Porcupine Meatballs with Mushroom Cream Sauce literally my favourite birthday meal EVER! I don’t actually remember what I would ask for as a kid, but as a teenager and every year since this has been my birthday meal. Except for the one time my mom was out of town and my Dad made me a steak with peppercorn sauce. There was even that one time when my brother threatened to eat all the leftovers and I may have had an adult tantrum. No lie.
Meatballs might seem like a silly choice for an adult, but really it’s comfort food. This is what I want when those pangs of homesickness creep in and I want to be reminded of my mom’s kitchen and my family on my birthday. I’m also convinced that meatballs top the list of all-time favourite comfort foods, so really why wouldn’t this be the adult’s choice?
If my mom is here or I’m at home, she always makes a big batch for me. Porcupine Balls with Mushroom Cream Sauce is super easy and it freezes like a dream. This means, I can beg her to make extras when she’s here and they last for months in the freezer. Both my boys are huge fans and will happily devour these. I’ll be honest, I dread the day they eat the same size portion as I do.
How to make Porcupine Meatballs with Mushroom Cream Sauce
All these Porcupine Meatballs take is hamburger studded with dry rice, (hence the name) a bit of onion and some spices. Then the ingredients get all rolled into meatballs and baked in a mushroom soup sauce. I like to use 3% milk or cream for these, so my sauce is extra creamy. It’s such an easy recipe and the flavours are fantastic.
To make these, start by making your meatballs. Toss everything into a large bowl except the mushroom soup and milk or cream, whichever you’re using. Mix the meat mixture until everything is fully combined. I like to make my meatballs about one and a half inches to two inches in diameter. Enough to get 24 meatballs out of the mixture.
You can stop here and freeze these. I like to freeze the meatballs on a cookie sheet and then bag them in a zip-top freezer bag. They’ll last about three months in the freezer and I bake them right from frozen. It’s truly such a simple recipe.
I always bake these meatballs in a small casserole dish, but I usually only bake 12 meatballs at a time. That’s the perfect amount for us right now, but if you’re baking the full batch use a large casserole. I like to pack the meatballs in pretty tight, it helps to keep the meatballs fully covered in the cream sauce, but it’s not necessary.
Before baking, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and cream or milk and pour this over the meatballs. Make sure you spoon a bit of sauce over the tops of each meatball before you cook these. Cover tightly with foil and bake them for about an hour to an hour and a half or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
I like to serve these over mashed potatoes with a side salad and steamed or roasted broccoli. Peas work well too! You don’t have to use mashed potatoes, there is rice in the meatballs already, but I like to have something to sop up all the extra mushroom sauce. See, isn’t that another reason to call these comfort, extra sauce? I’m sure after a helping of these meatballs, you won’t question my love for these at all!
Loved Porcupine Meatballs with Mushroom Cream Sauce? Check out these other delicious recipes, I’m sure they’ll hit the spot:
- Curry Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells
- Potacos (Taco Stuffed Potatoes)
- How to Make Classic Whistle Dogs
If you get a chance to make this or any other recipe on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your post. I’d love to see what you’re cooking in your kitchen!
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Porcupine Balls with Mushroom Sauce
Talk about comfort in a bowl! Meatballs studded with rice and onions and loaded with flavour are baked in a rich, creamy mushroom sauce. My favourite birthday meal and oh so easy!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2/3 cup Basmati rice
- 1 small onion, diced small
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper, fresh ground
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Mrs. Dash original seasoning
- 2 cans (10 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups milk or cream
INSTRUCTIONS
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Preheat oven to 350 degree.
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Mix together the beef, rice, onions, eggs and seasoning. Form into meatballs about one and a half to two inches in diameter.
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To bake right away, place the meatballs in a casserole dish. Whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and milk until well combined. Pour this mixture over the meatballs, spoon a bit of the sauce over each meatball to make sure they're coated.
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Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for an hour or until a thermometer inserted into the centre registers 165 degrees F.
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To freeze a portion or all the meatballs for later use, lay the uncooked meatballs out on a pan and freeze for a couple of hours. Then, bag them and keep in the freezer for up to three months.
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To bake from frozen, add the meatballs to a casserole dish. Whisk together the mushroom soup and milk together, pour over frozen meatballs, cover tightly with tin foil and bake for an hour and a half to two hours or until the meatballs are cooked through.