Get my Cookbooks! Porcupine Meatballs
These Porcupine Meatballs are an easy roll and go recipe- no need to brown the meatballs or cook the rice! The rice steams in flavorful tomato sauce in the oven for juicy meatballs and fluffy rice every time!
Be sure to try my Swedish Meatballs, Slow Cooker Beef Stew, and Lazy Lasagna recipes next!
Porcupine Meatballs
These Porcupine Meatballs are such a convenient, cozy, roll and go recipe! (I believe I coined a new term!) Simply roll out the meatballs (filled with uncooked rice), drop them into the sauce, cover and bake! It’s that easy! The rice steams in the oven and comes out perfectly fluffy and cooked. How cool is that?
The rice ends up poking out through the meatballs, giving them a textured little porcupine look!
I tested this in a variety of ways to make sure the rice sufficiently cooks through. I learned some lessons along the way and I’m excited to share them with you. (My failures become your success!) Be sure to check out all of my PRO TIPS and lessons below! I have a feeling you may have just found your new go-to meatball recipe!
How to Make It
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Combine crushed Ritz crackers (or breadcrumbs) and half and half. Stir in minced onions, garlic, parmesan, egg, oregano, and basil until well combined. Season the ground pork and beef with salt/pepper and stir it in to combine. Add the uncooked rice.
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Stir until uniformly combined. Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs and set aside.
Combine the sauce ingredients and bring it to a gentle bubble. Gently drop in the meatballs and spoon the sauce on top. Cover tightly and bake at 350° F for 55 minutes. Serve with Garlic Bread With Cheese or No Knead Bread with Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Why I use the Oven (vs. the Stovetop)
- I’ve tested this recipe on the stovetop before and found that the meatballs in the middle of the pan cooked much faster than those around the perimeter. Since we’re steaming rice in this recipe, an even application of heat is crucial, so the oven is a reliable choice.
No Browning or Sautéing Needed
- No need to brown the meatballs ahead of time: Since the meatballs bake for a longer period of time in this recipe, browning them first runs the risk of drying them out. They’re fully cooked in the sauce from a raw state.
- Unlike some of my other meatball recipes, the onions/garlic don’t need to be softened first: They steam in the oven (just like the rice), and give the meatballs, rice, and sauce more flavor by doing so.
Pro Tips
- This recipe uses uncooked white long grain rice. (Carolina brand.) I haven’t tested this with other varieties of rice and would stick to this kind. I wouldn’t recommended using brown rice as it requires more liquid and cooking time, by which point the meatballs would dry out.
- I recommend using an oven-safe baking dish with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. This ensures that the steam gets trapped in order to properly cook the rice. I use this 3.6 quart enameled cast iron casserole dish. A 9 x 13-inch casserole dish topped with thick foil will also work if needed.
- 80/20 beef is the best for this recipe as they bake for a while and this keeps them moist. A little ground pork adds additional complexity and flavor, however all ground beef may be used if needed.
- Mince the onions finely so they incorporate nicely into the meatballs. The meatballs also hold their shape better with minced onions vs. diced.
- Marinara Sauce: High quality marinara goes a long way in the final result. I love using Rao’s or Carbone marinara.
- I use chicken broth instead of beef broth in the sauce as the chicken flavor contrasts the beef meatballs nicely. (But beef broth can be used if preferred.)
- Adding Cheese: Add shredded mozzarella cheese during the last 10 minutes if desired, cover and finish baking for the remaining 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Higher altitudes often require more liquid and cooking time to sufficiently cook rice, so keep this in mind.
- You’ll know the meatballs are ready when the rice is clearly poking out from the meatballs. (Like a porcupine!)
- Serve this with: Garlic Bread With Cheese or No Knead Bread with Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers reheat well!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- I use this 3.6 quart enameled cast iron casserole dish. An Oven-safe baking dish with a tight-fitting lid is ideal for this recipe. This ensures that the steam gets trapped in order to properly cook the rice. (A 9 x 13-inch casserole dish covered with thick foil works as well.)
- #50 cookie scoop: The perfect size for uniform 1.5-inch meatballs, this makes rolling them out so much faster because you know they’re all the exact same size.
- Compact Vacuum Sealer– This is a miracle worker and takes up virtually no space. (I use it to vacuum seal and freeze any excess pork since this recipe uses 1/2 lb. of pork.)
- Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth /bouillon in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.
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Try These Next
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- Meatball Stroganoff
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- BEST Baked Chicken Tenders
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- Sausage Tortellini Soup
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- Stuffing Meatloaf
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- Chicken Meatball Soup
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Porcupine Meatballs
These Porcupine Meatballs are an easy roll and go recipe with no need to brown the meatballs or cook the rice! The rice steams in flavorful tomato sauce in the oven for juicy meatballs and fluffy rice every time!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ⅓ cup crushed Ritz crackers, can sub plain or Italian breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup half and half
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, basil
- 1 lb. ground beef, 80% lean
- ½ lb. ground pork
- Salt/Pepper
- ½ cup uncooked long grain white rice
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 bay leaf
For Serving
- Freshly chopped parsley
- Freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Measure out ingredients before beginning.
- Add the crushed Ritz crackers to a large bowl. Stir in the half and half (this mixture will continue to thicken). Add the minced onions, garlic, parmesan, egg, oregano, and basil and until well combined.
- Season the pork and ground beef with salt and pepper and add it to the bowl. Stir until just combined (don’t overwork the meat or the meatballs can become tough).
- Add the uncooked rice and stir until evenly combined. Roll into 1 ½-inch meatballs and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Add the diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle bubble. (*If using a casserole dish, transfer the sauce to it now.)
- Gently drop in the meatballs and spoon the sauce on top as you do so. Cover tightly to trap in the heat and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon out any grease from the top. Top with parsley and parmesan. Serve with Garlic Bread With Cheese or No Knead Bread with Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Notes
Pro Tips:
Storage:
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 6 servings. (It also makes 38 meatballs total, or 6.333 meatballs per serving.)
- This recipe uses uncooked white long grain rice. (Carolina brand.) I haven't tested this with other varieties of rice and would stick to this kind. I wouldn't recommended using brown rice as it requires more liquid and cooking time, by which point the meatballs would dry out.
- I recommend using an oven-safe baking dish with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. This ensures that the steam gets trapped in order to properly cook the rice. I use this 3.6 quart enameled cast iron casserole dish. A 9 x 13-inch casserole dish topped with thick foil will also work if needed.
- 80/20 beef is the best for this recipe as they bake for a while and this keeps them moist. A little ground pork adds additional complexity and flavor, however all ground beef may be used if needed.
- Mince the onions finely so they incorporate nicely into the meatballs. The meatballs also hold their shape better with minced onions vs. diced.
- Marinara Sauce: High quality marinara goes a long way in the final result. I love using Rao’s or Carbone marinara.
- I use chicken broth instead of beef broth in the sauce as the chicken flavor contrasts the beef meatballs nicely. (But beef broth can be used if preferred.)
- Adding Cheese: Add shredded mozzarella cheese during the last 10 minutes if desired, cover and finish baking for the remaining 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Higher altitudes often require more liquid and cooking time to sufficiently cook rice, so keep this in mind.
- You'll know the meatballs are ready when the rice is clearly poking out from the meatballs. (Like a porcupine!)
- Serve this with: Garlic Bread With Cheese or No Knead Bread with Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers reheat well!
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. This recipe makes 6 servings. (It also makes 38 meatballs total, or 6.333 meatballs per serving.)
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 110mg, Sodium: 996mg, Potassium: 1005mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 742IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 136mg, Iron: 5mg
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These are so wonderful. Brings back childhood memories as my mom would make these. I forgot about them. I have a question. What are your thoughts on making these in a slow cooker?
I am sooo happy that you loved them Liz!! Cooking these in the slow cooker would require a separate testing effort. I’m not sure if the rice would sufficiently cook through or not, if you ever give it a go I’d love to know how it goes! 🙂
This was another review I meant to write! My family and myself had never had porcupine meatballs, but let me tell you, they are now, officially, in our dinner rotation. I’ve made them twice already and my husband usually never requests any dishes (he typically just loves everything I make and eats whatever being a Navy Veteran ;)), but he actually requested this dish! In fact, he requested these tonight, but I’m craving your stuffed bell peppers! haha He was happy because I’m making your cheesy garlic bread with them, so we comprised! Thank you AGAIN, for sharing your gift. I love coming on your site weekly to see the new recipes you add and what new, exciting, yummy recipe I get to make for my family to try next! You are the best, Stephanie! xoxo
Ahhhhh I am SOOOOOO happy that your husband requested these!!! Honestly, you don’t know how happy that makes me. Thank you to infinity and beyond! 😍❤️☀️
Realllly good recipe! Even my picky 2 year old was eating them! Thank you!
You’re very welcome Ari! I’m so happy even your picky 2 year old enjoyed them!! Thanks so much!🩷🩷🩷
These were so good! Full of flavor. My husband told me about how much he loved porcupine meatballs growing up; I’d never heard of them and then a day later, I got an email about this recipe and had to make it. He said they taste exactly like he remembers. Our kids even got thirds.
You’re kidding me!!! I can’t believe the timing of that, with your husband mentioning it and then my email coming in the next day! I’m so thrilled that your family loved it, thank you SO MUCH! ❤️ Your review made my dayyyy!
My husband has always spoken so fondly of porcupine meatballs, he grew up eating them as a go-to dinner in his large family. I had never even heard of them before, but I always wanted to recreate that memory for him. When I came across your recipe, I was so excited to finally give it a try, and it turned out absolutely perfect!
Everyone loved it, and it meant so much to be able to bring a piece of his childhood back to the table. I trust every recipe you share, they’re always flavorful, comforting, and delicious. I’ve made many dishes from both of your cookbooks, and your name is spoken in our home like an old friend: “Oh, this is a Stephanie recipe!” 😊
Thank you for consistently delivering recipes that bring both great taste and special memories to life.
This makes me so happy Karen!! I love when food can bring you back to some good memories!! Thanks so much for your support and for taking the time to leave a comment!! It’s very appreciated!!!❤️❤️❤️
Hi Steph – love your recipes, so unique. We feed a large crowd and are considering making this recipe x8 in a 20 qt commercial stainless steel brazier. I believe that will be about 300 meatballs. I’m concerned it will be overcrowded and won’t cook properly. What do you think? We could do it in batches, how many at once would you recommend?
Hi Barbara! I’m so glad that you’re loving the recipes, that makes me so happy! 🙂 Honestly I’m not sure how this would do in a big brazier, I’ve tested it as it’s shown here and the meatballs are in a single layer in the casserole dish and they’re all covered in an even layer of sauce. I worry that if you make a giant batch and stack them all on top of each other that they may not hold up or steam properly. (They MIGHT, I just haven’t tested it.) We’re not browning the meatballs first in this recipe so that makes them a bit more fragile.
This is exactly what I thought you would say but had to satisfy my husband (he doesn’t know how well I know you). But your comment about keeping them in a single layer helps a lot! We MIGHT give it a try in batches. If we do I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks so much!
HAHAHA I love that you know me and knew what I was going to say! 😂😂😂 Amazing. Definitely let me know how it goes if you give it a try, making them in batches is a good idea! 🙂 Have a great rest of your week Barbara!
My mom made porcupine meatballs all the time. She would put cut up potatoes and carrots in with the meatballs and with that nice tomato sauce they would turn out amazing. In fact this was the only way I would eat cooked carrots when I was young.
That is amazing!!! How nostalgic, I LOVE it!! 🙂
Can quinoa be used instead of rice? How about ground turkey or chicken instead of beef and pork?
Hi Sarah! Using quinoa would require a separate testing effort. It has the same liquid requirements as white long grain rice, would definitely need to be rinsed first, and it requires slightly less cooking time. Using ground turkey or chicken would make the meatballs more prone to falling apart since they are leaner. These meatballs in particular benefit from beef/pork since they cook for so long. Chicken/turkey would dry out more easily. So just keep that in mind if you give it a go!