Porcupine meatballs are ground beef and uncooked rice formed into balls and simmered in tomato soup until the rice cooks through and pokes out of the surface — that’s where the name comes from. One pound of beef makes about 20 small meatballs, enough for four people, and the whole thing is done in a single skillet in just over an hour. It’s a genuinely low-effort weeknight dinner with almost no cleanup.
Before you start
The one thing that matters here is using uncooked rice — not parboiled, not instant. Standard long-grain white rice needs the full 40-minute simmer to soften properly inside the meatball, and instant rice will turn mushy before the beef reaches 160°F (71°C). The other thing worth knowing: keep your meatballs small and consistent, roughly the size of a golf ball. Larger meatballs mean the center takes longer to cook through, and you risk the outside of the meatball overcooking before the rice inside is done. A kitchen scale or a tablespoon measure speeds this up and keeps them uniform without any guesswork.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the lid during the simmer. The steam trapped under the lid is what cooks the rice inside the meatballs. Cook uncovered and the liquid evaporates too fast, leaving you with crunchy rice and dry meatballs. Keep the lid on for the full 40 minutes.
- Turning the heat too high after the boil. A hard boil breaks the meatballs apart. Once you’ve brought the sauce to a boil, drop it to a low simmer immediately — small bubbles only.
- Not checking the internal temperature. Cut one meatball open at the 40-minute mark. The beef should read 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer and the rice should be fully tender with no chalky center. If the rice is still firm, add a splash of water and give it another 5–10 minutes covered.
- Using a skillet that’s too small. Crowded meatballs steam unevenly and stick together. Use a large skillet — 12 inches works well — so the meatballs sit in a single layer with sauce around them, not on top of each other. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
- Over-mixing the meat mixture. Work the beef just until the ingredients are combined. Over-working ground beef makes the meatballs dense and tough once cooked.
Porcupine Meatballs with Rice & Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 can condensed tomato soup - 10.75 oz / 305g, divided
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, beaten egg, chopped onion, fresh parsley, dried parsley, black pepper, salt, and ¼ cup of the tomato soup. Mix with your hands or a fork until just combined — avoid overmixing, which makes the meatballs dense. Using a tablespoon measure or cookie scoop, form the mixture into approximately 20 golf-ball-sized meatballs (about 1½ tablespoons each). Arrange them in a single layer in a 12-inch (30cm) skillet.1 pound ground beef (minced beef), ¼ cup white rice, 1 medium egg, 2 tablespoons yellow onion, 1 tablespoon parsley, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 can condensed tomato soup
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, and water until smooth. Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs in the skillet. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a gentle boil.1 can condensed tomato soup, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup water
- Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 40 minutes, gently turning the meatballs once or twice during cooking to coat them in the sauce. The meatballs are done when the rice grains are tender and visibly poking through the surface, and the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160°F / 71°C. If the sauce thickens too much before the rice is cooked, add a splash of water and continue simmering.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?
No — brown rice won’t cook through in 40 minutes inside a meatball. It needs significantly longer cooking time than white rice, and by the time the brown rice softens, the beef will be overcooked and the sauce will have reduced too much.
Can I make these ahead and reheat them?
Yes. Store cooked meatballs in the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, until the meatballs are heated through to 160°F (71°C).
Can I substitute ground turkey for the ground beef?
You can, but ground turkey must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) — 5 degrees higher than beef. Add an extra 5–10 minutes to the simmer time and verify the temperature with a thermometer before serving.
My sauce looks too thick halfway through cooking — what do I do?
Add water, two tablespoons at a time, and replace the lid. The rice absorbs liquid as it cooks, so some thickening is normal, but if the sauce is sticking to the pan the heat is too high or the lid isn’t sealing well.
What to cook next
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
- Hearty Beef Mushroom Stroganoff
- Olive Beef Polpette Perfection
