Porcupine Meatballs | Old-Fashioned Family Recipe
Have you ever wondered why they’re called porcupine meatballs? Rice is mixed through the beef, and as the meatballs cook, some of the grains peek through the surface, giving them their unusual name.
The meatballs bake gently in a simple tomato sauce until tender and full of flavour. This is an easy, economical old-fashioned dinner that is lovely served with spaghetti, mashed potatoes or vegetables.
If you enjoy old-fashioned meatball recipes, you may also like my Authentic Italian Meatballs, juicy beef meatballs simmered in a homemade tomato sauce.
Porcupine Meatballs
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Porcupine meatballs are tender beef and rice meatballs baked gently in a rich tomato sauce. An easy old-fashioned family dinner that can be served with spaghetti, mashed potatoes or vegetables.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 g beef mince
- 1/3 cup soft white breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup uncooked short grain white rice
- 1 medium onion, grated
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or ½ teaspoon for a milder flavour
- 1 egg
Sauce
- 1 x 420g can condensed tomato soup,
- 3/4 can water, measured using the empty soup can
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 small bay leaves, or 1 large
- 2 strips lemon peel, avoid the white pith
To assemble and serve
- butter, for greasing the dish
- extra chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs
- Place the beef mince, breadcrumbs, uncooked rice, grated onion, parsley, salt, pepper and egg in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until evenly combined.
Shape the meatballs
- Lightly grease a large casserole or baking dish with butter. Shape the mixture into meatballs about the size of a large walnut and arrange them in the dish in a single layer.
Make the sauce
- Whisk together the condensed tomato soup, water, salt, pepper, sugar and garlic. Add the bay leaves and strips of lemon peel, then pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs.
Cover and bake
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake at 160°C fan-forced or 180°C conventional (350°F) for 1½ hours.
Baste the meatballs
- Remove the dish from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Remove the bay leaves and lemon peel, then spoon some of the sauce over the meatballs. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Brown the meatballs
- Increase the oven temperature to 200°C fan-forced or 220°C conventional (425°F). Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Carefully turn the meatballs, baste them with the sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Serve
- Spoon the sauce over the meatballs and sprinkle with extra chopped parsley. Serve with spaghetti, mashed potatoes or vegetables.
Video
Notes
Pepper: These meatballs have a lovely peppery flavour. Use ½ teaspoon of pepper in the meatball mixture if you prefer them milder. Leftovers: These reheat beautifully. Leftover meatballs and sauce are also delicious served in a crusty roll as a meatball sub. Freezing: Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Tomato soup: Be sure to use condensed tomato soup, as ordinary ready-to-serve soup will make the sauce too thin.
