Name: Porcupine Meatballs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 28oz tomato sauce; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 Tbsp sugar; 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Italian seasoning; ½ tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp salt; 1.5 pounds lean ground beef; 1 medium egg; 4 cloves garlic, minced; ¾ cup long grain rice; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tsp Italian seasoning; ½ tsp onion powder

Jump to Recipe

Now here’s a nostalgic dish for you! Porcupine Meatballs were a staple dish during the Great Depression, and if you haven’t tried them yet, now is the time.

First, let me say that no, they are not made out of porcupines. Instead, the name comes from their pokey appearance, thanks to the rice added into the meatballs. It’s a hearty and filling meal that you should absolutely try.

My easy Porcupine Meatballs are a hearty and nutritious way to make a budget-friendly family dinner.

Meatballs. Who can really resist them? Young and old alike can’t get enough. From classic Italian Meatballs to creamy Swedish Meatballs and even the unique Butter Chicken Meatballs in our Premium subscriber section, those spheres are always a hit.

What Are Porcupine Meatballs?

As I earlier mentioned, Porcupine Meatballs are a dish that came out of the Depression. Back then, people had a hard enough time affording food, so they had to make adjustments based on what was cheap and readily available.

So that’s where these meatballs came in. Though they use ground beef, rice was used as a filler to bulk up the meatballs. This kept them both hearty and nutritious, while also keeping the cost down.

Now, while I am trying to keep the original flavors pretty traditional with the addition of things like Worcestershire sauce, I am making a modification that I think really enhances the dish. Originally, Porcupine Meatballs were simmered in canned tomato soup. Today, I am using tomato sauce, with a few flavor additions. And this kind of keeps with the Great Depression theme. Because, back then, who would have imagined that a can of condensed tomato soup would be so outrageously expensive compared to canned tomatoes???

Ingredients

Meatballs

Ground beef – I typically use 85/15 for this recipe. You can go up or down in fat content based on your budget and/or health considerations.
White rice – Technically, any white rice will do here. But if you’re interested in aesthetics (which food bloggers are required to do), we have found that long grain basmati works best. It grows longer and will give your meatballs an extra porcupiney look.
Seasonings – Fresh garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.

Sauce

Tomato sauce – For best taste, get good quality. For more of a Depression-era feel, get the cheapest you can find.
Chicken broth or stock – We always use Better then Bouillon.
Seasonings – Worcestershire, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sugar (to make it more like canned tomato soup), and salt, of course.

Porcupine Meatballs Recipe

As with any meatball dish, first you make the meatballs. This is so they can firm up in the fridge for a bit and keep their shape. First I whisk the egg and seasonings together, then add the meat and rice. I make sure that everything is well combined, but not overmixed, which can lead to hard meatballs. I like to make pretty big meatballs here, so for this recipe I form the meat into 15-18 balls.

I put the meatballs on a small baking sheet in the fridge, then get the sauce going. As there are no aromatics in the sauce, I just mix all of the sauce ingredients together, then bring everything to a low simmer. If you have time, simmer it for a while, but even a few minutes will do.

Once the sauce is going, I gently lower the meatballs into the sauce. I bring it up to a low simmer, then cover and cook for about 50-55 minutes.

To check for doneness, first I measure the internal temperature of the meatballs with an instant read thermometer. They need to be at least 165°F. If they’re more than that, it’s okay, just no lower. If they hit the temperature threshold, I break off a little piece to test and see if the rice is done cooking. If it’s still chewy, I keep cooking until the rice is tender.

Serving Suggestions

We usually serve Porcupine Meatball with mashed potatoes or more rice, along with a side salad. They also pair well with egg noodles and some vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower.

Some nice crusty bread is also a great serving option.

Just because a dish originated in the Depression doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. I mean, have you had our American Goulash yet? Now try these Porcupine Meatballs, I bet you’ll love them

If you cook them, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.

More great meatball recipes:
Moroccan Meatball Tagine
Meatball Stew
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Asian Meatball Bowls
Spanish Meatballs
Greek Keftedes
Albondigas Soup

Porcupine Meatballs

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

My easy Porcupine Meatballs are a hearty and nutritious way to make a budget-friendly family dinner.