For searing the meatballs. Olive oil or another cooking oil works perfectly.
For the Garlic Parmesan Tomato Sauce
- Tomato Sauce and Tomato Paste – Canned, jarred, or homemade tomato sauce, like marinara or passata, forms the base of the sauce. Tomato paste concentrates the tomato flavor.
- Beef Broth – Substitute chicken stock if needed. You can also replace half the broth with dry white or red wine to add depth to the sauce.
- Sauce Seasonings – Again, I use Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. I also add a pinch of brown sugar to balance the tomatoes’ acidity.
- Parmesan Cheese – For a rich, cheesy finish. The cheese melts more smoothly if it’s freshly grated.
How to Make Porcupine Meatballs With Tomato Sauce
Old-fashioned recipes cook porcupine meatballs in canned tomato soup (and there’s nothing to say you can’t do that here, Campbell’s Soup lovers). However, in this from-scratch version, the light and easy homemade red sauce really makes a difference. Here are the steps.
- Mix the meatballs. Combine the ground beef, crumbled Italian sausage, uncooked rice, egg, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Since the uncooked rice needs moisture, add a splash of water. Mix all that gently, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
- Shape them. Portion and shape the meat mixture into balls. You should end up with about 20 meatballs, at 2 tablespoons per portion. A cookie scoop works well here.
- Brown the meatballs. Next, sear the meatballs in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes (you may need to cook in batches). Once the meatballs are browned, move them to a plate. They don’t need to be 100% cooked through, just evenly browned to lock in the flavor.
- Make the tomato sauce. Now, lower the heat. In the same skillet, combine the tomato sauce ingredients, apart from the Parmesan. Use a wooden or non-metal spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, then bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet. Lastly, nestle the porcupine meatballs into the sauce in an even layer, then spoon the sauce on top.
- Cook. You’ll cover and simmer the porcupine meatballs in the sauce for 45-50 minutes over low heat. The meatballs are done when the rice is tender and poking through the surface, and the meat is cooked through to 165ºF. If the sauce becomes too thick before the meatballs finish cooking, add a splash of broth.
- Finish and serve. Sprinkle the meatballs and tomato sauce with freshly grated Parmesan. Spoon more sauce on top, and cook uncovered for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Oven Method
If you’d like to cook your porcupine meatballs in the oven, I suggest following my oven-baked meatballs recipe. Roast them at 400ºF for 10 minutes, flip, and roast for 8 more minutes, until done. You can switch the oven to broil for the final 2-3 minutes to brown the tops before combining the meatballs with the tomato sauce. For more flavor, collect any pan drippings to stir into the sauce.
Alternatively, you can also cook these following my air fryer meatballs recipe.
Tips for the Best Porcupine Meatballs
- Use uncooked rice. The best rice for porcupine meatballs is uncooked, long-grain white rice, like Basmati. Don’t substitute this with instant rice or leftover cooked rice (save that for fried rice), as neither will absorb enough liquid while the meatballs cook.
- Don’t skip the water. Speaking of liquid, don’t leave it out! The uncooked rice in these porcupine meatballs needs the additional moisture to cook properly.
- Simmer gently. Keep your porcupine meatballs simmering gently in the sauce. Rapid boiling can make the meatballs fall apart.
- Don’t overmix. Fold the ingredients together until they’re evenly combined, but don’t overmix the meatball mixture. This keeps the meatballs tender. Overworking the meat makes them tough.
- To ensure a “porcupine” look, make your meatballs about 2 tablespoons in size, and not larger. This gives the rice room to expand and poke out as it cooks.
What to Serve With Porcupine Meatballs
I like to serve these meatballs and tomato sauce with buttermilk mashed potatoes or cheesy potatoes. They’re also great with pasta, like spaghetti or garlic butter noodles, for a cozy dinner.
- Bread: Slices of crispy air fryer garlic bread are always welcome with saucy meatballs for sopping up the leftovers. I also love breadsticks or Macedonian kifli.
- Side salads: Serve with a Caesar salad or a fresh green salad.
- Veggies: Pair with roasted vegetables or green beans, or whip up a batch of air fryer broccoli while the meatballs simmer.
- As an appetizer: Transfer the meatballs to keep warm inside the crock pot and serve them with cocktail skewers or toothpicks on the side. Great for holidays and game day!
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Porcupine Meatballs
Ingredients
Porcupine Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef, preferably 80/20
- 8 ounces mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- ½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice, I used Basmati
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for browning
Garlic-Parmesan Tomato Sauce
- 28 ounce can tomato sauce, (or use two 14 to 15-ounce cans)
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, uncooked rice, egg, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper to taste, and water. Mix gently with clean hands. Do not overmix, as this can make the meatballs dense.
- Shape the meatballs. Form the mixture into about 20 meatballs, roughly 2 tablespoons each. Keep them compact so they hold together while the rice expands during cooking.
- Brown the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Brown them on all sides for about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate.
- Prepare the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato sauce, beef broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, butter, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper to taste, to the same skillet. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the porcupine meatballs. Return the meatballs to the skillet, arranging them in a single layer and spooning some sauce over the tops. Cover the skillet tightly and simmer over low heat for 45–50 minutes, or until the rice is completely tender, the meatballs are cooked through, and the rice is visibly poking through the surface. If the sauce gets too thick before the rice is tender, add a small splash of beef broth and continue cooking.
- Finish it up. Remove the lid and sprinkle the Parmesan over the tomato sauce. Gently spoon some of the sauce over the meatballs and cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes, just until the Parmesan melts into the sauce.
- Serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm with the tomato sauce spooned over the meatballs.
Equipment
Notes
- Use uncooked long-grain white rice. Don’t substitute cooked rice or instant rice, as the rice needs to absorb the liquid while the meatballs simmer.
- Do not skip the water in the meatball mixture. The uncooked rice needs additional moisture to cook properly inside the meatballs.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil. This helps the meatballs stay intact while the rice cooks.
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. Gently combining the ingredients keeps the meatballs tender.
- For the best “porcupine” appearance, don’t make the meatballs too large. The rice needs room to expand and poke through the surface.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerate. Store leftover porcupine meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm up the meatballs on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze. Transfer the cooled meatballs and sauce to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
