Porcupine Meatballs

A retro American classic that kids have loved for generations. Ground beef mixed with uncooked rice, onion, salt, and pepper, shaped into oversized meatballs, then baked in a sauce of cream of tomato soup thinned with water. As the meatballs bake, the rice absorbs liquid from the soup, swells, and pokes through the surface like little porcupine quills. That’s the name and that’s the fun.

The uncooked rice is the whole trick. It goes into the meat mixture raw, and the sealed, covered baking does the rest. The tight foil cover traps steam so the rice cooks inside the meatballs while the tomato soup creates a saucy braise around them. Without that seal, the rice stays hard and crunchy.

These are bigger than standard meatballs. Shaped to fit in cupped hands, they’re more like mini meat loaves. The larger size gives the rice enough insulation to cook through properly during the hour-long bake.

Chef Tips

• Wet your hands before shaping. The raw rice makes the mixture sticky and hard to work with dry.
• Space the meatballs ¾ inch apart in the pan. They need room for the rice to expand and the soup to circulate.
• Pour the soup mixture over every meatball, not just around the edges. Each one needs to be coated for even cooking.
• Cover the pan tightly. Any gaps in the foil let steam escape, and the rice won’t cook through.

Variations

• Mushroom soup version: Use cream of mushroom soup instead of tomato for a milder, creamier sauce.
• Stuffed pepper style: Add a diced green pepper and a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to the meat mixture.
• Smaller party size: Shape into golf ball-sized meatballs and reduce baking time to 30 to 35 minutes for appetizer portions.