by Natasha Shaw Last updated on 05/14/2025

It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention, so when the great depression hit America in 1929 and food was increasingly hard to come by, home cooks had to get creative. Enter porcupine meatballs. Meat was scarce and had to be extended to feed the family, so a handful of rice was thrown into the mix. Canned tomato soup had been around since the turn of the century and dried culinary herbs had been a part of the home cook’s kitchen for decades.

It’s soothing to know that this recipe that was borne of necessity nearly 100 years ago still stands as perfect comfort food today. Soft and tender (and not to mention gluten free!), serve these meatballs with extra steamed rice or buttery smooth mashed potatoes.

How to make Mum’s porcupine meatballs: key tips

To make the meatballs, prepare the onion by chopping it very finely, as large pieces of onion will cause the meatballs to fall apart.

Mix everything, except the soup and water, in a bowl. The mixture will be too stiff to stir and combine well, so clean your hands and get stuck in.

Roll your meatballs into balls about the size of a large walnut. Drop them into your simmering soup mixture, gently to avoid any splash, and simmer until the rice is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve your meatballs with mashed potato (to soak up all the sauce) and steamed vegetables, such as carrots and broccoli.

Key ingredients in Mum’s porcupine meatballs recipe

Any-star beef mince will do for these meatballs, so if you want to use budget-friendly 3-star mince, then go for it!

A long-grain white rice will work best for these meatballs, such as basmati. The cook has used dried mixed herbs. You can use a mix of fresh herbs, if you like. Just be sure to chop them finely.

Try rolling out some more of our delectable meatball recipes on site. I particularly like the look of these massaman curry meatballs.

This recipe was originally submitted by I-hate-offal, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Australia’s Best Recipes and Natasha Shaw

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

750g Woolworths Beef Mince
1/2 cup rice uncooked
1 onion small finely diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 x 500g Rosella canned condensed tomato soup
1 1/4 cups water

Method

Step 1

Mix mince, rice, onion, herbs and seasoning together in a bowl.
Step 2

Shape into bite-sized balls.
Step 3

Heat tomato soup and water until boiling, then drop in meatballs.
Step 4

Simmer for 45 minutes.

Equipment

1 bowl

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Freezes well.

Why are they called porcupine meatballs?

While the meatballs simmer in the soup the rice slowly cooks and starts poking out of the surface of the meat, forming ‘quills’. Hence the name porcupine (or hedgehog for some of us growing up!).

Why use tomato soup?

Name: Mum's Porcupine Meatballs recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 750g Beef Mince; 1/2 cup rice uncooked; 1 onion small finely diced; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 2 tsp dried mixed herbs; 2 x 500g Rosella canned condensed tomato soup; 1 1/4 cups water

The Campbell’s soup company released its condensed tomato soup in 1897. It was cheap, available and could sit in the cupboard without spoiling. It is little wonder it made its way into porcupine meatballs. What is amazing is that it made its way into a cake recipe. Tomato soup magic cake is another invention of the Great Depression. Spices are added to the flour mixture that mask the flavour of the soup so it’s role is to add moisture. The addition of bicarbonate of soda reacts with the acidity of the tomato soup causing it to rise without the addition of eggs.

How do you keep porcupine meatballs from falling apart?

In most meatball recipes you use breadcrumbs and milk or egg to make the mixture hold together. In this case, rice is the binding agent. The rice needs to simmer slowly in the soupy liquid in order to swell and make the meatballs stick together. Be careful not to cook at too high a temperature thoug, as they will fall apart before they have the chance to gently glue together. Also, if the meatballs are left to soak up the sauce for too long they'll become a bit too soft and may fall apart.

Are there porcupine meatball recipes that don’t use tomato soup?

If you’re not a fan of tomato soup you could always give the meatballs a creamy twist and substitute with 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. You could even give them a bit of a Swedish vibe and add allspice and nutmeg to the meatballs and finish with a swirl of cream and chopped fresh dill

Can you cook porcupine meatballs in the slow cooker?

You sure can! But it’s best to fry the meatballs in a frying pan with some oil before transferring to the slow cooker to prevent them from just dissolving in the liquid. Cut the water back to only 1 cup and cook on low for 5 hours.