Porcupine Meatballs Recipe like Grandmother’s (just the recipe)

If you’ve been looking for your Grandma’s Porcupine Meatballs recipe, without having to scroll down forever just look at it, you’ve arrived!

Porcupine Meatballs differ from the typical meatball, in that rice is used for the filler, and the sauce is condensed tomato soup or brown gravy.

Without further ado, here’s the Porcupine Meatballs recipe (a more compact, printable version appears below). For brown gravy variation, please scroll down to Tips section:

Porcupine Meatballs Recipe: Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/8c. chopped parsley 
• 1 T. minced onion
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1/2t. salt
• 1/4c. uncooked rice
• 1T. butter
• 1 can condensed tomato soup (or 2 – 12 oz. jars brown gravy)
• 1 soup can water (omit water in brown gravy version)

How to Make Porcupine Meatballs

1. Blend together meatball ingredients (first 7, from beef through rice). 
2. Shape into meatballs. 
3. Blend soup and water in a separate bowl. 
4. Add soup mixture to meatballs. Heat to a boil, gently scraping browned bits from bottom into the sauce. 
5. Turn to lowest setting, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. 

Porcupine Meatballs Printable Recipe

Porcupine Meatballs Tips for Success

• For best results a heavy, use a well-made, stainless steel pan with a tightly fitting lid, such as this one, made in Italy (view here). 
• For the brown gravy version, simply substitute two 12 ounce jars of Heinz Brown Gravy for the tomato soup.
• No fresh onion? Place 1t. dried onion in a small, heatproof dish. Cover with water. Microwave very briefly, stopping it the moment it bubbles. Carefully drain, rinse, and drain once more. You can also sub dried garlic, using 1/4t.. 
• Hate rolling meatballs by hand? Me, too! Use a food scoop to form the meatballs (view here). 
• Concerned about high fructose corn syrup? Then don’t use Campbell’s Tomato Soup! Believe it or not, Walmart’s version, Equate, does not contain the offending substance. 
• You may use a large burner for the browning and boil stages; but simmer the pot on a smaller burner, to prevent scorching.
• Serve on spaghetti or more rice. 
• Also makes a fine meatball sandwich. Sauté onions and peppers in olive oil for a delicious topping. Try to use regular olive oil for this, as extra-virgin may overpower this American meatball. I know, that’s sacrilege to the food gurus out there!
• Need a quick dessert to go with your Rice Meatballs? Try my Chocolate Goodies recipe (view here). 

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