Porcupine Meatballs cooked 3 ways - Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker or Stovetop

June 30, 2020

You might be wondering about the name of this recipe...Porcupine Meatballs?! Strange name for one amazing dish! I had never heard of them before either until I met my husband. Porcupine Meatballs are his most very favorite meal EVER! This is the meal that he requests for his birthday dinner. And now that my boys love them just as much as my husband does, I have to make a ton! The rice is a perfect addition to this meatball. It is a great way to stretch out your ground beef! This recipe got its name because when the rice cooks in the meatball, it will stick out like the quills of a porcupine.

Tonight, all of my guys really wanted Porcupine Meatballs for dinner. I had the beef but I didn't have the time so I made them in the pressure cooker for the first time and loved it! This recipe is so versatile. I will show you how to make them in the slow cooker, pressure cooker and on the stovetop. They are all prepared the same. Just the cooking methods will change. Here is how to make our family favorite...

Porcupine Meatballs

Makes approximately 20 meatballs

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1/3 cup onion, finely diced

1/2 cup instant rice

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Sauce Ingredients:

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans of tomato soup

1 can of water

1/2 tsp basil

2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Pepper to taste

Fresh basil, chopped

1. Mix together all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, until well combined. Using your hands work best for this.

2. Take the meat mixture and form into 1.5 inch meatballs. I use a small scooper for this to make it easy.

3. Spray your pot with cooking spray.

4. In your pot, mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Reserving the fresh basil until the end.

5. Stir until the sauce is smooth and mixed well.

6. Lightly layer the meatballs and cook in your desired method below...

Pressure Cooker:

Close the lid on the sauce covered Porcupine Meatballs and cook under pressure for 8 minutes.

Slow Cooker:

Put the lid on your sauce covered Porcupine Meatballs and cook in the slow cooker for 8 hours.

Stovetop:

Place a lid on your sauce covered Porcupine Meatballs and cook on the stovetop over medium low heat for about an hour. Until the meatballs are done. Stir occasionally and make sure that it just simmers and does not boil.

Garnish the cooked Porcupine Meatballs with fresh basil! We eat them as is, right out of the pot, with a salad. But they are also delicious served over rice or pasta too! Or with a piece of crusty bread to soak up this delicious sauce.

This zesty sauce is amazing! Make sure that you pour lots of it over your Porcupine Meatballs! You will see why this family favorite will become your family favorite with your first bite! The best!